If you are not a blogger, have you ever wondered why someone would do it?  Can you imagine sitting down at your computer a few times a week and coming up with something to share?  Well, today…I am going to share with you the reason that blogging has become a part of my life.

A few years ago, I didn’t even really know what a blog was.  Someone said “You should start a blog.” and I was like “A whu?” (A what?) I think that part of it was because I was always sharing recipes and home decor ideas on Facebook…so it seemed like a logical thing to do.  On August 18, 2012 Along the Dirt Road was born.  I was pretty excited.

The most wonderful thing about the blog is the fact that I can share the love of Christ with anyone who happens to stop by.  You don’t have to read very far into my posts to find out that I am a Christian.  The fact that I live in a nation that I can declare this openly, means very much to me.  It’s not the most popular thing to be sometimes…but I am.  Jesus Christ is my personal Savior.  Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing…if with a few humble words…I could let someone know that He could be their Savior too.  When you are a stay-at-home-momma….you don’t always get the opportunity to tell folks that God loves them…face-to-face.  On this blog, as in every day life,  I try very hard to be real with you and true to myself.  Jesus loves me…and Jesus loves you.  I want all of my readers to know that.

Another reason that I blog is my love of family and home.  I really feel that my own personal calling in life is to be a wife and mother.  You might say….”Now hold on just a minute, isn’t the Mr. a minister?”  He sure is.  As a teenager, he felt that God had called him into the ministry.  I married him, knowing this and accepting my part in his calling.  We do not pastor, but we do have an area of ministry in our church and some outside.  I love this part of our life very much and we are very serious about it…but even before that, we have a family. We try, in earnest, to keep our priorities straight. We try to give our children a healthy balance between home and what goes on outside of our doors.  Our children have been raised to know that Jesus is the main member of this family. They know that God comes first.  They have grown up….counting an extra…that we cannot see, but that we can feel. We also teach them that we live on a steady diet of mercy and grace…because sometimes humans fail.  Getting up and trying again…is the important thing.

Soooooooo, Sweet Dirt Roaders…..because of my love for home…I try to document some things to share with you a few times a week.  I love home decor.  I love country life.  I love cooking.  Maybe I should open a Cracker Barrel.  😉  I try to throw a few DIY things in there for you and as a matter of fact…I will try to share my fall wreath for our front door this week.  You might want to make one for yourself.

This is our porch from last year.

This blog is really not all about me, believe it or not.  If I can inspire one person to look to God for the answers that they seek…every post that I have labored over will be worth it to me.  If I can inspire you to find joy in the things that you already have and show you a way to revamp them a tad….mission accomplished.  My blog tends to be a little more on the laid back side.  I hope that you don’t mind.  I seek peace for my life…in a chaotic world.  I’m just trying to hand a little out to you also.

I hope that you have a wonderful day!

Love from our dirt road…to yours,

p.s. Thank you for being patient with me while my posts have been a little sparse.  Life has a way of going crazy at times…..sometimes for months.  🙂 I’m so thankful that God gives us peace and grace during it all.

Are your plans big?  Are you so excited that you can’t stand yourself?

Maybe you just plan on relaxing and snuggling up in an old quilt.  That sounds wonderful right now…because it’s raining here.

Whatever you do, Sweet Dirt Roaders…do it with love.  Enjoy peace.  Take time to relax…and take time to thank the One that gives all of the good gifts that we see around us.  He loves that.  He loves it when you enjoy your relationship with Him.  I promise.  He wrote a very lengthy love letter that “tells us so.”

Happy Friday, my friends!

Feeling kinda droopy and relaxed….cause of the rain,

Don’t forget that everyday of your life counts.

The day that you took your first breath was very important…but so is each one.

We don’t want to take even one day for granted.

Each day is an opportunity to do the job that God has placed before us.

Each day is a gift.

A precious gift from the Creator of all.

Lord, please help me look at life this way.

Always learning,

A good man provides for his family.

A good man laughs with his family.

A good man makes his peace with God…to spend eternity with his family.

A good man encourages his family.

A good man encourages his friends.

A good man uses the talents that God gives him…to make life more beautiful for others.

We attended a service for my uncle today.  These are the things that I learned by listening about his life.  Of course…I already knew them, but they rang so true today.  God is good to bless us with men like this in our lives.

While the family was visiting after the service, across the road in the old part of the cemetery, a coyote trotted through.  It wasn’t even paying attention to us.  He had his sights set on something elsewhere.  How fitting.  We were there to pay our respects to my uncle…but he too, had his sights set elsewhere a few days ago.  It was time for him to go.  It was time for him to cash in on that heart that he gave to Jesus.  After all…a good man makes his peace with God…to spend eternity…not only with his family…but with his Lord.