I Have Officially Arrived in the Blogging World

When I was in high-school, my circle of friends and I tried to get as creative as possible with "getting" each other's front yards. What I mean is that we were way too creative to toilet paper each other's yards. No, no. Our friendly visits to each other's homes after dark involved plastic utensils implanted into lawns, police caution tape strung around tree trunks and wrapping oranges in saran wrap and suspending them in the branches! I remember desperately wanting them to "get" my yard because it was almost a status symbol! It meant that my friends loved me enough to creatively leave their mark in my yard.

Well, ten years later I find myself searching for my affirmation in the world of blogging similar to my high school desire of being the object of my friend's creativity.

And I am happy to say that I have "arrived". Margo (a college friend whom I have been able to keep in touch with in recent months thanks to blogging) "tagged" me. So here's the low-down on being "tagged":

The rules:

1. Post these rules before you give the facts.
2. List one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
3. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog for the rules.

So here goes... My middle name is JOY

J- Well, how could I describe myself without mentioning my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? I'm so thankful for my relationship with Him and for the undeserved gifts He's given me!

O- For better or for worse, I tend to be an "open-book". One of my greatest strengths and weaknesses is that I wear my heart on my sleeve. On the positive side, my openness about myself and my struggles makes me easy to approach for people needing a listening ear. On the negative side, I can open myself to a lot of criticism and advice from the whole world. And advice and criticism isn't bad as long as I remember that it is God I must please and not people.

Y- I have always viewed my "young appearance" as somewhat of a thorn in my side. I am still mistaken to be a teenager at times, and I've often lamented this and felt that it must be difficult for people to take me seriously. But recently, I believe I've entered the point in my life where I can appreciate this. (My whole life I've been told that one day I'll like hearing that I "look so much younger" than I am.)

Okay so, three letters in my middle name, that means three people must be "tagged". I think I shall pick on three of my cousins who have been blogging for even a shorter length of time than I have:

Katie, Grace and Natalie, congratulations, you've just been "tagged".