what's in a name

I’ve sat down to write this post a few times now. I have wanted to explain to my readers the significance of my blog’s name and how I came to the conclusion, but I haven’t been able to put to pen what is in my little head. That happens to me a lot. I will have an idea for a blog post and that idea will formulate in my head for weeks until I actually write it down. Maybe it’s “writer’s block” or inexperience, or maybe even laziness, but it happens. And it happens a lot.

That led me to think about timing. Timing in life. Timing in love. Timing in my little world. And you know what? I think the timing is finally right for me to explain my little blog’s name… I promise the rest of this post won’t be so dramatic.

Two words – Gratefully. Inspired. I think I’ll start with the second one. I have forever been in love with the word – inspiration. It brings forth emotions that are strong-willed, determined and loving. It has me thinking about my dearest family and friends, times of triumph and wise words. To be inspired is something truly great. It is what I look for every single day; something or someone that ignites a fire inside of me. Whether that fire burns for a cause, a task, a person or my own self-improvement that cause is given just meaning because of the inspiration it has offered. You see, I am an extremely passionate person – an all-or-nothing-kind-of-girl. May it be my blessing or my curse, I need passion in my life to do something well. My husband often has to ask me to lower my voice in restaurants because people around us are starting to shoot us worried and annoyed glances. As I begin talking about something I am passionate about, something that inspires me, my voice grows louder and louder and I become over-the-top animated (think wide eyes and hands flinging everywhere – yep I’m that girl). I can’t help it. It’s as if my body is a puppet and is being completely guided by the feelings in my heart –in my soul. I am consumed. So it is these inspirations of every day life that I look for – that I am driven by. Whether it be, the sweet note my husband leaves in my lunchbox, the nice lady who lets me go first at Port City Java, or a troubled student that has overcome their past to better their future– these are what drive me. And more than anything I hope that my blog offers you another way to look at life; that it reminds you that there are things, people and places that can inspire you if you let them. In my opening post when I said, “Sit back, relax” I meant it. Sit back and enjoy life. Take it all in and slow down.

That leads me to my first word – gratefully. The word "grateful" holds immense importance in my life, especially this year in 2012. Every year instead of making a list of 25 New Year’s Resolutions (that I usually end up breaking by March) my church, as a congregation, encourages everyone to choose one word. This word will be your focus for the entire year. This word will offer you a way to better live the way God had intended. This word will offer clarity of God’s plan. Now – this is not to say that my church is implying once you choose your word it will become magic and you will have a great year. It’s just saying that instead of focusing on so many changes in you and then loosing sight of all of them, focus on one word and see the change really progress. Well, you guessed it – my word is grateful. This is my year of being grateful. My husband and I have been through a lot of change over the last year – over the last 2 years really. We graduated grad school, got hitched, moved cities, bought a house, moved into that house, had to leave that house 2 months later, moved cities again and found new jobs. It’s been a lot. And in the midst of all of the change I found myself excited but sometimes frustrated and definitely overwhelmed. I am also a planner. Whoa baby am I a planner! I like to know the Who, What Where, When and Why two weeks in advance. And sometimes that leads me to miss the beauty of the Now. I am always looking to the next step. So this year I am focusing on being grateful. Grateful for where God has me in my life right now,grateful for the people He has placed in it and grateful for the plans He has for my future. And that’s where this blog was born. It was born in a part of my heart that led to my brain and here we are. I hope to chart my journey in life and not only remember, but write down (well, type) all of the many inspirations that leave me humbled and grateful.

So there it is –the meaning behind the name. I hope you’ll come back and continue to grow with me.