Archive for June, 2006
Boy Spirit
Posted by Bethany in Motherhood, Picturesque on June 15, 2006
One of my favorite things about my son is his amazing spirit! He truly is the most good natured guy! And I love that he always has a big grin on his face!
I’ve Only Got Myself to Blame
Posted by Bethany in Rambling in Progress, Scripture on June 15, 2006
Have you ever run into one of those people who never take responsiblity for their actions? They blame everyone else for all that is wrong in their life. Have you ever been one of those people who placed the blame at the feet of all others? I’m ashamed to say that I’ve been one of those people. In fact, it is something I still have to fight ocassionally.
But I’m doing better than I used to.
Why do we play this blame game?
“It’s my parent’s fault. They didn’t love me enough.”
“It’s my husband’s fault. He’s not affectionate/hard-working/here enough.”
“It’s my kid’s fault. They won’t listen.”
“It’s the government’s fault. They don’t dish out enough money.”
“It’s my boss’ fault. He doesn’t appreciate me enough.”
“It’s that preacher’s fault for not making the people in the church do the right thing.”
You get the picture. The person changes. The verb changes. The rest is the same. And frankly, it’s not that much fun to listen to (but I’m not blaming anyone! 
)
Why do we take such morbid pleasure in placing the blame on others? Why is it so easy to see what is wrong with everything/everyone else, yet we are unable to see what we could have done differently?
Matthew 7:1-5
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
Obviously this attitude is not biblical. And seeing the problems with ourselves is such a difficult thing to do. Because if we know what we are doing wrong then we have to fix what we are doing wrong. It’s so often much easier to point fingers and say things are the way they are “because of them“. Because, well, what can we do about someone else? Not a lot. Therefore we feel justified in doing nothing.
One of the things that has let me be a more content Christian is finally owning up to my mistakes. When I decided that I could do nothing about the sins of others (that would be between them and God) but could do something about my own sin life seemed less unfair.
Not that life is ever going to really seem fair, right? Not to us. We don’t have the capacity for understanding that we really deserve nothing good. That what we do have is a blessing and not a right. We live in a sin cursed world. And we really shouldn’t expect other people to do much else other than sin, right? Yet, we shouldn’t point fingers or cast blame….
John 8:3-11
3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,
4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”
6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”
8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
When accusations were made against the woman in this story, Jesus reminds the accusers that none of them are free of sin. He does not tolerate sin….he warns the woman caught in adultery to
go and sin no more
But he does not act like her sin is any worse than anyone else’s.
If the sin of others is no worse than my sin, what right have I to accuse? If Jesus is willing to get over wrongs done against him, why should I do any less?
Luke 23:34
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.
I’m not saying you’ve been treated justly. I’m not saying what you’ve been through doesn’t hurt. I’m certainly not saying that you have to like the way people always treat you. But one thing I’ve learned is my life is a lot more pleasant when I focus on my own sin and do something about that as opposed to dwelling on the sin of others and how it has affected my life.
I am someone I can do something about. And life is much nicer when I fix (with God’s help, of course) the things I’m doing wrong, and not spend so much time whining, complaining, and plotting revenge or how to get even with those that have mistreated me.
Besides, when it all comes down to it, I’m a sinner. And I’ve only got myself to blame.
Summertime Popsicles
Posted by Bethany in Picturesque on June 14, 2006
No better way to entertain a house full of kids than to load them up with cool, chocolate, homeade, pudding popsicles! Yum-meh!
Easy Clean-Up…That’s What I’m Talking About!!
Posted by Bethany in Works for Me Wednesday on June 14, 2006
I’m all about short cuts in the kitchen. I do not like cleaning up! And since I do not have a dishwasher, I must admit I use more paper plates, cups, and flatware than I probably should! What can I say? I’m lazy!
Well, since I love easy meals too, I enjoy making things in the crock pot. I think food tastes really good cooking all day, anyway. So, really, it’s more than just easy. Some of my favorite recipes (and my family’s favorites) are crock pot meals.
