Backstreet's Back Again...

Ok, well Backstreet may or may not in fact be back again, but it was the first title that came to mine for "re-entry" to the blogosphere post.  I have been absent for quite a while- since August 25, 2010 to be exact. This date rings in my mind because my grandfather, Pops, who was perhaps the most faithful reader of this blog, reminded me of it frequently- until eventually, I guess he realized this was futile endeavor and decided to save his breath.

I attribute my absence to a myriad of things. Perhaps it was the endless papers that I was required to write for seminary, the pages and pages  and pages, oh and did I say, pages of reading I was struggling to complete, and the Hebrew I was trying to learn to read and to speak without sounding like a man. (For all you girls out there, it is impossible- so embark on the study of Hebrew knowing only that you will sacrifice a wee bit of your femininity in the process.) Or it could have been that for a while in life I felt like all my funny stories had to do with the precious family I baby sat for, and while they were great stories, they were not my stories to tell. Or maybe, just maybe, it was because the things the Lord was teaching me and that I was struggling through at seminary were not things I wanted to share with just anyone who would read. Authenticity should only really go so far right?!?!

Why have I suddenly decided to return to blogging? Last thursday, I received this picture via text message with a request to start blogging again...

And let's just be honest, who could say "no" to faces like this?

In reality, I had thought a lot about blogging again. School has slowed down quite a bit. I only have 3 classes left, and in turn have much more time just to think, to breathe, and to write. I have always really loved to write- since elementary school when I was writing short stories, high school when I was writing fun poems for my friends and papers on Moby Dick for school, and even through seminary- it has been a process that has brought me much joy. As I have journeyed through seminary, I have grown to believe that the Lord has both gifted me and called me to write, that this will be one of the primary ways I can serve his kingdom and his church. As I have examined my heart, I have seen much fear in it when it comes to this very thing- fear that maybe I am not that good of a writer, fear that no one will like or read what I write, etc. But I am praying that the Lord will give me courage to overcome my fears, to take risks for his glory, and just to think less of myself in general.

So, if you are so inclined...check back in here from time to time as I will be writing again- some spiritual things, life reflections, devotional thoughts, life updates and funny stories as they come.

A Bit of a Life Update
My last entry was entiled "The Difference a Year Makes." Perhaps this one should have been entitled, "The Bigger Difference Almost Two Years Makes," for much, so very much has changed. In that post, I wrote about a "new student" reception that I was able to host. What I didn't know then is there was a new student there that night- a cute, kind, Sperry-wearing Mississippi boy that would eventually catch my eye and change my life forever. In the weeks and months that followed that reception, we started spending time together, getting to know each other, and quickly fell in love. In July of last year, John Mark Scruggs and I became husband and wife. We have now journeyed a little over 11 months into this glorious thing called marriage- in which we have seen our love for one another grow, in which we have seen our relationship both strengthen and deepen, in which we have seen ourselves be humbled and have seen ourselves grow, and in which we have seen the wondrous faithfulness of God. I will write more on our life and marriage later- perhaps as our anniversary approaches. I'm assuming that most of you who read this know our story anyways... But for those of you who don't, here's a few pics to perhaps hold you over until I get to writing more...

Well, because this post is getting ridiculously long and because John Mark just texted me to say he is on his way home for lunch, I am going to conclude... More updates to come....

Thanks for re-visiting "Simply Full." See you again soon.

With Joy-
Caroline Scruggs