11.17.2014

Wonders Too Many To Declare! {World Prematurity Day}


November 17 is World Prematurity Day. It always sneaks up on me, and this year was no exception. However, I can't let the day go by without a post about our preemie, and our thankfulness for God's healing power and faithfulness in her life and in our family.

This year as I've thought about our "preemie story", it's brought great encouragement and comfort. We're going through struggles of various kinds right now, and so many around us are going through major trials that seem so overwhelming.  I'm thankful for the reminders of God's power, sovereignty, and faithfulness as I pray for all of those needs. Our God is a God of miracles. He is always working for our good and for His glory, even when the circumstances are hard!

Tonight I want to share again my words from last year, with some more recent pictures of "our everyday, walking {or more often running}, talking {all. the. time.}, breathing {which we'll never take for granted after seeing her "blue" too many times}, giggling {ALWAYS!} reminder of God's amazing grace, power, and goodness".

From my 2013 World Prematurity Day post: 

The night that my water broke at 30 weeks, my friend Kathy shared these verses with me:


I waited patiently for the LORD;
   He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
   out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock
   and gave me a firm place to stand.
 He put a new song in my mouth,
   a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the LORD
   and put their trust in Him.
  Blessed is the one
   who trusts in the LORD,
who does not look to the proud,
   to those who turn aside to false gods.
 Many, LORD my God,
   are the wonders You have done,
   the things You planned for us.
None can compare with You;
   were I to speak and tell of Your deeds,
   they would be too many to declare.
~Psalm 40:1-5

I clung to those verses for dear life during the time I was in the hospital before Ammah Grace was born and during the time that she was in NICU.  God was so gracious to us in giving us wonders too many to declare with Ammah Grace!

As often as I feel I've shared Ammah Grace's story, there are always people who haven't heard it. You can read more here, here, and here. We were cautioned by her neonatologists that she might never walk or talk, and that she could be blind and/or deaf.  I still marvel, almost 10 years later, at our running, laughing, always-talking, bright and healthy reminder of God's faithfulness and glory.

Prematurity is such a scary thing.  The NICU is a world unto itself that no one wants to enter.  What a blessing, though, to have the technology and medical advances that we have today, and to have the highly-skilled, compassionate doctors and nurses who work with these tiny little ones and their families.

God taught us so much through those days that I don't know if we could have learned any other way, and I am so thankful for that.  I am also so thankful for the many people who helped our family in so many ways during that time, and for the many, many who prayed for her.  The "Ammah" in Ammah Grace was my great-grandmother's name.  We discovered after she came home from the hospital that "Ammah" is a Biblical place name that means, "God's people".  What a perfect name for our little preemie, in whose life God's people played such a huge part.






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11.12.2014

Do Not Fear!

A little more encouragement tonight for those struggling with "big storms"...a repost from the archives. 




(This was supposed to post last night...not sure what happened, except that I was having computer issues, and apparently when it said it posted, it didn't. :))


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Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!  If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2014 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!  You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

11.11.2014

He is Faithful to Complete It! {Redeeming One of "Those" Days}


Being reminded of this truth again today!!







Today was "one of those days" when the need to work on heart issues (along with a bunch of unrelated interruptions) crowded out the "school" I had planned for this afternoon. My plans for the day were shredded and I was worn out and beyond frustrated by the time we left for TKD. I didn't feel like there was much left of the day to redeem, but I prayed that God would redeem it anyway.

Since then, my kids (with a little, but not a lot of, input from me) have had a fabulous conversation in the van about the Geneva Convention, international law, and changes in warfare over the last couple of centuries, AND even better, I've seen some major improvements in some of those heart issues we dropped everything to address this afternoon.

Thankful for God's reminders that He always equips us for what He has called us to do, and that when we feel like we are totally inadequate for the task, HIS strength and abundance are just beginning. He Who began a good work (in me and in my children!) will be faithful to complete it!


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Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!  If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2014 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!  You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

11.10.2014

Oh, Yes, He Cares!





