Dear Reader:
Guess what today is? The FIFTH ANNIVERSARY of the blog!
It was on August 7, 2010 that the very first blog post appeared!
Now true confession time…for awhile after the November 19 “photo situation” when Chapelofhopestories.com became a Part II sequence to the first four years…I gave serious thought to this special anniversary date marking the end of the blog.
It would have been a tidy ending…but then, again, life is many things…but “tidy” is not one of them…especially endings.
Something happened…life got in the way.
So many things began popping up in my life and others’ lives (who I care about)…that I lost track of time. It wasn’t until yesterday when I inserted today’s date in the Wordpress calendar that I realized what had happened. The special day was here!
Times flies but memories linger.
I took a few minutes to turn off the computer and the lights and I just sat in my (now) dim creative room contemplating what I was feeling right (at that very moment) about the blog, the community of readers, and the importance of this avenue of thought-sharing to myself and others.
Memories of that first blog came rushing back…the leap of faith of jumping into a daily blog, the fear of nothing to say, and the daily discipline required to sustain a ‘hungry blog.’
Then other memories came rolling back also…celebrations of other benchmarks, new friends joining the blog family, and leap of faith contests to out-tell ole’ Scheherazade while trusting God to keep me well enough to finish the challenge…
It occurred to me that sometimes we never fully understand the value of a moment until it becomes a memory. Now there are five years of memories ….each precious in my sight.
Every endeavor, every new adventure has a beginning, a middle, and an ending. So the blog, at some point, will end.
But not today. There is a garden party to plan next spring for all the readers, one more, and perhaps last, important benchmark to share.
If I am quiet and listen…God will let me know when it is time to let go. But not today.
I have come to realize that I need all of you much more than you need me or my words or thoughts. Every time I receive a God’s Wink I can hardly wait to share it with you. There would definitely be a void in my life without all of you in it.
And while we are ‘showing our cards’…I want your company on my journey’s path…someone to hold my hand when life gets scary…someone to encourage and guide me when I wander too far off the path.
Simply put…I need you in my life to give it more meaning than I, alone, can provide.
I pray everyday…that somehow this need is reciprocated at different points along each and everyone of your paths…that this family of care-givers are there for each other through this avenue of connection.
I think there is a reason that God limits man’s days…and that is to make each one special while we give our special gifts away!
So until tomorrow…Thank you God for sharing Your Presence and Winks with me for these past five years…enabling my circle to be unbroken…so today is not the last blog… One day it will be… when God lets me know…”Bye and bye Lord…Bye and Bye.”
“Today is my favorite day” (It really is!!) Winnie the Pooh
A few photos from August and September of 2010… the time around the birth of the blog…and a few “hair-do’s” ago.
Eva Cate was just about Lachlan’s age when the blog began…almost five months old.
My “dolphin” encounter took place on 2008 at Edisto Beach where nature reassured me that everything in the universe was just as it should be and all was right in the world and with me.
After a month of blog writing Brooke and I returned with Honey and her friend Winnie (September 2010)…back to St. Jude’s Chapel…where I walked into the chapel and found scripture outlined with a rubber dolphin. The scripture read: Psalm 24:1
A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas And established it upon the rivers.…
It was from the sea that God’s messenger, the dolphin, assured me God was in control and all was as it should be…and it was the little river, the stream beside the chapel that sang the song of the continued flow of life from the living waters.
Before we left Honey’s on that second trip to St. Jude’s…we climbed (almost) to the top …the ‘pinnacle” of Pinnacle Mountain and made a pact that we would all be there for each other….no matter what life threw at us….we were strong in unity…a circle unbroken.
2012 marked the year that Jackson and Brooke became dedicated travelers to the pilgrimage for St. Jude’s Chapel of Hope. This is a sacred time, now, that we look forward to every year…the time of arrival changes each year with everyone’s schedule but the end result is always the same….we fall in love with the little chapel all over again…
In July of 2012 it was the sunflowers that took center stage…when Honey noticed an image inside one sunflower (in a field we stopped to look at)-the outline of a little chapel-and now sunflowers and St. Jude’s Chapel always have a special meaning….the sunflowers might follow the sun but they also show us the way to our special little chapel in the woods.
ichaseferalcats
John Turner
Legally Ohm
Becky Dingle
Good Friday morning, Becky,
And, Happy Anniversary!!! I’m SO glad you’ve said “not today,” about ending this blog. It would be very sad to not have these words that flow so eloquently from the tips of your fingers each morning! Keep on keepin’ on!!!
I LOVE what you said about time/memories: “Time flies but memories linger.” Isn’t that the truth?!r Time does, indeed, fly by – but we have the wonderful memories that linger.
We’re leaving the mountains today to go meet our newest grandson – Kilby Marah!!! SO excited to be able to go see him and spend a little bonding time!! We’ll be back “soon” and we’ll have some new memories to add to our stockpile!! Time flies!!
Don’t stop – and don’t stop believing!!!
