Blog Spotlight (Sunday): “Home Sanctuary”

Tonight, we are taking a family night.  The kids are all there out jumping on the trampoline (happy sounds at the moment), a breeze is blowing through open windows–I need some simple REST. 

I’m so proud of our church…usually it is TOTALLY REFRESHING no matter how tired I am.  But, I will not look good on Monday unless I take a break from all activity.

Tonight, I did surf a blog Dori referred me to lately.  It’s Home Sanctuary.  It does have music if you are a night surfer…funny music on her topics…cracks me up.  But, you can subscribe in an RSS feeder if you can’t read and listen at the same time (or just turn down the music…it’s so entertaining, it’s hard!).  I have that trouble on occasion.

Here is an excerpt from one of her posts this week:

 

I often use the Blame Card to come up with plausible reasons for my own shortcomings:

My house doesn’t look nice because I can’t afford new furniture.

I can’t get a “real” job because I don’t have a college degree.

I can’t be a good mom because my kids are too needy.

I’m not a good cook because I don’t have nice pots and pans.

I don’t have many friends because I have to work so much.

I don’t manage money well because I wasn’t taught how to.

I can’t fix that because it’s not my job.

All this stress is making me short-tempered and irritable.

My house is messy because no one helps me.

The only problem with playing the Blame Game is that it leaves me in a state of inertia.  It blocks my mind from thinking big thoughts.  It binds me to the past.  It makes me bitter.  It affects my home sanctuary negatively.

But I don’t want to be like that.

Today’s Small Thing is to think about something in your life that you’re blaming someone or something for – that’s keeping you from taking responsibility and moving on. 

She gives a challenge every time she posts…it helps motivate me to know another mom needs to challenge herself each day, just to get the floor swept.  That’s me! 

Enjoy the rest of the blog entry at Home Sanctuary.

I love to be challenged by new directions and thoughts.

 

19,945 is a cool number

Today, I received my 19,945th comment.  First, I  didn’t realize the comments were numbered until today.

And I wonder, who will be 20,000?  And, do they deserve a gift?

My Dad’s birthday is coming up…I’d better get his card out before I think about that!  (But, I AM thinking about it!)

Sometimes, When You Don’t Post, I Get a Little Mad…

I just thought I should tell you. 

Maybe “mad” isn’t the right word.

…it’s like waiting for the latest installment of a book series.  Better yet, the next episode of “to be continued” Little House of the Prairie, or when I was little, “The Dukes of Hazard“. 

I just really hated that. 

They suck you right in, and then…

you’re left just shakin’ your head and rattling your nachos and cheese dip, demanding it not be so.  Only, then, we only had popcorn or brownies and Mom’s homemade fudge sauce.  Sometimes I get a little mad when I don’t have any of that, too.

Shout Out

This weekend is our COOL PASTOR’S birthday= (new blogger alert!!!). 

Go over and say hi and make him feel welcome!!! 

He has a great sense of humor and is a great writer…feel free to be yourself.  

Everybody loves fun blog comments!

Let’s Try This WordPress “Twitter” Thingy Again.

UPDATE:  WordPress community, I had to reset all your roles to author rather than contributor.  It should work now.  Let me know if I still need to add you.

Whatya Doin? community blog: 

1. Log into your Wordpress account (or get one set up). 
2. In your dashboard tray (“E” above) click the little drop down arrow beside “My Dashboards”.  “Whatya doin?”should show there.  Entre via that link.     
3. Blog!  1-3 short sentences/phrases.  A fast moving way to follow people/get to know some/see new resources (books, tools. technology (especially free stuff).   

It’s supposed to look like THIS when we are done. 

UPDATE:  you all are getting it…looks great!  Fun!!!

“Whatya Doin’?” — New Twitter-Like Community Blog–Join In!

UPDATE:  Okay, so the first trial flopped.  I think I need to make you authors of that blog for you to join in.  So, I’ll hop on that and let you know when it’s set up! 

——————— 

I Just Started a New Twitter-Style Community Blog  called “Whatya Doin?”. 

Confused?  I was…just check it out and do it.  You’ll get it.  

Should be fun!  Add your “Whatya Doin’” post by clicking here:   Whatya doin’?   Type 1-2 sentences or phrases about what you are doing, resources you want to pass on, very quick posts, even phrases.  People who know you and like to know what you are into will get a lot out of it, and your picture links people back to your regular blog for more.

PS:  Um, don’t type your answers here…go put them there!!!  On the new blog! 

He Turns My Darkness Into Light

I was still editing and re-editing that last post as I do on occasion, when a scripture arrived in my email from a dear blogging friend (I’m going to leave her nameless today for the sake of God’s glory, because he deserves ALL of it and I know she’s agree):

The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ {that’s a deer} feet and will make me to walk {not to stand still in terror, but to walk} and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! (Habakkuk 3:19 Amplified)

I hear in your voice and wanted you to know that (a.) I’ve been there…I am there and (b.) you are being prayed for today! Blessings, friend!

I soaked in that, took some time on the couch to nap while I had the time this week.

I woke to the sound of incoming emails, more than usual for this time of day:

I know how you feel.  I feel very overwhelmed this time every year.  The fun of the holidays is over, and the mess and full-steam ahead schedules is left for us to handle.  Plus I think it’s normal winter depression too.  This year, I’ve got the added stress of …[edited for privacy]…hang in there–spring will be here before we know it.

