I'm beginning this blog to share a lifetime of experiences and what I hope is "wisdom." I have a large family that includes women of all ages who are moving through their lives much as I did years ago, and it is to all these women that I dedicate this blog.I began married life (so I thought) as a pretty good wife, housekeeper, mother and Christian. But it wasn't long before I was lost in a sea of overwhelming demands and duties which kept me from being anywhere close to the "woman I wanted to be." So I began a search for what Sarah Ban Breathnach calls the authentic self: I wanted to be the best wife, the best housekeeper, the best mother and the best Christian I could be. If that sounds easy--it hasn't been!
I was going along with a husband, Richard, and three daughters--Paula, Lisa, and Donna-- when I experienced extreme pain in my back. There was a year of doctors and hospital stays to determine the cause, but to no avail. My husband saw my depression and decided that I needed something to divert my attention. He talked me into going to college. I absolutely loved learning, but it was a miserable time for me and my family; however, we got through it. My success was mainly due to my husband and his unflagging support and care throughout those years. The cause of my pain was discovered six years after it began. And so we entered another phase of our lives.
I am explaining all of this to create a background for much of what I will be expressing in my blogs: that while we're planning our lives, LIFE gets in the way and takes us on a path we never expected. While moving through my own life, I added some new ways of becoming a better person: I wanted to be the best writer, the best artist, and the best person in every way that I could become. I have read many books and listened to many talks on changing my life. Sadly, my husband died in 1996, so I'm a widow who views life differently for many reasons.
Where am I now? I'm still moving toward my goal: being the woman I want to be. That still includes being a good mother and now a good grandmother and a good great-grandmother, but it also includes--most importantly--being the best Christian I can be. Toward that goal, I am writing Bible lessons for my brother's website. These lessons are being written mainly for people in foreign countries who don't have much access to Bible teaching. I take the words on the page and put them into my own words, making the message easier to understand. This may sound easy peasy, but it is hard work!
I pray that my thoughts on living in a world of chaos, while doing my best to be a good person, may help you move further in that direction. I have just had my 70th birthday; I'm hoping to make the next 10 years of my life the very best years of my life! And I hope you'll help me with that goal.
Also, along the way, I have improved on my cooking and sewing and housekeeping skills, so I want to share those moments which make me happy to be alive and thankful that I kept on struggling with that recipe, or that zipper, or that paragraph I was writing. I try to remember that everything I'm seeking is out there somewhere and I just have to find it. How to go about that is a subject for another blog!
Love and blessings to everyone who reads my story.
Mimi
P.S. Because I had requests to separate my regular/personal blog from my religious writing, I started a new blog: http://biblememosfrommimi.blogspot.com/.
What a lovely post, Mimi!! :D I sure hope this blog gets popular because you have a knack for this! I was right all the time, wasn't I? Hehe!
ReplyDelete~Quinlyn
Thank you SO much, Quinlyn! That means a lot to me as you encouraged me to do this! Yes, you were right!(As usual. :o)
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea. I want to know so much more about you. Your family has been so special to our family and my Dad loved you so much. I always thought of Uncle Richard as the best that a guy could be, and Dad said "There was no better man than Richard." I also realize that there is no such thing as the perfect person, except Jesus.
ReplyDeleteI'm also guilty of trying to be perfect at everything. I finally decided to settle for being just me. But I still don't like who I am. Maybe your blog will help me.
Hi, Mimi, Congratulations on starting your blog! My younger friends think I have "wisdom", but I believe it's just the name for having seen a lot in a long lifetime, and taking notice of it. However, I know that if the young listen to experience, they can benefit. I hope many will benefit from your blog about your experiences.
ReplyDeleteAnna
Love it, Mama! I'm really looking forward to reading, sharing and learning along with all of the followers. You're a special lady and a wonderful mother and friend! Love you!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Anna! I know you have a lot to share--I think most of us who have lived through a lot have so much that it bubbles out at times. I have so many females in my family that I want to talk to without sounding like a know-it-all and I think this may be a good way to do it. I appreciate your encouragement.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Donna...I hope you'll contribute to the conversation sometimes. You've been through a lot too and no one else has experienced the same problems. I'm sure we can all gain strenth and courage from what others have been through. Thanks too for your compliments...they mean a lot to me and I will take them to heart. Love you. Mama
ReplyDeleteHey Geoff...I think I commented to you somewhere! I always feel so warm when I think of the relationship our families had. You all meant so much to us too. Nelson was a very special brother and I miss him because he isn't here anymore. I always thought we'd get to visit again. Anytime you have any ideas about something for me to write about or a question that you'd like to ask, please let me know. I'm doing this because I care and hope to bring our thoughts together for better understanding and therefore better lives. Sorry I didn't realize your doggies were not new. Love you...Aunt Meredie
ReplyDeleteYou are so sweet. I'm glad I'll be able to keep up with you on your blog. It's like you are writing your own editorial in the local newspaper and I get to see it, even though I'm so far away! This is a good example of how some things are better than the 50's, 60's, and 70's. Yeah, the telephone was great, but this way I can catch up on your thoughts whenever I log on! I'm gonna try that recipe you posted.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I use my Blogger profile as a shortcut to follow other blogs, I haven't actually posted anything yet (I'm being lazy).
Love you, Geoff
Hi, I Read your blog and love it. It is so pretty. I want to follow it and learn. It is wonderful of you to share your talent of writing this way. I am looking forward to reading it. Love you, Carolyn
ReplyDeleteThank you, Geoff for your kind words. You're making me feel that my taking the leap and starting a blog was the right thing to do. Don't worry about starting a blog until you're ready. I've been talking about it for years and it just seemed to be the right time for me. You'll come to that at some point as well. Let me know if I can ever be of any help. I am so thrilled that you're a Follower and we can interact. Love...Aunt Meredie
ReplyDeleteHey Carolyn...Thank you so much for your nice comments--makes the whole thing feel good to me. I don't know if our generation had an extra set of problems or what, but we're still working on them, aren't we? Maybe we can resolve a few things with our conversations. So glad you're with me!
ReplyDeleteLove...Meredie
I love the blog Mimi! You've got to stick with it! It's what you do best! This is going to be a great channel for you! Don't let discouragments (from others or yourself) get to you. Just keep going! You never fail until you quit! Love you.
ReplyDeleteRay
Thanks for all the encouragement, Ray! You can't imagine how much it means at this point. I'm very happy that you like it so much and think it's such a good thing. Love you too.
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