Throw in a roast with a packet of Lipton Onion soup mix, and wah-lah, very happy family. Throw in ribs with a bottle of Hawiian marinade and a bottle of BBQ sauce and people will be begging for your rib recipe. (Really, I’ve had this happen! Shameful, I know!) Throw in chicken breast with a can of orange juice concentrate and yum, yum, yum!
A crock pot is an essential for the working or otherwise busy mom!
But, I detest, absolutely detest cleaning up a crock pot! I will tell myself that it really needs to soak overnight before I clean it. And I usually stare at it for ages before breaking out the steel wool and getting the wretched thing clean. Oh horror of horrors!
That’s why I was thrilled to discover this product!!
They are absolutely fantastic! Just line your crock pot, throw in your ingredients, and cook. When clean-up time comes, just lift the liner out of the pot and dispose of it. The crock pot is still clean! Of course, I still wash it, but it is just a quick rinse with soapy water. Takes about one minute!
So, this may be pretty simple. I thought I’d take it easy for my first Works for Me Wednesday. But really, this is a product that has become a staple in my kitchen!
Gabbie
Posted by Bethany in Picturesque on June 13, 2006
A picture of Gabbie, my step-daughter. Isn’t she lovely?
A Big Splash!
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings, Motherhood, Picturesque on June 10, 2006
Yesterday finished up our VBS program, which was a lot of fun. But it did wear us out, terribly. We had air conditioning problems all week, which are now worked out (finally!) so it was also a hot week! Did you know four kids can drink two gallons of Kool-aid a day? As well as some tea, water, and soda! We drank a lot!
We come home from VBS hot, tired and kinda on the cranky side only to see my neighbor is hosting the Royal Ambassadors party from church. This is for boys in 1st-6th grade. None of my children or step-children qualify. Which isn’t such a big deal except for the enormous water slide that has been erected in my landlord’s backyard….and my kids are hot…and they love water….and well, it just seemed a bit on the sad side. I was dreading keeping the children out of that party.
I mean, check this out! How fun does this look?
I began the speech. “Sorry, guys. It’s not our party. I know it looks like fun. Next year two of you will be old enough. We’ll do somehting fun inside” (Yeah, right! It’s 90 degrees inside….and cutting and coloring crafts were a pale comparaision to that huge monstrosity of a waterslide….I was even feeling the gloom. Hey…I like slides too!)
Fortunately, although obviously disappointed, the kids were quite adorable about it. They didn’t perk up or act happy, but they didn’t whine or try to invite themselves either. (I cannot stand when people invite themselves….so I was proud of them…cause it was a hard thing to do. Or to not do.)
Shiloh was helping me unload the massive amount of things I had dragged from the house to the church for VBS when our neighbor lady calls out, “Shiloh, you better get your swimsuit on!”
She stops and looks at me. “Can I Momma?”
I look at said neighbor lady and ask, “Are you sure that’s okay? I know this is an RA party. None of my crew are RA’s.”
“Let me ask my husband.”
So I caution Shiloh not to let the others know. I was afraid my neighbor was speaking out of place…she wasn’t really involved in RA’s, just married to the teacher. And although our neighbors are incredibly good about including us, I just didn’t know about this. I also reminded Shiloh that it still might not be okay. Not to get her hopes up….
“Okay mamma.” Yeah right. Too late!
Well, a few minutes later our neighbor came back to inform us that the RA party didn’t actually start for two hours. My kids were welcome to play until then and then the boys could stay for the party if they liked.
I felt like shouting ,”Whoopeeeee!” at the top of my lungs. Instead I calmly walk inside and tell the kids to put on their swimsuits. Hehe….don’t you love how well kids obey when you tell them to put on their swimsuits on? Why don’t they obey as happily when asked to clean their room? I don’t get it! I mean these kids were dressed and out the door in a matter of seconds!
Anyway…they had a blast. Except Shiloh caught an elbow going down the slide and has a pretty serious black eye. Ouch. She made me promise not to post any pictures of her black eye on my blog though. I feel bad for her but it is kinda cute. Once I got over being upset about it!
