joy in making new starts, and making new rules

I guess there are lots of times for starting over. And starting anew. Seems with me, even if I like doing this, it is also stressful. Anyway, today, as well as learning to use our new snowblower, going for a swim in the new rec centre for the first time in the two years since it opened, I decided to open a new blog and start afresh with a new approach. I am going to call it My Sacred Scrapbook, and use it to share in a similar way to what I have already done, but with greater freedom to do a lot more random stuff. The way I set this one up, I had to put joy somewhere in the title each time. Now those were just my "rules". But it seems in some ways I get to be my own kind of stickler for rules. And then I can find them confining. I have been really challenged by seeing a few other blogs, most notably one called Holy Experience. It is done in a way that says to me to do it that way. Some of us need to find our own way to do things, and some of us need someone else's example to follow. So I am going to set up this new blog over the Christmas holiday period, and get the look sorted out in a more deliberate way and enjoy having it ready for the new year. I will also find out how to make sure that people who try out this one can find me on the new blog. I am going to do research looking at other people's blogs, and share their addresses here too, as recommendations. So I will be putting my energy into that in the next while, as well as writing my usual Saturday posts for the devotional team blog, www.whateverhesays.blogspot.com. It is through that blog, which incidentally tied for 3rd place in the Canadian Blog Awards Best Religion and Philosophy Blog category, that I have met some other blogs. There is really some interesting stuff around. It all challenges my creativity, and my writing style. I love that. So may we all enjoy the new starts that are coming our way, and be willing to make them, and to keep moving on, at our own paces, finding His joy in our creativity and courage.