Last spring Adam, my finance, and I were sitting in church listening to Pastor Pakora's sermon. It was the end of the Lenten season and he was reflecting on the last few weeks. It's tradition in many denominations to "give up" something for the season of Lent and Pastor Pakora was preaching about why people would do this: to become a better person, to reach some kind of understanding, to feel sacrifice. Lent is a start of something for many people...to see where they will end up come Easter morning. Will they have a better understanding of their faith? Will they have more knowledge? More Insight?

The beginning of a new year is much like this. Why else do most people start eating right and exercising on January first? It's a good time to start something - to see where they will be at the end of the year.

On Easter morning, Pastor Pakora looked over his pulpit at his congregation and asked, "So how did you end up? Did you do what you set to do on Ash Wednesday?"

Adam and I both looked at each other in shame. I had planned to do a daily bible study during Lent and I didn't make it past a couple days before getting caught up in other things. We had wanted to go to every Wednesday service, but didn't make it to about half. I didn't even get up to go to the 6am candlelit service before Easter. It's a common feeling to want to do something, but not doing it. So this is why I have decided to start a blog. It's the start of something. Of what, I'm not sure. Maybe it will be a way for me to keep my goals in check (like finishing my printmaking portfolio). Or maybe it will just be something fun to do when I'm being lazy and sitting on my cozy couch, trying to get through the cold Iowa winters. We'll see!