I know many of you are waiting for the Guy Penrod/Road Trip post, and it's coming, I promise! But not tonight. Long day yesterday, less than four hours sleep, and another long day trying to catch up on the to do list that has been spiraling out of control haven't left much time or energy for photo editing or long, newsy blog posts.

And frankly, my heart is aching tonight. Friends are hurting, and I am hurting for and with them. I have all kinds of hopes and dreams and plans for the blog, and I'm especially excited about the concert post right now, but always, people come first. And tonight has been one of those times that the list and the posting schedule got pushed aside for friends in need.

Anyone who's read much here knows that music is always a balm to my heart, hymns in particular. I've been sitting here tonight listening to my favorite arrangement of this hymn, a duet with Guy Penrod and George Beverly Shea, and thinking how powerful the words are. No matter what we go through, ever, no matter how impossible or horrific it seems...He cares for us. 


Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth or song
As the burdens press, and the cares distress,
And the way grows weary and long?

Does Jesus care when my way is dark
With a nameless dread and fear?
As the daylight fades into deep night shades,
Does He care enough to be near?

Does Jesus care when I've tried and failed
To resist some temptation strong;
When for my deep grief there is no relief,
Though my tears flow all the  night long?

Does Jesus care when I've said "goodbye"
To the dearest on earth to me,
And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks--
Is it aught to Him? Does He see?

Oh, yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary, 
I know my Savior cares. 

~Frank E. Graeff


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Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!  If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2014 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!  You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email. 
 

Road Trip!! {Guy Penrod Claremore Preview}

It's 11:50 p.m. I just walked in the door from a road trip to Claremore, OK, to see Guy Penrod in concert. I am uploading pictures as I type, in hopes that I can quickly edit one or two and get this tiny preview post up before midnight. MUCH more to come, in story and photos, soon!




(While you're waiting, check out the previous "Penrod Posts" here!)

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Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!  If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2014 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!  You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email. 
 
 

11.08.2014

Another Unexpected Path {Epilepsy Awareness Month}




On April 7, 2012, I wrote these words:

Another unexpected path...

I started to call it a detour…it sure seems like one to us!  But then I realize that this is not a detour…it’s actually the route planned for us since before the foundation of the world, by the Author and Creator of all.  It’s “THE path”…totally unexpected by us, but no surprise at all to the One who holds us in the palm of His hand.

Today our 12-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy.  It wasn’t a totally unexpected diagnosis…we’ve known for over a week that we were more than likely dealing with some sort of seizure disorder, and suspected for several days that the specific disorder would be Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy.  And we’ve had a pretty good idea since December that something was wrong somewhere…although it took us a while to get to the right doctor to get to the bottom of things.

Epilepsy has definitely been an unexpected path for us. JME is a genetic epilepsy, and to our knowledge, there is no history of epilepsy in our family. When Bayley had her first seizure (which we weren't sure was even definitely a seizure at the time, as she was alone when it happened; friends outside the room said it sounded like a seizure, but we had no way of knowing) almost 3 years ago, we had no idea what was in store for her and for our family.

As in every other "storm of life" we've faced, God has been abundantly faithful throughout the years since. There have been some major bumps in the road along the way, but for the most part, Bay's seizures are well-controlled by medication and lifestyle precautions (adequate sleep being the most important of those). She has been seizure-free for well over a year now, and for that we are extremely thankful!

Bay recently started a new blog (Pure Life), and after a couple of years of being very hesitant to talk about her epilepsy, has spoken publicly about it there. Not only am I beyond proud and excited of her new blogging endeavor, I am also thankful beyond words for the work God has done and is doing in her life and her desire to share His faithfulness in every area, including her epilepsy.

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month. Last year around this time, I created, but never shared, a Seizure First Aid graphic. I may share some additional facts about epilepsy later this month, but for now, I'll close with that graphic. I'll just come out and say that graphic design is not my strong suit, and this graphic was created with a website I'd never used before and haven't used since, so it's not the most professional or artistic of graphics. :)  The info it contains, however, could be lifesaving.


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Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!  If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2014 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!  You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.


 

11.07.2014

Announcing...

There's a new blog on the block! Bayley has (re)started her blog, Pure Life, and I am so excited for her. She's been working hard on it this week, and she has lots of great plans. I'm a very proud momma!


