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My first blog post ever!

This is the post excerpt.

Hi I’m Paula

and just exploring ways of recording thoughts and experiences on life’s journey

post

To start with I am sharing a couple of quotes I keep coming back to

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing. A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days.  Annie Dillard in The Writing Life

and this poem ‘Days’ by Philip Larkin

What are days for?
Days are where we live.
They come, they wake us
Time and time over.
They are to be happy in:
Where can we live but days?
Ah, solving that question
Brings the priest and the doctor
In their long coats
Running over the fields.

Presence

At the beginning of this year I asked God to give me a word for the year. After meditating quietly for a while I got the word ‘Presence’

When Moses was in the wilderness with the Israelites he said to God that he didn’t want to journey any further if God did not come with him and God said

My presence shall go with you and I will give you rest

David in Psalm 23 says

Even though I walk through the darkest valley I will fear no evil for you are with me.

When my husband David died, a dear friend told me to read psalm 23 every day for a month which I did. Even though I have known this psalm from childhood, it is so good to focus on a phrase in it and in doing so just rest in God’s presence and find comfort and strength

Many times when God called people to do something challenging he told them to not be afraid because He was with them.

We can often feel very alone at times in life. It is this which makes difficult times even more challenging. Knowing God’s presence is with us can transform a situation or at least transform us so that we feel able to carry on.

If you are struggling in life or just feel alone why don’t you find a bible and just spend a few quiet moments allowing the words to soak in and seek God’s presence. Do that for a few minutes each day and see what a difference it can make.

Up to now blogging is not my thing but…….

There seem to be many obstacles to setting up a blog but felt encouraged to do so at the end of an amazing course called “Uncluttered ” which is run by Joshua Becker who has some great blogs on becomingminimalist.com. Hoping to connect with others on the journey.

I found the course to be much more than just about decluttering. It involved examining my whole mindset towards possessions and the whys of how I  was doing life and questioning where my heart really is. It is a lifelong walk with a few steps forwards as well as a few steps back. It’s also been encouraging to read the blogs of others on a similar journey and how their lives have been enriched by simplifying their lives to get to what really matters.