But all pictures posted below are pre-black eye….just so you know I did let her have her way on this particular isssue!
Whoa Bethany! Two posts in one day! And on a Saturday!
Let’s Play 20 Questions…..
Posted by Bethany in Bloggity Blog, Inquiring Minds on June 10, 2006
This 7 Days of Blog has really brought out the inquisitive side of some of the bloggers around the blogosphere! I’m planning on taking their questions and answering them for today’s (final) blogging post. Well, the final blogging post for 7 Days of Blog anyway!
Inquisitive Blogger #1: She Lives posts these questions.
– How do find the blogs you read regularly? Through other bloggers’ recommendations? Their sidebar links? Search engines? Through comments left on your blog? Something else?
Most of the blogs I read I found through sidebar links. I have also found bloggers through comments left on my blog or another blog I have read. And other ways I have found bloggers is through carnivals or because another blogger quoted and linked to a particular post.
– When you leave a comment, do you frequently return to that post to check for the author’s response?
This varies for me. If I think I left a comment that merits a response (I asked a question or something like that) I may return to check out the following comments. Also, if I left a really long comment (you know those….the ones you should have just written on your blog and linked because they were so long!) I sometimes check back on those. If I know a blogger tends to answer his/her commentors frequently, I will then check back. When a comment thread is really interesting and I think other commenters will have interesting perspectives I will return.
If I just complimented a post or wrote a silly little quip, I usually do not check back. I am not offended by an author’s lack of response to a comment I leave.
– What types of situations might cause you to stop reading a blog that you once enjoyed?
One of the things that turns me off of blogs faster than anything is when they get incredibly negative. I don’t mean when they post on a trial or when they are discouraged and they post. I mean when they always talk negatively about others (I especially hate to see a woman critisize their husbands on the internet), blame everyone in the world for their problems, spread gossip, etc. I do not like a lot of drama on blogs.
– How much personal privacy do you try to maintain when posting on your own blog? Everything that might identify you to a friend or neighbor? Only demographic data? Only children’s information? Something else?
I’m afraid I don’t keep too much to myself! I do not use the last names of anyone in my family on my blog. I started out not saying where I was from (other than generally…the Gulf Coast) and Katrina blogging got me talking about the city I’m from! So, I suppose the information I keep to myself are last names of the people I blog about…including myself!
- What are your thoughts about encouraging offline friends to read your blog?
When I started blogging I let all my close friends and relatives know about the blog and e-mailed them a link. Other than that I don’t really do anything except ocassionally mention something I may have posted about. I try not to bug people if they are not interested. I do have several friends who are not bloggers that read my blog at least ocassionally…or I think I do anyway!
– What criteria do you look for in the blogs you enjoy reading? Or perhaps I should ask, what factors do your favorite blogs all have in common?
I usually read Christian/mommy blogs….but there are alot of those blogs I don’t read. I’m not sure what criteria I use. When I feel comfortable on a blog I’ll likely visit it again. Although I’m not offended or put off by author’s who do not acknowledge me, I’m rather attracted to bloggers who do respond to ocassional comments, either on their blog or via e-mail. It seems more personal and friendly. I feel very welcome at that person’s blog!
I also like to be entertained (what can I say….I’m an American!) so if I find the blog content funny or if the author is particularly gifted with the written word I will frequent that site regardless of the author’s relationship with me.
There are some blogs out there I don’t even expect to become close friends with the author. These are usually the heavier theoblogs. I generally visit these because I think the author’s of them are wise and I can learn something from them. They also usually have lots of comments and tons of traffic. I realize they cannot acknowledge every person who stops by their blog….
Did that answer the question?
– Are there any blogs you read on a regular basis in which the author frequently expresses beliefs or opinions that completely contradict your own?