So...go visit Bay's blog, and maybe leave her a word of encouragements in the comments. Comments are such a thrill for new bloggers (and bloggers who've been around for a while, too!)

11.06.2014

Backyard Glories...

Up at 4 a.m. and a long morning at work. Not feeling well and fighting bone-crushing fatigue all afternoon and evening. A couple of days of very "heavy" blog posts. NaBloPoMo hanging over my head. My pillow, my Kindle, and my heating pad calling my name.

I haven't posted photos from our backyard for quite some time. For all the above reasons, I decided tonight would be a good time to post some of my favorites that haven't yet been posted. Love seeing God's glory in the everyday wonders of our little backyard!

















11.05.2014

Good-bye to Grisham {The Ugly Truth About Child Porn and Those Who View It, Part 2}



I've been a long-time fan of John Grisham's writing. As I told a friend recently, he is the only secular fiction writer, and one of the few fiction writers at all, whose books I have actually bought and kept. Typically, other than classics or children's books, fiction has been a genre I read from the library, review copies, loans from friends, or more recently, e-book freebies. Occasionally over the years I've purchased super-bargains at used book sales/stores, usually passing them on to others when I'm finished.




John Grisham, though, was different. I was a huge Grisham fan in my young adult years, and I've built up quite a collection of his books in my library.

Not long ago, however, I told Billy I was finished. Done. Gathering up my Grisham books and tossing them all.

Not a Boycott

I'm not calling for a boycott. I'm not even making some sort of statement with the act of ridding my house of them. I just plain don't want to see them. I don't see myself ever reading Grisham again, and just seeing his books in my shelf turns my stomach.

They remind me of things I'd rather not think about. The fact that someone with the education and life experience and public standing of John Grisham would express the views he recently expressed about child pornography and those who view it appalls and saddens and disturbs me tremendously.

Long Way to Go

His comments are a reminder that despite more resources on all levels devoted to investigation and arrests, despite longer, tougher sentences for those convicted, despite all the progress that has been made, we are still far, far from where we need to be in this battle.

According to his recent interview in the London Telegraph, Grisham feels that America is jailing far too many people for viewing child pornography. I struggle to understand or believe that someone with a background in the law is really as naive or uneducated about these issues as John Grisham lets on in his recent Telegraph interview. However, perhaps the good that will come out of his horrific remarks will be that through the outcry generated, our society as a whole will become more educated about the horrors of child pornography.

Myth vs. Truth

Here are some of Grisham's points from the Telegraph article. My responses are in bold type.

1. So many men are being charged as "sex offenders" now that "they put them in the same prison. Like they're a bunch of perverts, or something; thousands of 'em." 

Those who view child pornography are sex offenders. They are perverts. As I said in part 1 of this post,

"...the world of child porn goes far, far, FAR beyond 16-year-old girls dressed up like 30-year-olds and naked baby pictures. Child porn involves children from infants to teens being forced and coerced to perform all manner of heinous acts. These acts go far beyond what those who have thankfully been sheltered from that world could possibly imagine"
There is absolutely nothing normal or okay about adult men or women viewing children as sex objects. Period. 
 
2. Current sentencing policies fail to distinguish between "real world abusers" and those who download content.

I'm not sure exactly what Grisham means by "real world abusers". I'm guessing he means those who actually assault children. I have several responses to this. 

First, Grisham seems to be of the mistaken belief that child pornography is a victimless crime. Child pornography is not a victimless crime. Not only are the children involved victimized in the initial production of the materials, but every expert I've ever heard or read on this topic has said the same thing: every time that material is viewed, that child is victimized all over again. Once that material is "out there", there is no getting it back. For the rest of that child's life, that material is there, most likely being viewed over and over again. 

Second, those who download content are the ones driving the market. If there wasn't an audience (often a paying one) for this type of content, production would dry up. So whether the offender ever touches a child or not, he or she is partially responsible for the atrocities being committed. 

