It has been almost three months since I last posted here.
That isn’t the longest gap this site has ever seen, but it is long enough that writing again starts to feel strangely difficult. The longer I leave it, the more I feel as though I need a major story or perfectly organised update before I can return. Then more time passes, more things happen, and the imaginary post becomes too large to begin.
So this one is neither perfectly organised nor especially dramatic. It is simply an apology for neglecting the site, a quick update, and hopefully a small restart.
Someone New in My Life
The largest personal change is that I met someone and began seeing her.
Her name is Laurie, and over the past couple of months she has become an important part of my days. It was not something I had carefully planned or expected to be writing about when I made my last update, but life has a way of changing while we are occupied with other things.
Beginning a new relationship after everything life has held is both good and a little strange. There are old memories that do not disappear, alongside new memories being made. I am learning that one does not necessarily erase or disrespect the other.
I will not turn this into a full relationship post, but I am thankful for Laurie, for the time we have spent together, and for the unexpected happiness she has brought into my life.
Work Carrying On
I am still working for Marcus at BD Mechanical Services Ltd., handling bookkeeping and office-related work.
The position has settled into a fairly normal rhythm now. There are still questions, things I need to double-check, and moments when I wonder whether I am moving quickly enough, but I am far more comfortable with the work than I was when I began.
Marcus remains a good friend and a fair person to work for. The job may not produce many exciting blog stories, but steady work and steady trust are worth being thankful for. Also getting a raise this month is nothing to sneeze at either.
From Gravel Hill Enterprises has continued in the background as well. There have been website updates, small technical jobs, and the usual collection of projects that individually seem minor but somehow manage to fill a surprising amount of time.
Conferences and Audio Work
There have also been a few Gospel Hall conferences since my last post.
The PEI Conference took place in May at Bluefield, followed more recently by the Pugwash Junction Conference in July. Both weekends brought the familiar mixture of ministry, Gospel preaching, fellowship, food, conversations, and the slightly tired feeling that comes after spending several full days around people.
For those interested, the recordings can be found here:
The conference itself is only one part of it for me now. Once everyone goes home, there are recordings to collect, edit, name, upload, arrange, and post. It can be slow work, but I still enjoy knowing that the messages will remain available after the weekend has passed.
Pugwash also had brought me on to run their Zoom and Youtube video for the conference again this year, with audio being supplied by Steve. a great experience and the second year doing it. Notes were made and plans for the next year. I thihnk it would be interesting to get into doing more video and having my own equipment.
The O’Leary Gospel Hall website has continued receiving regular audio updates, and I have still been working on The Gospel from Gravel Hill, even if progress has not always been as steady as I would like.
Apparently I did not stop working on websites. I just neglected the one that is supposed to be about me.
The Site I Kept Avoiding
I have opened this personal site more than once over the past few months, looked at it, thought about writing something, and then closed it again.
Part of the problem is that I keep thinking every post needs to be long or important. It doesn’t. This site was always meant to be a record of ordinary life as much as the larger moments: work, faith, projects, people, thoughts, and whatever else happens to be occupying my mind.
So I am not promising a perfect weekly schedule. We all know how those promises usually go.
I would, however, like to stop waiting until I have three months of material before writing anything. A few shorter and more honest updates would be better than another long stretch of silence.
For now, this is the restart.
Life has changed a little. Work continues. The conferences come and go. The websites still need attention. There are new memories being made, old responsibilities being carried, and more projects waiting than I have time to finish.
Through it all, I remain thankful for the people God has placed around me and for the way He continues to lead, even when I am not especially organised about recording it.
Sorry for the silence.
Hopefully the next update will arrive before another season does.