I received a few other emails that lifted my spirits to see, mostly indirectly.  While we all tire of forwards, there are some days they do lift your spirits, just to see an email with a good persective shared.

This is why I have email friendships.  You folks make up community, healthy community, a vital part of the body of Christ for me on days when depression could be a problem, but it no longer is for me.  I have the support I need to do this thing.

You guys are heart of long days.  I just love you to death.

Now, I feel like being productive, and that’s a great feeling.

I want to be better at this blogging thing…better and better all the time, not to my glory, but His.  I want to be a better writer, more creative in sharing.  I want the world to know that we serve a God of creativity, vibrancy, growth, vervor, and joy! I serve that God.  Shoot!  I need to remind myself quite often!

Thanks for letting me have my down moment.  And, you moms with young toddlers and kids…you are in survival mode and winter is SO HARD, and I’m praying for you.

Young moms, you girls are getting it:  to overcome the winter hump, many of you are volunteering time, giving of yourselves, setting goals, starting short devotional books, making commitments toward scripture and exercise, providing good food and  checking attitudes for your families (just try over and over and over and keep blogging it…it DOES help). You girls have found the secrets!

So, how do you working people find your “recovery place”?  You certinaly can’t nap and pray.  How do you get your days turned around?

RSS Readers…Take Note

I’m reading local blogs AND SEEING comments tonight…AND THEY ARE SO GREAT! 

Comments: 7

Comments:  5

Comments:  4.

THANK YOU!  You rock!  Aw man!  You all are starting to get it!  It’s getting AWESOME. 

A special note to my RSS READERS:  I’m only publishing excerpts for a while –I need you here for a while.  New blogging locals need to get it on a live scale.  Wake up and come smell the coffee over here.  Get your links in here and get them here often!

NEW LOCAL READERS…surf and support!

Lurking Defined

Alrighty then.  There are a lot of new locals bloggers and blog readers around, and being the ancient “oh wise one” (Lord, help us all) having- blogged- for- a- while person…I feel compelled to speak on behalf of the new blog community. 

“Lurking” is when you read someone’s blog and never comment. 

It is known this happens.  YET, when a blog writer looks at blog stats and sees numbers rising and yet commentors are silent, it’s a bit disconcerting to pour your heart out to God knows who.  You can only imagine.

Realize that if there is a sense of “knowing who’s there” /community, it feels healthy.  Otherwise…it can begin to feel a bit strange.

Who?  Men and women can all comment on our blogs.  It is open community, and all may and do comment.  Use good judgment like you would with anything else. 

The goal:   If a sense of community is reached, prayer needs can be shared, authenticity can be trusted and grow, and real life is shared.  If not, well…just know none of us do it to be on a stage.  Blogging helps us stay focused, thankful, and moving forward.  It helps us celebrate, connect, clear the cobwebs, and do something a little different in a day.

Blogging:  Healthy blogging is about life, community, interaction, shared thoughts, opinions, and ideas. We grow and learn when we talk.  We can discuss, agree/disagree, or just say, “loved the post”. 

HOW:  It only takes a name and email address to comment.  It takes 10 seconds.  You can do it.  No…you don’t have to comment on every single post you read, or everyday, but do try to build friendships and let people know you value their sharing and thoughts, say once a week if you read often, a few times a month if they post daily.

My thoughts:  In December there were a lot of people coming by here, so I shut off comments.  I was unable to keep up with anything extra.  There was a spike of 1300 or so people a day due to some seasonal posts I’ve listed in the past that get picked up in Google listings.  But, as a whole, about 300-400 fly by here every day, and yet there are 2 comments are so.  That’s not proportional to the traffic.  Yeah, I could ask a bunch of questions, but I don’t.  I’ve grown comfortable with the ins and outs of comments and I don’t mind so much anymore.  Especially for new bloggers, it’s important to have that sense that what you are doing matters.

Comparison:  Knowing who is around is helpful. Would we ask a pastor to preach blindfolded?  (Perhaps there are weeks he’d prefer it!  I hope not!)

So, lurkers, feedback is valuable, important, some say indespensable in blogging.  Be funny.  Be expressive.  Mainly…just be there.

To blog writers:  A note.  Don’t be jealous.  Run it out of your mind.  Some posts, and some of us, write more reflectively than something that evokes a response.  Just let it be what it is.  That’s okay.  Reflective, quiet, even opinionated is okay.  But, depending on your audience, you may just be ‘planting seeds’ of thought.  Still a great gift to us.  Some people seem to need more “talking” than others and that is sensed by the way the blog post is written oftentimes.  A confident sounding blog post does it’s own work.  

Well, that’s all I have to try to help on that.  Thanks for thinking about it.   I’m sure there’s more to say.  If you want to blog on it, just link to this post and continue with your thoughts or comment here. 

Mainly, let’s keep building some healthy community!

~Maggie

“No Comments” Report

Well, a few days without comments now, and what do I think? For this season, I’ve enjoyed the change of pace a bit.   People who love me email me anyway and it’s more personal.  Other perks:

• I’m not having to dig through 100-200 vile spam comments in Askimet every two days to dig out a couple legitimate comments that get hung there.   I think it’s a conspiracy.
• I’m not prone to checking email during the day as much. :)
• Responses to posts doesn’t enter my mind.  I am more free to write. 
• Oh yes, there is a downside…no immediate response.  But, if I need that, perhaps I need to practice picking up a bless-ed phone, which I’ve sworn off, to a fault, I’m sure!

Thanks for your patience during busy seasons!