Third, the Telegraph article discusses the controversy surrounding seeming sentencing injustices between those who actually assault children and those who download content. Supposedly there are instances in which those who download content are receiving harsher sentences than those who actually assault children. If that is so, then the answer is not lighter sentences for those downloading content, but tougher sentences for those assaulting children.  

3. American prisons are now full of "sixty year old white men...who've never harmed anybody, would never touch a child."

Seriously, Mr. Grisham? I sincerely hope that the majority of those being incarcerated for viewing these heinous acts against children have not ever touched a child; however, statistics are not in his favor on this. The addiction to pornography is like many other addictions: it takes more and more to get the high. In the case of pornography, the perversions viewed must continue to escalate to satisfy the addiction. In many cases, viewing alone eventually ceases to provide the needed high and the offender then escalates to actual abuse.

Something is Better Than Nothing

Although I'm tossing my Grisham books, I'm not suggesting anyone else do the same. I'm not calling for a boycott of Grisham's work. As I said earlier, I simply can't look at them anymore. It makes me physically sick.

I started this post weeks ago and had to stop midway through because the subject matter sickened me to such an extreme. When I posted part 1 yesterday, I posted it with a rather abrupt ending because I simply wasn't up to any more involvement with it at that time. As I've re-read the Telegraph interview and worked to finish this post today, I've had similar struggles with physical revulsion.

But...it needs to be said. If people with the standing and influence of John Grisham are so uneducated (or perhaps in denial?) about this issue, then we have a long, long way to go in educating our society about the true dangers...yea, horrors...of child pornography. And someone...or many someones...needs to stand up and refute the dangerous untruths being spread by such a public figure.

On one hand, I feel as though I've said too much in this series, been too graphic; on the other, I realize that some degree of graphic honesty is necessary to get the message across, and I'm really not sure I've said enough. I'm sure there will be those reading who will feel I've erred on one side or the other. This is one of those times, however, that I feel like saying something is more important than saying it perfectly. 

If you agree, please feel free to make this an effort of "many someones" by sharing this post using the social media buttons below, or the "pin it" button above.

I would also love to hear your thoughts on this issue in the comments. (Please keep them clean, as I reserve the right to delete anything inappropriate.)

***
Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!  If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2014 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!  You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

11.04.2014

Good-bye to Grisham {The Ugly Truth About Child Porn and Those Who View It, Part 1}


 


It was a brief break in the midst of a hectic day. I clicked over to Facebook for a minute to see the latest fall foliage pictures from friends in the north (we're still waiting on the glorious color here) and what cute things my friends' children were saying.

Instead, the first thing to hit my eyes was a post about John Grisham's "apology" for his statements in a recent interview with the London Telegraph slamming the U.S. Justice system's crackdown on those who view child pornography.

I was only able to glance at a bit of the post before it was time to hit the ground running again, but I was completely appalled at what I had read. I told myself that surely it wouldn't be so bad when I was able to read/listen in more detail.

However, when I sat down later and listened to video of the interview, it was actually worse.

Listening to Grisham's words from the interview, I had to fight not to be physically sick.

In the interview (video available here), Grisham says the U.S. Justice System has "gone crazy" in sentencing men convicted of viewing child porn, and and suggests that while there should be "some type of punishment", "these guys do not deserve harsh prison sentences."

He claims that many of the men serving these "harsh" sentences would never hurt a child and have never hurt anybody, but simply had a little too much to drink and ended up "pushing the wrong button".

My head has been spinning for days over his remarks. It's still spinning.  There is so much I want to and need to say in response to Grisham's comments that after six days, I'm still struggling to form any sort of coherent reply.

So bear with me if I just jump in and start typing. I'll try to keep the ranting at low volume.

Grisham is an educated guy. As a friend of mine pointed out on Facebook, he's an attorney. He's made millions as a novelist. He should know better. And yes, he has "apologized" for his remarks. However, there is absolutely no excuse for those remarks to have been made in the first place, particularly by someone like John Grisham.

Child pornography is ugly. Ugly doesn't even begin to describe it. It is vile and heinous and extremely damaging to anyone connected to it in any way. Grisham talks about 16-year-old girls dressed up like they're 30.  He compares 16-year-old girls to 10-year-old boys as if the former (as objects of child porn) are "okay" and the latter are not.

