Blogging Bash and Relevant

I am heading to The Relevant Conference this weekend where I will hopefully meet you.  If you are unable to attend or are not even sure what Relevant is about, visit Courtney's site at the below link-up.  She will be posting video clips regularly from the conference.  Last year was such a tremendous refreshment for me spiritually...I left wanting more of Jesus, live with greater love towards my family, and a refreshed desire to write.  This year is sure not to disappoint.  I am looking forward to meeting some of the ladies that I regularly link up to such as LisaJo from The Gypsy Mama and Darlene Schact from The-time-Warp-Wife.

So THIS POST is for all of you visiting through the BLOG BASH 2011 link-up.  It is a pleasure to "meet" you (if I have not before!)

My name is Nicol spelled without an "e"; I guess my Mom wanted me to be "special".  In actuality I just seem to spend time explaining to people that "no my name does not have an 'e'"..."yes, it is different."  To add to that, my husband Aric, as you just read, spells his name with an "A" not the usual way of "Eric".  Our last name is "Epple" so sometimes people get it mixed up and think he is "Eric Apple".  Explaining this confusion is a conversation starter...."My husband is an identical twin.  His brother's initials spell ACE and his father wanted the same for my husband, thus the unusual spelling of "Aric".  I always like to digress into a conversation about twins.  My husband and his brother would be perfect laboratory specimens for twin psychological testing if they were so willing.

So a little about myself.  Maybe I should or could use this post for my "Hostess" page.  If you have visited there you will still find it blank.  All of these nuisances I am sharing, give you a little glimpse to my idiosyncrasiess which speak for themselves.  I DO procrastinate.  Organized I usually am and planning things is one of my favorite tasks.  However, some tasks though they remain on my "to do" list for weeks, I may not "get" to them until I have to.  It was a necessity for me to change the colors of LOV for the Fall, but writing about myself, well, I guess, I just procrastinate.  A little shy maybe.  I love to write, but writing about myself knowing that YOU are reading what I am writing to know more about ME, just kind of makes me shy away.  Though if you met me in person you would soon realize that I am very out-going.  As a girl I was very shy and I think that it has been God's grace working through me to go beyond my own insecurities and reach out to others.

So, with procrastinating no longer I give you a very short bio of myself.

I have known the Lord and Saviour Jesus Chirst since I was 16.  Three years later I married.  We have been married for twenty plus years so you can do the math as to my age.  Aric and I have four children: two teen boys and two girls (who are our princesses).  I have always enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom.  My home is my dominion and the place where my talents and skills can flourish.  It is a platform for my main service to our Lord- wife, mother, home maker, and hostess of hospitality.  I have done the bookkeeping for my husband's businesses for about 12 years now.  This keeps me plenty busy along with having home educated my children for thirteen years.  My oldest is graduated and just this year my youngest who is nine is attending a Montessori school.  The other two teens are studying at home.  We have a Golden named Cayla who adds lots of love and fur/dust balls to our wooden floors.
  
At my husband's idea I enrolled in college this year.  What a new adventure!  Here I am sitting with most students of whom I could be their Mother.  That is strange, but I am enjoying the whole experience.   With the foundation of the Word that I have, I am able to filter and gleam all of the information to see the Big Picture of God's hand throughout history. I love that and love learning.  For me at this time in my life, attending the University is working and has been a wonderful experience thus far.  The educational road ahead of me is long, but I have my goal as my focus: I want to write and teach about "Womens' Influence Upon Culture throughout History".  That is actually the title of the Letters, Arts, & Sciences degree I am earning.  Needless to say, I still clean my house, plan the family's schedule, help the children with their lessons, chauffeur children, budget and pay bills, shop, cook, and all of the other tasks that we do as women- my time for writing has been stinted.

Encouraging women remains a burning desire in my heart.  I have lead or written bible studies for women, teens, and girls for about sixteen years now.  Seven years ago I went forward with my desire to connect with other women for prayer, support, and encouragement; I started Ladies Of Virtue.  We meet monthly for bible study, prayer, and fellowship.  I soon realized the benefit of women connecting and I wanted to extend my reach to encourage women and teach truths from scripture.  Combining my love for writing I brought LOV to the Internet community in 2007.   My goal for Ladies Of Virtue is to provide a platform where women can receive encouragement and biblical instruction to build us up in our roles as godly women, wives, mothers, sisters, servants, and homemakers. I discuss my ponderings and studies from scripture covering topics on womanhood, femininity, marriage, parenting, godliness, homemaking (which offers a limitless supply of topics some of which include cooking, cleaning, organizing, budgeting, decorating, crafting, and the list goes on), and anything else that peaks my interest.              Here is where I write for LOV on my laptop

in my kitchen.  I really DO have flowers there and a candle burning (I didn't just "stage"it).  I surround myself with all of the sensual catalysts for creativity and comfort that I can, including strong, hot coffee!

                                   

This is my chair in our sun room where I spend time in prayer and studying.  You can see the book shelves beside it that hold about one-eighth of my book collection.  Give me air, give me water, and I must have books!

If you have graced me with your visit, please leave a comment so that I can "know" you too.

 

Here is the link up for the Relevant Blog Bash