Much love,
Sis
Congratulations! I knew 5 years ago that your blog would be more than words. The Hope you give each of your readers everyday isote than you realize.Yes, God has given you the gift of “just the right words.” By sharing th with us you are doing his will. I am thankful that I have been able to share in this journey. You mean more to me and many others than I think you realize. You have taught us to look at life with gratitude. Love you lots and I pray for many, many more years of our beloved Chapel of Hope stories .
What would I do without my Honey…who changed my life with her presence and introduction to a little chapel in the woods.
Happy Anniversary Becky! Oh, I almost stopped breathing because I thought that you were go to say “today is the day.” I am so addicted to your blog for everything that it is and everything that you are…it is how I start my day, along with my other devotional readings. Thank you for all your time, work and efforts. It means the world to so many people all over the world. Love you
Thank you Gin-g! You always make me feel so special….Happy Anniversary to all.
Happy Anniversary! I’m so thankful that Deb helped me log on to your blog, and I’m grateful that “You found this gift ( and so many others) and have shared them over the years.” Like Gin-G, I was so afraid you were going to stop telling your stories; it is truly the reason I turn my computer on every morning. It is indeed a God’s wink that so many times you put into words the message I needed that day. Your pictures of family and so many beautiful things in nature add so much to that message. My vocabulary is too small to really let you know how I feel about the Chapel of Hope stories, so I guess, “Thank you and keep on inspiring those who are fortunate enough to read them will have to suffice.”
Jo, my dear…you are my mentor…when I sit back and observe yours and Colby’s special relationship…I think to myself….When I grow up I want to be just like Jo!
Oh, Happy Day! Five years is something amazing to celebrate. Today’s blog brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eyes. Personally, I can’t imagine having the self discipline and commitment to write every single day. It is clearly a gift from God that you so generously share. Watching your spiritual growth throughout your struggles is an absolute “God wink” to all of us as readers. If you can remain grateful, even joyous, what have we to fear or dread? Life is good. God is good all the time. Thank you, and congratulations on this milestone! Looking forward to the spring garden party.
Thank you for helping me “stay in gear” for the journey Janet!!!!
I certainly hope and Pray that God will continue to Bless you and Bless us with all your inspiration on a daily basis. I remember reading your blog for the First time. Mrs Francis Towsend posted it on Facebook. I contacted her and asked about it and told her it was the most inspirational read I ever had the pleasure of reading on Facebook. Mrs. Townsend told me how to subscribe and I believe her words were ” Boy do you have a lot of good stuff to read.” I told her that you see your developmental reading class wasn’t wasted. Mrs. Townsend told me that I made her day. I didn’t know then that by telling me how to subscribe to your daily blog not only made my day that day but it continues to make my day everyday! Please continue to Bless us with you inspiring blog, your humor, your family that I now feel I belong to, and all your beautiful flowers as your garden continues to grow! I don’t know what I would do if your blog stops coming in my email! You bless us readers in so many ways each and everyday! Again I PRAY that God will continue to BLESS you do you can continue to share BLESSINGS on to us each and everyday. I thank Mrs. Townsend for getting me on the email list. You give us our own CHAPEL OF HOPE daily. Thank you so much for keeping on keeping on. That helps me keeping on too!
Johnny…my dear…you are the one who makes my day like comments above…it is what keeps my fingers gliding across the keyboard. Bless you for coming into my life!
Happy Anniversary to US, Becky! Having my morning “chat” with you every day reminds me of the message of a hymn my grandfather loved and I do, too: “It is well with my soul!” May you be blessed as much as you have blessed your readers!
Judy…how wonderful to hear from you! I have two other friends whose favorite hymn is that one also….every time one of my doctors starts talking about this or that remaining a health issue…I remind him/her well one thing is for certain…”it is well with my soul”!
Happy 5th Anniversary, Boo!!
Oh how I look forward to spending each morning with you.
Your words and stories always speak to me
in learning how to live this life in a wonderful ,positive way.
Thank you , my friend, for sharing your
wonderful gift of writing with me and so many others.
Love you!!
Thank you “High Priestess”…coming from such a high place “Highney” is quite an honor…love you Brookie!
Happy Anniversary Becky! May your blog continue to live on.. God bless you!
So happy to hear from our beautiful little mommy…Ajay is just adorable…what a blessing!
Thank you for all that you have shared with us. May God continue to bless and guide you. Love you bunches.
Love you back Harriett…you play such an instrumental role in getting my thoughts out…don’t know what I would do without you.
It’s hard to believe 5 years have so quickly vanished! You are responsible for so much happiness – just reading all of these comments must surely warm your heart! Mary Lou & I were so blessed to have visited the chapel – thanks to you & your perfect directions! It was so emotional for us and healing too. Thank you for your daily gifts my friend and I am so excited to know they will continue!
Thank you Kathy…you filled me with a such a sense of gratitude for the friendships like yours that make my life so fulfilling.