Alert: Change Ahead!

Alert: Change Ahead by Pearl Allard (Look Up Sometimes)

Alert: Change Ahead by Pearl Allard (Look Up Sometimes)

Dear Friend,

I was at a party last summer with some of my husband’s co-workers – fellow engineers – discussing gardening with two of them. (Maybe I was doing more listening than talking.) My ears perked when I heard one bemoan, “The edible plants require SO much more water than the others!” The conversation continued down a different trail, but I chewed on that one remark.

You can be the judge of whether or not I’ve succeeded, but it’s always been my intent since the birth of Look Up Sometimes to present you weekly with something edible – an appetizer – to sink the teeth of your soul into. Something that might partially fulfill a hunger in you and me to more readily glimpse and embrace God’s grace.

But I’m feeling dry.

Not dry as in I don’t love God or believe in Him or am having any kind of a crisis. Just dry as in I feel I haven’t much to offer you. Behind the scenes, I may write nine journal entries to every one post I publish. It’s a necessary work to write out ninety percent that isn’t worth sharing to mine for the ten percent that is. Lately, I haven’t journaled. I hold you in the highest esteem, friend, and only wish to give you my best.

However, I’m also painfully aware of my tendencies toward perfectionism – spending a lot of time to make something only a little better. (And who’s to say it’s even an improvement?) So I’ve contemplated different options. Take a break during the summer? Muscle through and risk sharing crap? Pack up shop and join the circus?

Not really any of the above. I’m excited to share with you a summer series I’m titling Tea Party Tidbits! Tea parties, to me, conjure happy, carefree, simple childhood memories. Raspberries on a plastic doll dish. Thimbles of water. A morsel of cookie. Shared laughter. Brief, but precious, connection. Tea Party Tidbits aims to accomplish the same thing: scaling back to miniature, yet still edible, posts: a quote or verse.

My goal in all this is to give room for God to slake the thirst of my parched soul, spend time with my kiddos now that they’re out of school for the summer, and to immerse myself in activities that don’t involve staring at a computer screen. You too? Look up sometimes?

Just as before, you always have access to me through pressing “reply” to any of my emails or leaving me a comment. I will respond. You are near-daily in my thoughts and prayers, and it would be an honor to pray specifically for any needs you feel comfortable sharing. We so need each other, don’t we?

I’m excited to see how God will work through this changing of seasons!

Looking up with you,

Pearl

7 thoughts on “Alert: Change Ahead!

  1. I agree that to stop writing for this summer Would-be a bad idea. You have a great idea to create shorter journal entries. Keep on writing! I enjoy reading what you write.

    1. Michael, your kind words soak deep. Thank you for your encouragement. I will still be writing this summer, even if it takes a different form. Variety keeps us in shape, right? 🙂 May you bask in his Sonshine and grow towards the Light today. Blessings!

  2. Looking up with you, Pearl!
    May you breathe in some of God’s sunshine this summer. Bask in His warmth. Drink in His water. May He refresh your soul and quench your thirst with His wonderful words of wisdom, love, joy, and peace.
    Happy summering with God! 🙂

  3. You had me at “tea”! Lol! Seriously, I thoroughly enjoy all your posts. Whether they’re small or long. Your insights always prove helpful. I pray God works through this changing season in all of us. I just have this gut feeling that He’s going to do something very big, and blessing us with the privilege of being a part of it. Thanks for helping us all keep the focus up!

  4. Rebekah, I couldn’t do that — no cold turkeys here! Just need to “rotate crops” and give the soil a breather, is all. Blessed by you, sister.

  5. I totally understand what you’re experiencing. Sometimes you need to step back and fill the well. I’m getting to that point myself. So…it’s tea time!

    1. Diane, you know. Though I’m not glad you’re near that point, too, it’s comforting to be understood. May we both be given refreshment this summer! Hugs, sweet friend!

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