Yes and no. There are blogs I visit ocassionally that frequently express beliefs or opinions that contradict my own and there are blogs that I visit/read on a regular basis that ocassionally express beliefs or opinions that contradict my own. I’m not one to go out visiting blogs that disagree with me looking for debate. I leave that to my husband!
– If you disagree with a blogger do you usually voice your perspective so they can see things from a different angle, or just ignore theirs and click away? Does the size of the person’s readership influence this for you?
I was going to say that I never voice my perspective with bloggers who see things differently but I remember doing this just the other day. I don’t do this too terribly much but I can. I tend to do it very diplomatically….I’m not one for conflict.
Now, on my blog, I have no problem voicing my opinion or even debating in my comment section. I don’t write very much controversial content so this hasn’t happened very often. I have enjoyed myself when it has though. The discussion was always civil though!
– Do you read and/or post on Saturdays and Sundays? Or are you predominantly at M-F blogger?
I am willing to read/post on blogs on any day. However, if I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed, I’m most likely to skip a weekend day. Some of my favoirte bloggers do not post much on the weekends so if I feel like skulking about I look for new blogs to read…
And, since I’m posting today, and it’s Saturday, I guess that pretty much answers this question.
Whew! All that and I’ve not made it to Inquisitive Blogger #2 yet! Who just so happens to be Blest With Sons. Her questions are here.
Blog Reading
How many do you read regularly?
Probably only about 30 regularly. There are many others I stop by ocassionally to catch up on!
How many are written by women? By men?
I’d say about 75% women and about 25% men.
Are they all Christian? How about the same denomination?
Almost all of them are Christian but I would say the denominations are quite varied!
What kinds of posts do you like the best?
This is hard to say. There are so many of my favorite posts by bloggers out there and they vary tremendously! I enjoy humorous, witty posts. I enjoy posts with great illusrtations….and believe it or not, I enjoy posts that convict me.
What kinds of posts are you most likely to comment on?
This is according to my mood. Some days I feel like really jumping into a hot topic or sharing an example where I was in a similar situation with the author, and other days I’m more likely to comment on a frivilous post that doesn’t take much thought. On those days I’m more likely to steer clear of a commet thread that takes much thought!
So…it really depends!
What makes you add a blog to your favorites list/bloglines? Or conversely, what drives you away from a blog?
If a fellow blogger has been very supportive of me (frequents my blog and encourages me) or I’ve built a friendship with a blogger I check up on that blog rather often. If a blogger posts something (or more than one something) very profound or useful I will check that blog often. If a bloggers writing style appeals to me I add them to my favoirtes. I’ve also been known to check up on blogs that post lots of lovely pictures! I’m sure there are other reasons…..
I sorta answered this already from Carol’s questions…but one thing I hate on a blog is complaining, whining, critisizing and blaming. Not in one post specifically but when that is the general mood of the blog I generally stay far, far away!
Blog Writing
What’s your favorite kind of post to write?
This may be a surprise, but my favorite posts to write are when I have thoughts to share about my Christian walk or family life. I post so much fluffy content or filler content that may not show on my blog. But I’m happiest with my deeper posts. I guess I’m just too lazy to do it often. If you want to see my favoirte posts from this blog, here they are!
What do you think is your biggest strength blogwise? Biggest weakness?
I think my biggest blog strength is the mood and atmosphere of my blog. I think it is a positive and relaxing place to hang out!
My biggest weakness is posting good content on a regular basis. I think I post too much fluff or filler, as I said before. I don’t think there is anything particularly wrong with these kinds of posts. I just feel like I need to be doing more with my blog.
What do you want to change, if anything, about the way you blog?
I need to set a goal to post something of substance on a more regular basis. Not even everyday, although that would be nice. I would like to try and begin with weekly, maybe, and work up from there.
How many times a day do you say the word blog?
Good grief. Do numbers go that high?
Interpersonal
How many bloggers have you met in real life – not counting the ones you knew before they started blogging?
Only one in real life. Do phone conversations count? What about blog-stalking your future husband….that you kinda knew in real life?
Were they what you expected from reading their blogs? Got any interesting stories? Do tell!
