Today is a gorgeous, sunny day, here in Fort Wayne, Indiana! So I wrote a week ago! I typed out a few more sentences, took some photos to share with you, and put away the article to finish another day. The day was gorgeous, but I was exhausted.
Showing God’s Glory
A week has passed during which we have experienced two days of winter-retro: snow turned our green lawn white!! I put on a snuggly sweater. I wanted to start a blaze in the fireplace. Nonetheless, it was another gorgeous day– of a different sort. Snow playfully dusted the pink and white blossoms of our ornamental crab apple and pear trees. “Hmm. If it keeps up,” I thought, “we may receive much more that a light coating. I hope our plants and trees aren’t damaged.”
That night, the dusting turned into a thick and rich coating. In the morning, everything glistened. By the end of that day, most of the frozen elements had melted, moisturizing the land, appearing to cause little harm and mostly good. I’ll add some pictures of our contrasting gorgeousness below. (I wasn’t able to upload my new pictures, but I’ll include some from last spring. Hopefully, I”ll include the new photos in my next post.) But first….
You’ve heard of “breakfast” – breaking the fast. I’ve been on a “post fast” and it’s time to break the posting fast.The last article I posted was on February 28. Paul and I were still in Florida, and in that post you can view a few pictures of palm trees and sights from a lanai in The Villages in central Florida (which I wanted to contrast to views from here in Fort Wayne!). I believe this is the longest break I’ve taken from JNC. Keep reading. I’ve been praying and cooking up a few “new” ideas. So…
Paul and I arrived home from our nearly two month’s southern trip on March 25. It took a few days, of course, to settle in. We found our lonely home to be in good shape, and we caught up with a few neighbors.
However, this past month has been hard on me physically, so I just didn’t have the gumption to concentrate on my blog. Actually, my body demanded extra attention…. I’ll spare you the saga.
In my extra time of rest, when I could think, I’ve been praying and I’ve been processing. What to do, what to do. What should I do with the big project that God has given me, my book? My Bible study, molded and shaped and designed based upon my doctoral research project. You’ve heard about this work, on and off, for years.
Two Bible study groups are using the material, one in South Carolina, and one in my living room. On our way north from Florida, we spent some days in Anderson, South Carolina where I had a great visit with the Bible study group there. While in Florida, my Fort Wayne ladies and I continued to meet on Friday morning via Zoom. So, I’ve been getting more feedback and encouragement. I’ve loved interacting with the ladies. So, what’s next?
In light of my personal limitations (irregular stamina, hypersensitivity to sound and stimulus, Fibromyalgia, and other health issues), I need to ration my energy expenditure and I need to be a good steward of what I have. I have this “baby,” my research and Bible study, which needs to be passed on.
Upon examining current options, here’s what I want to pursue: a website, podcast, book distribution, and blog continuation — all accessible through the website.
What shall I name the site? Since these entities all work together, I want to work from my main metaphor based upon the Christian life being a walk: that we are Christ-followers following Christ; that all believers are theologians, specifically, we are “pedestrian theologians.” Therefore, I’m considering the following:
- Website: PedestrianTheologians.com
2. Podcast: PT Trails
3. My book or book series (my Bible study curriculum, my current work): A Traveler’s Guide through Suffering and Joy with the subtitle, Navigating by the Lamp of Scriptural Theology
4. Blog: JourneyNorthCharacter.wordpress.com
You see how they all work together and would fit well within this new website.
On the podcast, I hope to teach my Bible study, chapter by chapter. This will enhance the curriculum and make it more versatile. After I complete this series (which will take a good while), I can turn to other podcast themes, which can complement the blog and the website.
My health makes me an unreliable person, so writing and recording when I can operate provide me with a limitation run-around. You can read or listen to me when you can, and I can produce, when I can. Once published, inconsistencies in production time disappear. It’s all there.
I’d love to hear what you think of my ideas. Maybe you have some naming or programing ideas you’d like for me to consider. Add below (or for those who know me personally, I know some of you prefer to email or call. I’d like for you to comment below, but whatever works for you).
Ahh. Time for some gorgeous scenes!!! (Well, hold on and keep tuned! I’m hoping my daughter who is coming from Chicago for the week end will help me trouble shoot this problem of not being able to upload my pictures from my Google Photos.) But here are a few from last spring.
View from across the street looking toward the left side of our house.
Ornamental crab apple blossoms.
Our fragrant weeping grab apple tree in our front yard.
Journey North Character 
Karen, your continuing plans despite your understandable limitations are admirable, needed and desired!….I, too, in my own way, am unreliable due to health issues, specifically serious low back pain, and age at 74 physical and mental deterioration weakness….Through all that I, as I feel you are, am Blessed with a continuing desire to grow ever closer to God…..Thank You for all you do!….We both enjoyed your and Paul’s visit!….Rick and Mary Shepherd
Thank you, Rick, for your kind comments! We are so glad that we were able to visit you and Mary in Georgia at your home in the Blue Ridge Mountains for a few days on our way home from Florida and South Carolina! What a peaceful setting you have with amazing views!! And what hospitality you both showed us! I thought about you two as I wrote this post. Sorry that I did not include our stop at your place in it! I’m hoping to include some photos which I couldn’t upload today in my next post. Maybe I can include some of the wonderful pictures I took when we visited you and Mary in the Blue Hills! Thank you for your love and friendship!
Hey there Wonder Woman!!! The Lord is glorified in and through you! You writing always blesses me- may the Lord bless you back a hundred-fold. I’m praying the enemy does not interfere with these wonderful plans, but his plans are pie-in-his-face. I also pray the Lord is your refuge and you feel warm, snuggly and protected. Psalm 91
FEATHERS my Friend 🙂
Debra! How wonderful to hear from you!! It has been a long time since we’ve talked or seen each other. I hope your family is doing well and that you and Sam are relishing in being grandparents! Thanks for the Psalm 91 reminder! Yes, yes. Psalm 91:4 (NIV) FEATHERS, my friend 🙂
Good Morning my friend! It has been a very long time since I have “heard your voice” through your writing, but as always, your words warm my heart and motivate me to keep on keeping on. Challenging health issues sure have a way of stopping us in our tracks. I was thinking about that this morning as I was reading through Joshua. That word, “March” or “Marching” just kept speaking to me to keep on keeping on in obedience. I have so many questions to ask those Israelites one day, about how they just kept going?!! There were bathroom trips, diapers to change, water to gather and food to eat. It’s not likely they all stopped when one had to stop of course, but did each one have to make up for lost time?That’s not likely either. So many questions! 😆
Miss you dear one and don’t know if that word, “March” can fit into your new plans or not, but just thought I would mention it. Love you much!! ♥️
So great to hear from you, Carolyn! Yes, “marching” is another pedestrian verb! Those accounts of the Israelites’ march through the wilderness for forty years offer us countless lessons! I’m so glad that I haven’t had to make such a journey, but our lives are still soul-transforming journeys and adventures! God bless you and Charlie on your adventures!