Faith, Family, Food and Fonts

This blog started with a wholly different purpose. It started as a rather anonymous catalog, journal if you will. A journey toward change.

WELL CHANGE HAPPENED

Did anyone ever tell you to be careful what you wish for, you just might get it? I'm kind of glad I did not listen. Asking questions after taking a long, hard look at my life is what lead me to where I am now. Despite whatever may be going on, and trust me there is plenty going on...I am joyful.

I discovered that there have always been four constants in my life. I playfully named them for this page, but the fact is everything fits into Faith, Family, Food and Fonts. I grew up in church. God has always been near. I believed he was up in heaven, but I did not have it all together to understand to shallowness of my belief. I was raised in faith, I ran from faith and now, by the mercy of God I walk in faith.

Family includes my closest friends as well as church family. I am blessed to have a gloriously flawed, deeply loving family. Despite anything we have been through - and we have been through it - we come together. Food ties into both family and faith for me. Growing up in the south a Sunday on the grounds meant every little lady at the church was cooking something you wanted to eat. (Except that 1, there is always 1...you know I am right.) Summer meant a pig pickin' and foods guaranteed to cause your blood pressure to skyrocket. Food was integral to my family as well. Favorite dishes, shared recipes, family gatherings and so many precious memories that developed and involved food. That love affair with eating and hospitality turned into cooking. I love to cook and my family loves to eat. I cannot promise that I am a great cook, but plates rarely have anything left on them.

The last category is Fonts. (I really could not think of anything else clever to represent my writing) Writing is a mainstay. It is as natural to me as speaking, perhaps more so. To have thoughts, emotions and questions flow out of you onto paper or into a computer is bliss. It is my happy place. If I am writing…I am happy.

What in the Blog is this?

My name is Sue Gallien. We, my husband and I, come to an agreement early in 2016 to make some major changes in our life. We have to make these changes in stages unless we stumble upon a winning lottery ticket, rich uncle or Publisher’s Clearing house. These are highly unlikely to happen. Change generally requires discipline and a financial investment. Our changes are no different.

The diary thing has never worked for me. I like feedback. Good, bad and everything in between...feedback is how we expand our views and learn about the world around us. This started as an adventure toward tiny living. Considering a future where you live in a tiny house forces you to evaluate what is important. I want to finish my novel, I've worked on aspects of it for over 20 years....I've had longer relationships with the characters in my novel than my husband. I DO NOT want it to be unfinished. I love writing, but I do not have time with demands of work and family.

As I set out on this blog, I am downsizing, trying to reignite my faith, improve my finances and rebuild my health....all at the same time. Turns out they are all sort of working hand in hand. This blog is about the journey. You will see the random nature of my thoughts. You will see some contradictions as I figure things out and a women trying her best and often tripping over her efforts. However, as you read through my blog, see that something changes for me, especially in the area of my faith in August of 2016.

In the midst of pondering the decision to live in a tiny house. The idea brought about a lot of self-reflection for me. I do not consider myself to be an egomaniac, self-important type of person. I am positive someone out there has had a different point of view about me and at some stages of my life they would have been correct. When I started this blog, that part of me had pretty much run her race. (Maybe she was just exhausted.) I still had a lot of junk to clean out. Clutter in my home, clutter in my life, clutter in my soul and then there were the desk drawers. As you will quickly learn, I sometimes make tongue-in-cheek comments at less than appropriate times. When things are a little heavy I try to find the humor. I am a very visual person. So when people describe things to me I usually laugh quickly because I "see it". When I do dumb things, I picture my Mom's reaction. I picture God or Jesus having a belly laugh at my silliness or a shrug and saying "that’s how I made her". That is who I am. I used to be a little ashamed of it. Maybe I was wired a little wonky or something, but God has a sense of humor. Don't believe me? One word...platypus. We are made in God's image so all these little quirks and unique traits...they are not flaws, they are...trim levels (mandatory car reference). I am silly, quirky, writer girl. (Or something like that.) You have another trim package. (Pretty sure Billy Graham and Bill Gaither are the Eddie Bauer editions)

The title is sort of my motto, "to Thine oneself be true". I embraced the quote in my teens but did not grasp the full ideal and weight of the words till later in life. In order to be true to myself, I have to remember who I am. Not everyone else's definition of me, but forging a real essence of myself. For me be true to myself is not about being selfish, it is about understanding who I am, what are my gifts, what is important in life and how can I give back what has been so graciously given to me. This blog started for me to track my journey, to be diary of sorts. In truth it is about all of us that are on the journey through life together. By God's love, grace and mercy join me for the laughs, tears, occasional anger and every heart felt moment along the journey.

Remember as we journey that God is always a whispered prayer away. He forgave me of so much and has richly blessed my life. Through the death and resurrection of His son Jesus, he showed love unconditional for all of us. He waits to do the same for you. All you have to do is have the tiniest amount of faith and ask. God is good. All the time.

Thank you so much for sharing your time with me.

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