Sure! I met Jami who blogs at Princess Ruby. You can read about the whole thing and see a picture here!
Well, that concludes this extensive q and a about blogging. These two ladies also gave an opportunity for their readers to ask any questions they had and I’m gonna follow suit. So, if you are pondering anything about me, my blog, or why the sky is blue, feel free to pop the question(s) in the comment section!
And, once again, Carol, thanks for the 7 Days of Blog! It has been fun!
The Photoblogger
Posted by Bethany in Bloggity Blog, Picturesque on June 7, 2006
I mentioned in a previous post that I had considered beginning a photoblog when I first became a blogger. And even though I do post other content (if you call it that! ) I still have a tremendous love of photographs!
Can you blame me? Especially when I have kids this cute!!
(Post written for Carol’s Carol’s 7 Days of Blog.)
Blogging With Your Gifts
Posted by Bethany in Bloggity Blog, Scripture on June 6, 2006
One of the things I love about the blogosphere is the varitey!! What makes that variety so wonderful is that we are each different and unique. Now, this is not a self-esteem post. I’m not into all that stuff! But, God didn’t create cookie cutter creations when he made us. Of course, I’m stating the obvious, as you all know this.
I was talking to a blogging buddy yesterday on the phone and we kinda discussed this a bit. She mentioned a few blogs we both know and said, “I can’t blog that way! It’s just not me!” And she was absolutely right. It wouldn’t be her at all. And I’m so glad.
Now, this was not a put-down on that other person’s blog. It just so happens to be a blog we both like and visit. But as I look at my blogroll (which is in serious need of updating, I know!) I am in awe of the various different takes, tones, moods, attitudes, and abilities I come across. I sometimes struggle with a wee bit of envy at the ability of some. Not nessacarily their blog stats or the amount of comments they get (although lots of that would make me incredilby pleased!) but at the abilities I see in them that I do not possess.
I am then reminded of these verses:
Romans 12:4-8
4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.
7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;
8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
As members of the church, we Christian bloggers are all different parts of the same body. We have different talents. We have different gifts. We all bring something different to the table.
I know I will never be one of the mega-blogs. I love to read Evangelical Outpost or Challies. But I couldn’t do what they do on their blogs in a million years. I love that there are wise godly men out there who have real meat to study.
I love the writing at Lifenut and at This is Not for You. They make me cry with each post. I’ve often felt a bit jealous at their ability to weave a story.(Just a warning…these two blogs are not even close to similar…they just both have excellent writers as authors!) I love the humor at Blest With Sons. I’ve often wished I had the ability to come up with such witty, yet wise applications that deal directly with real life.
I love the variety found in some of the great group blogs. The Thinklings can have me rolling on the floor with one post and deeply convicted of something with the next. The ladies at Choosing Home can make me weep or give just the encouragement I needed to get through the day…
And Carol at She Lives and Lauren at Created for His Glory are the idea ladies of doom!! They are always coming up with something fun to do or participate in…. And have you noticed they never miss a day of blogging? How do they do that?
As absolutely wonderful as all these blogs are, I must admit, other than enjoying visiting these blogs, I’m not that similar to any of them. My blog is completely different! But instead of whining about what I can or cannot do and how much cooler everyone else is than me…I need to appreciate that we all are different. And that is what makes the blogosphere so cool!
When I started blogging I thought about what I wanted my blog to be like. I didn’t really know, as I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I was completely new to blogging when I got my own blog. I had only visited blogs on my husband’s blogroll! And not many of them seemed like anything I could manage….
So, I considered my own personality. I like things peaceful. I like pretty things. I love pictures and I knew I wanted that to be a part of my blog. But I didn’t want to limit myself to just a photoblog…although I have several photoblogs I truly enjoy. I wanted to be able to tell a story if I chose to, or to ask opinoions on particular topics. I even thought I might consider contraversial topics on occasion…(which I’ve only done a few times but they were fun!)
