Meet and Greet

         
                               MEET AND GREET

      It seems rather appropriate that I introduce myself before I step into the vulnerable zone of "heart revealing blogdom." 

      As a girl growing up in the 50's, somehow the options for girl names were basically limited to Debbie, Kathy, Linda, Mary, or Susan. I came away with Linda - it's pretty plain but I guess it suits me. (I recently read that the name Linda is returning to popularity, but I'll have to wait and see before I believe that.)

      I was born and raised in New Orleans as the oldest of five children. Large families and a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom) were typical of all of the families I knew. This was easy to understand because families only had one car anyway. So the family had a lot of bonding time together.

      My hometown is a city steeped in rich history complete with a mix-match of French and Spanish cultures, as well as others. The personality of its people is quite colorful, and family-oriented ("How's ya mama an dem?" is a typical question which means, How's the family?) 

      With the Cajun and Creole spices and cuisines being so prevalent, you can guess that somebody's cooking up some red beans and rice or boiling some crab, crawfish, or shrimp. (Just thinking about, and typing these words, makes my mouth water and stimulates my olfactory nerve to go into "crave" mode.) New Orleans is, hands down, the most memorable place to eat!  

      My honey and I met in sophomore year of high school. I went to an all-girl school and he, an all-boy school, and we met at a basketball game. Sport arenas, no matter how small, were a great place to "mix it up." We dated for 7.5 years before cementing our lives together with our "I Do's" at a June wedding. (You can do the math.)

      From the "get go," I never intended to go to college, but since my honey was heading off to LSU, ... need I say more. We never had a lot of money, so my daddy worked two jobs, and then three at Christmas, to support the five of us through private school. So asking to go to college took a lot of finesse on my part. I clearly remember begging my daddy to let me go. I told him, it was (no kidding) only $468 a semester! So somehow, I was off to LSU.

      I majored in Early Childhood Development, although I never once aspired to use my degree. But I always knew that I wanted to have children, so I figured this major would help me prepare for that. 

      I was married to my high school sweetheart for forty-two years and during that time, his job required twenty moves!  (Yes ... I did say twenty moves!) When people hear that I've moved twenty times and lived in six states during my first pregnancy, they can't help but ask which branch of the service my husband served with. And I always had to say, nuclear service as he was a nuclear engineer.

      I birthed five children - raised four and one was lifted away to heavenly places. As they grew, I sensed the call to begin home schooling them. So after much prayer, and with my husband in agreement, I did just that for seventeen years. (And yes you can, too, if God calls you to it.) What a joy!

       I have done a lot of different things in my life, but I have rarely gotten paid for anything I have ever done. So I guess I am considered a full time "volunteer extraordinaire" at heart. I love people and I love helping them. So when I'm not writing, my calendar fills up with opportunities to help others including foreigners, women transitioning from prison, and widows.

     Each of these commitments is fueled by God who, strangely enough, trusts me enough to pour Himself out through me. (Now that's a privilege I don't take lightly.) 

      Whenever I have said "yes" to Him, I have reaped bountiful benefits of seeing HIM in action. And that never ceases to amaze me.

       My faith story will unfold throughout my writings as I document the amazing work I see Him doing all around me. So be prepared to see the great I AM revealed through these pages. The Scriptures ring true saying, "without Him ... I can do nothing."

       As women, our lives progress through many stages of life and relationships have their way of defining us.

      Our tiny beginnings as a baby progress to girl, to sister, to teenager, to girlfriend, to fiance, to bride, to wife, to mother, to mother-BY-love, to Nana, and many times, it culminates with widowhood. I have "achieved" each of these levels, with the last one being the most challenging. 

       So wherever you are on the female spectrum, you can honestly rest because God's plan encompasses all of it. Nothing takes Him by surprise. He is the Master Weaver and He weaves the joys and the pains of our lives as threads ultimately used for His glory. 

     Hopefully, my precious, and VERY patient, "blog teacher" is ready to launch me from the coziness of once a week/month lessons, into the great unknown blog world!

     I am beginning to believe that maybe I am a writer because the notepad on my phone is overflowing with ideas. Then there's the "I can't wait until I get some time to write about that" feeling. This must be a sign, right? 

     I actually started this project writing by hand on loose leaf paper which, not surprisingly, landed me in the middle of a plethora of "loose" leaves of paper. But as of late, I have morphed from paper to my laptop. (Boy, that delete key is definitely quicker than my best eraser.)

     My writing style is pretty easy to explain because I write just like I would talk to you if you and I were on my back porch ... plain and a lot! I wonder if you can hear my THICK Noo Awlins' accent coming through the typed print? I know, for sure, that my Southern-isms will make their way to the surface throughout my writings. 

      My plan is to compartmentalize my writing into a variety of topical blogs - running the gamete from my spiritual walk, with serious truths as well as the almost ridiculous, to more somber musings on grief and beyond. So be sure to look for the topic which most appeals to you.

     The desire of my heart is to encourage and inspire you, and hoping not to ruffle too many feathers ... unless they're inspiring feathers, that is. 

     Honestly, I would enjoy your feedback if it's positive, or even requests for new topics, which may inspire me to tickle the keyboard keys with further musings. (Is it even possible for one to "tickle the keys" on something other than those on a piano?)

     I may break all the rules of "blogdom" but I'm not afraid! So here we go! 

           © Linda Hurstell and lindahurstell.blogspot.com, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Linda Hurstell and lindahurstell.blogspot.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.