The Outlets

by Chrissy Larson

When you hear the word "outlet," what do you think of?

For those longing to shop and not be stuck in an enclosed building, the outlets are a great alternative to the indoor mall. If you happen to have extra money, where else would you rather be on a fine Spring day such as the those we have been experiencing lately, but strolling down a sidewalk, gazing in store windows. Every time the door swings open, the smell of retail wafts past your nose and out steps a contented addict with their "fix" in hand. Plastic-type bags never truly fill the void. But when you are handed your newly purchased merchandise in a paper-handled bag, you know you are in the zone. If you score a garment bag, life is very good!

If your addiction is fishing or boating, the word outlet might remind you of the place where you take your boat on any given day. An excuse to go can be conjured up in an instant. Living in what's known as "River City," there is one water inlet/outlet after another. I see folks on the river everyday reeling their addiction, who need no reason for getting out a pole and some bait.

However, most of us envision an electrical plug; the outlet being a place where we can plug something in and get something back. Electricity is one of best commodities ever invented by man! That plastic plate on my wall represents convenience and in just a matter of a seconds, my life becomes easier after I "plug it in."

But an outlet can also be a place or opening through which something is let out. For me, writing is that place. I never would have thought for a million years, that I had anything worth writing, much less any interest to others. This kind of mindset will keep us from doing just about anything. One day I woke up and said to myself, "I don't care if anyone ever reads what I have say, I just need the outlet." This begins my blogging journey.

The first time I heard the word "blog," I wondered if it was a new global warming term. Maybe Al Gore made it up and since I never follow him, I could have missed it. But the Internet (which he supposedly created) was full of them. At first, I was overwhelmed by information but after a little investigating, I found help. I decided if I was really going to do this (even if just for myself,) I wanted to do it right.

Last summer, I took several online classes, one of which was a Blog Writing Course (very reasonably priced) that literally walked me through the process, step by step. By the time I finished, I not only had the knowledge to set up my own blog site, I had a new confidence to express myself on the world wide web. I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who is or has entertained the idea.

Blogging is one of my outlets . . . an opening through which I can let it all out. This freedom of speech allows me to bellyache and moan from the depths of my soul. But better than that, I have the liberty to scream from the top of my lungs that Jesus is King and His return is imminent.

What is your outlet and why does it work?