Randi, from I Have to say said this in a comment on Carol’s post today:
When I first started blogging I wanted my blog to be kind of intellectual. I found out quick that intellectual was not a right fit for me! I don’t mean that as a put-down towards myself, it is just the truth. I am a “lighter” kind of gal.
I think she summed up how I feel about blogging. I can appreciate the different blogs out there without being a copy-cat. Even if my blog doesn’t fit into a particular category, or seem intellectual enough, or isn’t funny enough…it’s my blog. It reflects who I am. It incorporates my gifts….as does your blog. And for that I am thankful!
Cause as much as I love to read Semicolon and Here In the Bonny Glen (my favorite book blogs!), I’m really glad there’s more out there to read than that!!
(This post was written for 7 Days of Blog, hosted by Carol at She Lives.)
Update 6/7/06: So just out of curiosity….how many of you caught that super-de-dooper-terrible typo in the title? Argh!!
The Blogger In Me…
Posted by Bethany in Bloggity Blog on June 5, 2006
I made a huge, terrible mistake. I don’t know if any of you ever do this. But it’s something I know about myself and should watch out for. But, I had a busy weekend (going out of town, picking up youngins that are staying for the summer, setting up for Vacation Bible School this week, Whew! I think you get the picture).
Carol at She Lives posed an interesting idea. She declared this week 7 Days of Blog. A chance for us all to share blogging stories, tips, favories, discoveries, etc. I thought this was a great idea. I could read tips from other bloggers, read how they got started, and share a few things myself. I’ve been in a bit of a blogging rut, mainly due to a crazy end of spring schedule and pregnancy fatigue.
I have been hoping to jump back into blogging with a fervent passion, but alas, since summer has begun my life has been crazy-busy still. (Good crazy-busy….but busy nonetheless!)
So, since Carol has basically picked the topic, I thought I’d take the opportunity to blog about blogging along with everyone else this week.
So…back to my mistake. I did not have an opportunity to post yesterday…I was swamped with Bible School stuffage. But last night, after the truckload of kids that are at my house (only four really) were all asleep and the house was finally quiet and calm, I skulked about a bit and read all of the blogging posts from yesterday. Although they were all great posts, very informative, well written and thought out, this caused a problem.
My problem, is that as I was contemplating what to write about blogging earlier this afternoon while I was slapping cheese slices on our picnic lunches and filling plastic cups with purple Kool-Aid, the only things I could think of to write were things that I read off blogs last night! It was as if all originality and creativity (not that I have lots of that anyway!) seemed to seep away. I was in copycat mode….big time!!
And although you can get great blogging ideas by reading what others have written and doing something similar or related that is not exactly what I was doing. I seriously couldn’t come up with one original thought.
So, as I cleaned the kitchen in the quiet afternoon (naps and reading time for kids…)it occured to me that the only way to get out of this predicament was to go with a testamonial sort of post. I mean, noone like myself. Noone’s blogging story started just as mine did. We may have some similarities in how we started or how blogging makes us feel now….but there will still be individual differences….
So begins…
In January of 2005 I did not know what a blog or weblog was. I had heard a few people on the radio mention stopping by their blogs and participating in the discussion. I had an idea it was similar to a forum or message board, but really had no idea.
Around this time, I was interested in this guy from church. (I won’t get too into that story but if you’d like to read it you can go here. It’s one of my favorite stories….)He would hang out with myself and some of my friends after church…getting pizza or Starbucks coffee. I found out about this guy’s blog and since I was interested in him, became a faithful reader of the first blog I ever visited!
Well, said guy and I do end up dating and one of his interests (at the time) was definately blogging. He had an enormous blogroll and I used to click around it a bit and read some of his favorite blogs. I found a few that I really liked, like Amy’s Humble Musings and All Things 2 All. It was funny…I don’t really remember when I stopped spending most of my online time on Josh’s blog and moved along to other blogs….it just kinda happened.