First, exploiting 16-year-old girls is not okay. Even if they are okay with it. Even if they aren't being "forced". Exploiting 16-year-old girls is wrong, and vile, and horribly damaging both to the girls and to the ones viewing them.

Second, people need to realize that the world of child porn goes far, far, FAR beyond 16-year-old girls dressed up like 30-year-olds and naked baby pictures.

Child porn involves children from infants to teens being forced and coerced to perform all manner of heinous acts. These acts go far beyond what those who have thankfully been sheltered from that world could possibly imagine.

Unfortunately, through my past career in child protective services and circumstances in which someone close to our family is currently in federal prison due to child pornography, I'm not so sheltered. I've seen the effects on those involved. I've sat through court hearings and listened to testimony, expert and otherwise. I've read court documents.

Just thinking about things I saw and heard years ago makes me physically ill. They are heinous and horrible and there is no excuse or defense for any involvement in any aspect of child pornography, period.

I want to address several of Grisham's comments, and the falsehoods behind them, directly. However, this post is already long, so I will address those points in part 2.

Part 2 of this post can be found here.

[Note: This post has been sitting in draft for a couple of weeks, but while the story may be "old news" by now, the issues are definitely not. To make sure you don't miss part 2, follow Ponderings of an Elect Exile on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. Or sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.]


11.03.2014

Simple Woman's Daybook {NaBloPoMo Edition}

3 November 2014
Outside my window...
Dark and cold. The wind has been blowing today, and we are expecting thunderstorms by morning.

I am thankful...
for a calm, quiet (well, as quiet as it gets around here!) day today.

In the kitchen...
Smoked Sausage and Potato Skillet for supper...soooo yummy!

I am wearing...
Comfy warm sweats.

I am creating...
a fun gift for a friend. *heart* 

I am going...
 to bed early tonight! (I hope. Just as soon as I finish this blog post. :))

I am wondering...
how tomorrow's elections are going to turn out. Anxious to see results!

I am reading...
not actually reading it yet, but really, really looking forward to reading Though He Slay Me, by Jamie Freeman. I rarely just buy a book at full price, but I've looked forward to this one so much that I'm doing just that.

I am hoping...
it doesn't rain as much or as hard as they are predicting tomorrow. Weary of rain this year. 

I am looking forward to...
Billy being off a few days this week and next. :)

I am learning...
more and more about essential oils, and looking forward to sharing a little of what I'm learning here on the blog. 

I am pondering...
my blog posts for the rest of NaBloPoMo. So many ideas...looking forward to the rest of the month!

A favorite quote for today...
"There are no mundane tasks for the Jesus follower. To feel His presence tinges all of our daily acts with weight and glory." ~ Bill Delvaux, retweeted by Scotty Smith
 
I shared this quote on Facebook this morning with this comment: It's so easy to feel that we are immersed in the mundane, whether we are homeschooling our children, working to support a family, caregiving for elderly family members, or whatever comprises our daily routine. Love this reminder that if we are following Him, there is nothing mundane about any of it!

One of my favorite things...
 Conversations with my kids! They just get more delightful all the time. Love the serious ones, the funny ones, all of them! Lately we've been having lots of interesting discussions about government and politics, both during our official "school time" and other random occasions. Definitely one of my favorite things these days!

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Voting tomorrow, Billy off Thursday and Friday...otherwise, just our normal routine. Probably the last semi-calm week before the first of the year!

A peek into my day...
 
Joining up with Peggy from Simple Woman's Daybook today. Visit her to see others' Daybooks!

11.02.2014

Thankful today...

The post I'd planned for today has been postponed due to the fact that I oh-so-gracefully whacked my head on the car door frame at church tonight and my head is throbbing and my eyes are crossing and it hurts worse if I try to think. So this is a "I'd just wait until tomorrow except that I'm signed up for NaNoBloPo and I need to post everyday" post. Two posts in a row with out pictures. Sorry about that. I promise the rest of the month won't be this bad!

