Dear Prairie Post Readers,
My name is Eileen Umbehr and I would like to introduce you to my new column, "Reflections." Joann Kahnt has graciously agreed to allow me to express myself on the pages of her paper.
Most of you have read my poems about my kids, my husband or my sister's difficult marriage. Don't ask me why, but I really enjoy sharing my thoughts and feelings with others. It's kind of a paradox, really, because I'm actually a very private person in one sense. Keen and I love living in the country where the only thing we see when we look out our window is the beauty of nature. We do have one neighbor, but they have the most beautiful yard you've ever seen (it puts ours to shame!), so we enjoy that view as well.
All my life I have enjoyed writing. I’ve kept journals (off and on) since I was 15 years old. I wrote letters to our grandmother in Pennsylvania and compiled poems for members of my family on their birthdays. Poetry and writing has always been a great form of self expression for me.
But after I hit the "send" button on the email I sent to Joann asking her what she thought about my idea for a column, my stomach starting doing flip flops. "What was I thinking?" I asked myself. But there was no turning back. Then when I saw Joann's response in my "new mail," I had butterflies once again as I anticipated her response.
A woman preacher I listen to named Joyce Meyer talks about how we should "Do it afraid." She says that when God tell us to "fear not" (which I've heard appears 365 times in the Bible), He doesn't mean that we should never feel fear, but rather that we shouldn't let fear keep us from doing what we want to do. I'm sure David wasn't "fearless" when he faced Goliath - but he didn't let that stop him.
With that in mind, I'd like to embark on this journey despite the fear that I feel inside. I'd also like to thank Joann Kahnt, and you, the readers, for giving me the privilege.
Eileen Umbehr
My name is Eileen Umbehr and I would like to introduce you to my new column, "Reflections." Joann Kahnt has graciously agreed to allow me to express myself on the pages of her paper.
Most of you have read my poems about my kids, my husband or my sister's difficult marriage. Don't ask me why, but I really enjoy sharing my thoughts and feelings with others. It's kind of a paradox, really, because I'm actually a very private person in one sense. Keen and I love living in the country where the only thing we see when we look out our window is the beauty of nature. We do have one neighbor, but they have the most beautiful yard you've ever seen (it puts ours to shame!), so we enjoy that view as well.
All my life I have enjoyed writing. I’ve kept journals (off and on) since I was 15 years old. I wrote letters to our grandmother in Pennsylvania and compiled poems for members of my family on their birthdays. Poetry and writing has always been a great form of self expression for me.
But after I hit the "send" button on the email I sent to Joann asking her what she thought about my idea for a column, my stomach starting doing flip flops. "What was I thinking?" I asked myself. But there was no turning back. Then when I saw Joann's response in my "new mail," I had butterflies once again as I anticipated her response.
A woman preacher I listen to named Joyce Meyer talks about how we should "Do it afraid." She says that when God tell us to "fear not" (which I've heard appears 365 times in the Bible), He doesn't mean that we should never feel fear, but rather that we shouldn't let fear keep us from doing what we want to do. I'm sure David wasn't "fearless" when he faced Goliath - but he didn't let that stop him.
With that in mind, I'd like to embark on this journey despite the fear that I feel inside. I'd also like to thank Joann Kahnt, and you, the readers, for giving me the privilege.
Eileen Umbehr
