To Russia With Love

I have a thing about pier shots. 

I guess it's because I spent many summers with this as my view. Sitting with my friends, next to the pier, bodysurfing, watching the boys surf, and laying out, working on our tans. 

It's still one of my favorite views. 

Which brings me to views. 

Blog views...

Oh wait, I'll backtrack a little first.

I'll start by saying that I'm not on here very often anymore. I know that's stating the obvious, lol. Like many other bloggers, I had moved on to other things and this blog seemed to take a backseat in my life. I've never been much of a writer anyway. I can remember sitting down to write a story for a school assignment, and thinking, "No, let me draw a picture instead." 

Art was my easy "A" class, not English. 

In fact, the only thing I remember writing that didn't stump me was poetry, which is kind of a written form of "Art" class. I guess that photography is now my "Art" of choice, hiding behind the lens of a camera instead of using pencils, pens or paint, sitting in the shadow of a pier, or waiting for the sun to pass just below the horizon to get the most vivid colors of a sunset. 

However, I come from a long line of storytellers. My mom's side of the family has always told stories. True stories. Oral history though, not the written word. My kids have heard my stories so many times they can tell them for me. I've written a few of them here on the blog, but my strength is not in the writing, it's in the telling. When I tell someone about the day I was held up, you will probably laugh about the ineptness of both myself and the robber. My next job was working for spies..no lie. I can tell you that one with a whole slew of websites to back me up :) I then worked for an actress, and I think a sitcom could be created from all of the stories I tell about that job. 

So what does pier views, storytelling and blog views have to do with one another? Well, the "pier views" comment was really just because I wanted to include a photo. I always want to include a photo. (Btw, that's my hubby on the surfboard. I'm still watching the boys surf, lol). The "storytelling" is because I haven't been telling any, and the "blog views" is because I'm always surprised when I check in here and see the stats on my blog.

First of all, I'm surprised that anyone is still checking. You are all wonderful to keep doing that. Secondly though, I'm surprised at the amount of visits coming from places like Russia...and Iran. Blogging has broadened my world, or shrunk it, depending on how you look at it. When I was blogging regularly, I "met" people from many countries who have come to be my friends.  So I started thinking, "If Russia is my second biggest viewing audience, what could I give them that would be meaningful?" 

I didn't know the answer. I wasn't even blogging anymore. The last post about my mom was going to be it. I'd lost the desire to share online. I'd lost my biggest cheerleader. I didn't know how much life could hurt without your mom in it. I didn't have any idea what this change was going to look like. My family has been very supportive, and I realize that people lose loved ones everyday. It just looks different when you're the one saying goodbye, doesn't it? 

So I've been learning to grieve. 

Hard stuff.

My mom was never one to let her kids wallow in their problems. Give them to God, she always said. Count your blessings. I can still hear her singing that song while she worked in the kitchen. I began to think about how I have it so easy. My goodness, I have it so easy! I have a roof over my head, food in my cupboards, and clothes on my back along with many more in my closet. My kids have never gone hungry, my husband has always had a job...

and I'm free to worship my God.

So I've decided that's what I'll share. I don't have the gift of writing, but oh, how I love the written word. My musical background is 'forced piano lessons for 5 years, and singing in a praise band."

I know enough to know how little I know. 

But I know what speaks to me. So I'm going to share that. The photos I hide behind. 

The stories that glorify Him. The songs and the lyrics that teach me, that inspire me, 

that remind me there is another view. 

An aerial view. 

His view.

"Lord I'm Ready Now

All the walls are down,
Time is running out
And I want to make this count."

Listen to the rest of this song if you have a couple of minutes. It's beautiful.