Blogging Anniversary...and 300th Post!

Today is my three year blogging anniversary and my 300th post. You may be asking, "300th post? It looks like it's about 288 posts short, to me." You're right I am 288 posts short. My archives are a little lean at the moment. For those of you who don't know, I deleted my entire blog..oh, wait, two blogs, Patty's Pantry too. I thought I would celebrate anyway..I know that when I hit my 100th post I wrote why I blogged. Because I have new people coming here and I have lost some ladies because my blogs were deleted, I thought I would write again, why I blog.

Why I Blog...
It was my daughter Darcy, who encouraged me to blog. It took me several months to get the courage to give it a try. I don't have many computer skills and I type with two fingers...I bet you figured that out a long time ago.....(:

What I do everyday isn't interesting enough to write about. But what Jesus does in my daily life is, and that's why I blog. Maybe one person will be encouraged and lifted up by something the Lord gives me to share.
My greatest desire would that that others would come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior by something that is shared here.

I love encouraging women to love the Lord, to be all that they can in the Lord, to be keepers of their home and to love their families....I have a passion to encourage women in any area that I can. I saw a need to teach younger women some basic homemaking skills and I thought that would be the direction this blog would take. Maybe a Titus 2 theme. Sometimes it did, but most of the time it didn't. I am sure I will do further posts on homemaking and being a keepers of our homes. Patty's Pantry kind of took on some of the topics of homemaking and cooking and thoughts from my kitchen.

I really didn't want Beside Still Waters to be a blog entirely about chronic illness. It is woven through out many posts because my chronic illnesses are a big part of my daily life. They don't define who I am, but they pretty much control what I can or cannot do. My heart is compassionately aligned with women who suffer with visible and invisible illnesses, like I do.

The direction the Lord took me with my blog is more along a devotional line. I found that interesting, because I have always wanted to write a devotional. But, I always thought it would be for those living with chronic illnesses. Maybe that will still happen one day. I hope so.

Why do I blog? I want to give back to the Lord, to serve Him in some way even though I have limited energies most of the time. I can write a blog post in my night gown and my hair uncombed. (: When I taught Bible studies there could be 400 women at our Tuesday morning study. Now when I write, I never know if even one person will read it. I write it for the Lord and He brings whomever He desires.

When I started my blog, I never dreamed I'd see 300 posts written...or that anyone would read them. I never thought that I would make such special friends from all over the world. God has been so good to me.

Thank you to all of you that come and visit Beside Still Waters. Thank you for your many comments of encouragement. You'll never know how many times I wanted to throw in the towel, especially last week with that one little click of the mouse. Thank you to you lurkers who read, I know you are there. To the men who visit, you know who you are...I know much of the time it is girl talk.. thank you for your encouragement.

"Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples.

Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;

Speak of all His wonders. Glory in His holy name;

Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.

Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually.

Remember His wonders which He has done,

His marvels and the judgments uttered by His mouth..."

Psalm 105:1-5a