But thankfulness is always a good thing, and despite the lump on my head, I'm very thankful tonight. It's been a wonderful, if exhausting, weekend, and I've been counting blessings tonight. (Well, not literally counting, because numbers hurt right now. Listing. Seeing mental pictures. But not counting. :))

Thankful tonight for...

Salvation

The Truth of God's Word

My husband, who works so hard to take good care of us, and who spoils us all whenever he can.

My children, who just delight me more and more the older they get. I've said before that I miss having littles sometimes, but oh, what a blessing and what fun bigs are!! We've had some great conversations, serious and fun, this week, and I love it!

Our sweet church family. Love that even though my kids are the only kids in our little church right now, they came home from tonight's fellowship talking about how much they enjoyed everyone sitting around telling stories and laughing. I enjoyed it, too! Laughter is good for the soul. Love those people. Love the bond we have in Christ. Love the eating and the laughter and the prayers and the caring.

Our pastor and his wife. We missed them tonight. Poor Mrs. Becky fell yesterday and sprained both ankles, so Bro. Gary spent the afternoon at the dr. with her today. Pray for her, please? I've had a broken ankle three different times, but I can't IMAGINE having both messed up at once!

Friends. I think I must be the most blessed person ever in this area. Thankful for time spent with friends this week and the blessing they are to me!

Our new Green Belt, and Christ First TKD. More about this in another post. God continues to show us the truth of 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, and we are thankful.

Our homeschool group(s). So many amazing people who've blessed us in so many ways over the years. Thankful for the support and encouragement they bring.

Music. We sang some new-to-me hymns this morning in church, and I was reminded again how thankful I am for the heritage of music I've had in my family and churches, and for a church and music director who treasure the rich truth of solid hymns. 

The gym. Really thankful for this provision for our family. We're all getting stronger and healthier and having a lot of fun!  Only making it once this week has reminded me how much better I feel and function when I work out regularly.

There's more, but I'll close on that note for tonight. Going to put on some essential oils (another thing I'm thankful for!) and go to bed and pray that my head feels better (and my brain is less foggy!) tomorrow.

What are you thankful for today? Share in the comments, please? 

***
If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you!  

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Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!  If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2014 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!  You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

11.01.2014

30 Days Hath...NaBloPoMo {Or the Post in Which I May or May Not Have Taken Complete Leave of My Senses}

Here's the plan. 30 Days. 30 blog posts. Yes, I very well may have taken complete leave of my senses.

Why, you ask?

Well, if you take a little scroll down the page, you'll notice that the last time I blogged was September 8. September 8! That's almost two months without a blog post. That doesn't mean I haven't written--nope, I have dozens of blog posts in draft, partially finished, awaiting photos, links, and other finishing touches, and at least a dozen more thoughts jotted down on index cards or typed in Evernote.

I've been pondering goals for November for a few weeks now, and one of those ponderings has involved blogging daily. The last time I posted anywhere near regularly was back in June, when I posted 30 days straight for Blogathon. I decided I needed a similar challenge this month, and then realized that November is NaBloPoMo: National Blog Posting Month. Another official 30 day blog posting challenge--perfect!

So what's the problem?

Well, first of all, it's November. November is a busy month, y'all. Seriously busy.  Life is busy enough these days without holidays, and the holidays are now just around the corner.

Secondly...well, secondly may be the fact that I can't even remember what secondly was. While I was putting groceries away and doing laundry earlier (but not much earlier!), I had at least two and possibly three reasons why the fact that I've signed up (yes, officially signed up) for NaBloPoMo may possibly indicate that I've taken complete and total leave of my senses.

And now I have no idea what two and possibly three were.

I'm going to blame that on the fact that I've been up and going like mad since 3:15 this morning.

Those of you who know better...just pretend with me, okay?

There's no telling where this month may take us. The plans so far include some fun posts, some serious posts, some helpful hints posts, and at least one highly indignant post. Then again, I know from past history that plans don't necessarily mean much.

Join me, won't you? Follow Ponderings of an Elect Exile on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. Or sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

And if you blog (or would like to blog!), join me for NaBloPoMo! Leave a link to your blog in the comments and let me know you are participating. I'd love to follow along!