“That’s human nature – the ups and downs.”
Jami Gertz
August 14, 2010 was the first day since my blog’s start-up that I didn’t have one single online visitor. Not one. Zero hits for 24 hours.
I checked back two days in a row, as if viewers may use time travel and return to Saturday. No luck.
To top it off, I took it personal. The dip in my blog visits looked strangely familiar. It took me back to lows in my life I never want to revisit. Lows that seemed in contradiction to my favorite Bible verse.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” [Jeremiah 29:11 NIV]. One of my all-time favorite verses, yet it seemed a far cry from our family.
Everything I planned for my husband and kids started unraveling. Friendships were on the outgoing tide. Career changes were scary, and I wasn’t sure the new ones were financially sound.
It felt something like a terrorist attack, really.
That was, until I figured out what God was up to. He was renovating.
Why didn’t he just say so?
Actually, in Jeremiah 30, he did mention it, “Restoration is promised.”
God was talking about Israel, but I took it to heart for our family. He was hard at work ripping out pride, positioning reinforcements, and rebuilding faith. He tore down walls of resentment and, in their place, installed acceptance and forgiveness. The additions include safety and maturity, although he’s having a time aligning each of us to our new structure. We’re a tough crew with which to work.
Like any remodel, things got messy.
Plus, fixing up happens in stages. It’s taken longer than we planned. Some days it cost more than we were willing to pay, which made it take even longer. Some days frustration was high and progress slow. Some days we felt like giving up and selling out.
Through it all, though, we’ve hung together and done our parts the best we can.
Like any remodel, things got better.
Where are you? Living the remodeled life or feeling like a gutted fixer-upper?
WRite wHere I’m supposed to be – Dear God, I didn’t even know our family was up for a renovation, not until we were smack dab in the middle of the mess. In hindsight, we were looking pretty unsightly. I’m indebted for the vigilant upkeep on your part.
On the side: As for me, I’m hammering away at a keyboard, trying to follow God’s updated design.
Kim, Don\’t give up. We\’re here. Many of us are too busy to visit every blog every day. Sometimes we read a week\’s worth of posts in one day and don\’t come back for a week.
Are you using site meter? That shows visits and page views. See if some days don\’t have more page views than visits.
Hang in there. Blessings.
Hi Richard,
Thanks for visitng and the comment. I have something that shows blog stats but this is new territory. I\’m slowly but surely learning and finding my way around. Glad I found your blog – it\’s encouraging with a welcoming conversational tone. Thanks for your encouragement here as well. All the best, Kim
Hey Kim,
I am thanking God for you at this very moment. He lead me to your blog tonight…and it was JUST what I needed. Keep blogging! Whether you know it or not, in the midst of your stages of renovating, you are a blessing!
Thanks,
Jamie
Oh, Jamie, thanks so much. And your comment is just what I needed – funny how God works, isn\’t it? I miss seeing your smiling face. Please keep hanging out at Well-Written Days – I hate blogging alone. : )
Well, you have a new reader here! My family is currently undergoing a remodel as well – what a great term for it! I think it\’s at its messiest right now. Thanks for the encouragement. I\’ll be back. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by! I\’m sorry you can relate since the messiest times are pretty painful. However, so glad you got a bit of encouragement. The mess does eventually pass, I think, although we\’ve still got a few walls to come down. Do come back – I loved having you here.