Stepping boldly into the blogging world

Here I am, for better or worse! When I finally made the decision to join the burgeoning "blogosphere" (inspired by my recently rediscovered friend, Ruth), I thought I might go conservative and create a site just to keep up-to-date with family and friends. But whether you want it or not, I'm going to give something more than that -- in short, my thoughts on Life, the Universe, and Everything. I hope you find something interesting and/or encouraging in my words. 

So why "A Sanctuary Sought"? One of my greatest goals in life is for my home to be a sanctuary for those who enter it, and especially to my husband and child(ren). I enjoy hosting people for dinners  and barbeques, even though it's a bit of a drive for most of our friends to get out to our home in the wheat fields. And it brings great satisfaction when someone comments that they feel peaceful and relaxed when they visit.

Of course, with a 10-month old baby girl and a tightly packed schedule, the "sanctuary" isn't always easy to create. When I first returned to work after becoming a mom, I struggled to find any peace in our home, and despair and frustration stole my joy and contentment. I spoke with my pastor's wife, who encouraged me greatly -- but the real break came when I found a little book called "To Love, Honor, and Vacuum: When you feel more like a maid than a wife and a mother" (Sheila Wray Gregoire). I highly recommend this book to any woman who is or hopes to be married one day. I won't try to summarize it here (just go read it! really!). I will say that God used it to help me bring balance back to my life. It still takes determination and perseverance (with a strong dose of organization!) each day, but I have learned that choosing to do something with joy can make all the difference in the world -- even laundry and dishes.