I wasn’t a big commenter (I didn’t know what it meant to bloggers at the time!) so I just skulked about reading the posts. Joshua kept encouraging me to comment…and I finally worked up the nerve. I think I commented once on Amy’s blog. Something about hating the big shebang kid’s birthday parties! And you know, it didn’t kill me!
When Josh would find a new blog he thought I would be interested in he would show me or send me a link. I remember when he first told me about this blog. We were at my parents house and he said, “I found this new blog I thought you might like.” Personally, I think it was the cute pictures of the little boys that caught my attention! This is the first blog I felt truly comfortable on. I had already gotten over the commenting hump and this blog seemed friendly enough. So…I finally decided to comment on this blog and decided to go all out! I left three comments!!
Much to my surprise this blogger e-mailed a response to me! I was so excited! You see, I felt like a famous person writing back someone who sent in fan mail. What I didn’t think about is that anyone can have a blog….but I’m dense! And I’d never gotten e-mail comments back from any of my other, oh, two comments I’d left on other blogs! And in a way, when you blog skulk, without commenting, it is a bit like reading magazines with other peoples stories in them. You read it, and feel like you know the person in a way….but they have no idea you exist. So, I think this explains the way I felt a bit…
This started up my first blogging relationship (uh…besides Josh and I knew him in person first…kinda…). I remember e-mailing Blest back and saying something like, oh, “Wow! I feel like someone famous e-mailed me!”
I searched my e-mail folders for ages looking for her reply to that e-mail. It tripped me out. Unfortunately, it seems that it doesn’t exist any longer….but it went something like this (and feel free to correct me, BWS!)…
“Me? Famous? I am but a flippery fish! Ah! But you are the oft mentioned beloved of the Razorskiss!”
Now, remember I was new to blogging and knew nothing of the TTLB Ecosystem. I thought she had just called herself a flippery fish for, well, I didn’t really know what reason!! I just thought it was terribly funny! And I must admit to feeling a bit of pride at the response. It made me realize that people out there read blogs…like the blog of my then boyfriend…
And the funny thing about that friendship (and I can safely call it that after gazillions of e-mails, a few phone conversations, and weekly IM messages….oh yeah…and she even sent me a wedding gift…and we have shared childbirth stories!!) was that I thought it was unique. I mean, it is a unique friendship, but I didn’t expect blogging to make me so many friends. I thought this was gonna be a one time deal.
Joshua created a blog for me not long after that. And I must admit, that although I’ve never been a high-traffic blog in any sense of the phrase, I feel a bit like I had a headstart by having a popular blogging boyfriend who promoted me on his site!! And then Blest often stopped by and commented. Very fortunate of me…. .
After I had been blogging about a month I found a blog post I really enjoyed and linked to it. (I had just figured out how to link posts at the time!) Soon after, BWS tagged me for this interview meme. Some of you probably remember being tagged for this one! Well, if someone wants to be interviewed by you they are supposed to ask in the comment section. Or maybe I just did it that way…don’t really remember. But laura was the only blogger who volunteered to participate!
Due to me botching up the questions a bit we had a few e-mail exchanges and next thing you know….wah-lah! Another blogger I consider an actual friend.
The stories don’t end there. I must say I feel connected to several bloggers out there. I think about you guys and what is going on in your life. I’ll read something on your blog and something in my life will remind me of it later.
I was blessed when you guys worried over me during the hurricane. I was excited to meet one of you in real life. I was overjoyed at the wedding blessings that were sent my way. I delighted at the excitement you guys showed when I posted my wedding pictures….and now I’m even enjoying being pregnant with several fellow bloggers!
I have learned from you! I have gleaned wisdom from you. I have rejoiced in your joys and shed tears in your sorrows. Prayed for you, and even prayed with some of you!
One thing I never realized when I started all this was how close I would feel to some of you. I think the main reason I have stayed a blogger is the relationships I have formed through it. I know this is not the primary reason everyone blogs….but I am pretty sure it is the main reason I have. And, coming up on my one year anniversary of blogging at the end of this month, I can only say that this entire blogging business has been a complete blessing.
And loads of fun!!