That was the thought going through my mind this morning when I was having computer problems, and wasn’t done with the bulletin and outline yet. The mouse would move; but when I would try any key on the keyboard, it would lock the computer up, and then even the mouse wouldn’t work.
Turn computer off, turn it back on. Mouse/cursor works … touch keyboard, NOTHING worked.
Turn computer off, turn it back on.
You get the drift.
1. Sunday Bulletins every week
2. Meditation/Sermon Outline insert for Sunday Bulletin
3. Newsletter twice a month
4. Answer the phone
5. Keep Calendar current of everything that is going on within the church
6. Sounding board for the minister
7. Keep website up to date
8. Send out reminder postcards, letters
9. Most church correspondence
10. Run interferance when the minister really needs to get things done, and people keep coming in or calling and interupting him.
11. Church directory once a year
12. Have prayer time and a devotional with the minister once a week.
13. Most anything else that is asked of me.
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… the heat. I don’t like fireworks, and right now, I don’t like crowds. In just a little bit, I get to do all 3. The nursing home that my aunt is in is having a “friends and family night” — which, is a good thing. They are really good about doing activities for the residents, and bringing the families in, and such.
But. I’m tired. I wanna nap. Its hot out there. And they got a special wavier to shoot fireworks off tonight (city regulations state they cant’ be shot off in town until July 1). In concept, again, its a good thing — letting the residents see some fireworks and such they might not otherwise see — although, they are doing it at 7:00 — so it won’t be any of the pretty night time ones. Here’s the catch though. I. Don’t. Like. Fireworks. Esp. the ones that go “bang”. I’m even paranoid around a biscuit can if I know someone is going to be opening it.
I want to stay home. I want to be by myself. I have the scrapbook bug.
But. It does’nt work that way. AND — the Bubble and my cute adorable active grandchild will be there … so that makes it all worth going for. But still…. if I had my drethers…..
I am inspired to step back for a moment because Lazy Daisy has declared this to be Tasty Tuesday . On Tasty Tuesday we are to give ourselves permission to focus on something non- food related to savor or relish. To concentrate on, mull over, treasure, sip, or linger longer over a tasty morsel, be it Brain food, or Soul food. Today, my inspiritation comes from Quiet Moments with God (a devotional journal for women)
In a recent study, twenty-two women experiencing “high anxiety” were hooked up to heart monitors and told to spend ten minutes watching the beat of their pulses on special wriswatches. After twelve weeks of this, all of the women had definite improvement in their anxiety levels.
One of the doctors involved in the study said that when you sit and focus on these steady rhythms, you are forced to remain in the moment. Dedicating yourself to this task for ten minutes takes your mind off both the past and the future — the two hobgoblins of modern life.
There are 960 working minutes in a day (if you allow eight hours for sleep). This doctor points out that all of us can find ten minutes for this simple form of “meditation” — especially when the payoff is less stress.”
In light of the “profound” thought I had about trying to hard to blog, I took a step back. So, what have I been doing since I’ve “let go” of those things that were bogging me down with blogging? In the sidebar, I have a section called “Works in Progress”. These are things that pertain to blogging, that I would eventually like to get to. I’ve either started them, or there is no link, but its still something I want to eventually do. One of them is a major “My Life Story” project. There are probably a dozen or more sections, with a ton of questions in each one. I finished About Me and am about half way through My Beginnings. Maybe this is where I need to be in that search to figure out things in my effort to figure out things.
I’ve also been doing some non-blogging things. Working on another Prayer Shawl, and have 2 more in mind that i would really like to do. So, just need to keep working away on that — which is a good thing. Even though my mind is just ahead, as it always does, not being satisfied with just focusing on the one I’m working on, its still a relaxing, non threatening, non pressuring thing for me to do.
The thought has occured to me that I am trying too hard. I just need to be me, whoever that might be, and just enjoy the blogs around me, but stop trying to be like them. I’m making this way too hard. I need to blog like I journaled. No one was watching. I enjoyed it, and I let it be a free expression of me — with pictures and mementos, writings of the day, just snippets of my life. Thats exactly what a blog is as well. I’ve dwelled enough on this. The only expectations I need to live up to are my own. If I want to go through a book study, so be it. Even if it takes 9 months to do a 30 day course. But only do it because I WANT to do it, not because it looked “cool” and “knowledgable” on another blog. Enough of this. End of story.
Today was pretty much a typical Sunday. Attended church. David had to meet with a few of his drivers and get them ready for the road, so he was gone most of the day. Ethan and I puttered around the house … gaining a bit more control around the house. He did the “maintence” on the living tonight, so he’s ready to tackle a new area in the morning. He has play practice all this week in the afternooon, so anything he does will have to be done in the morning.
We went grocery shopping. $150.00 later…. But we should be stocked up for a good week or more. I usually didn’t eat lunch when Ethan is in school; but now that he’s out for the summer, we’ve been buying sandwich stuff for each makings for lunch for us. Works out pretty good, but still add a bit more to the grocery bill. Seems like an awful lot, for just a family of 3. Well, actually 4….we bought cat food as well today.
Just thinking…
“Thinking” has seemed to have overrode “getting it down on paper” these past few days. Fro a variety of reasons. There’s that “who is me” factor. Yes, I know. I’m working through a book that should help me define that a bit more clearer. On the surface, I see myself, surfing from one blog to another. And with each click, I lose just a little part more of me. “Oooo, I like how she does that — working through a book, trying to define herself, in 40 days”. “ahhh… she finds a direct link between every day life and God. She takes the simpliest of things and turns it in to a devotional”. “She blogs every single day, talks about her kids, her life, just anything and everything. She hasn’t missed a day in 2 years”. “oh, oh, look at that. Scrapbooking a page a day”. There are many blogs out there that I enjoy visiting, just for the simple act of visiting. And, I’ll be quite honest, some of my favorite (every day read) blogs do some of the same things I do. Contentment is just out of reach. Making lists trying to organize our hectic lives. Starting projects, blog projects, and never finishing them. So, I do acknowledge, its not just me. But its me that I am focusing on right now, and its me who needs to find that center point and go on. And I know — make God my center point. And some days I do. And yet …. sometimes, I feel like I’m talking the talk, but not walking the walk. Although, as Lazy Daisy has reminded me,numerous times, its the journey, not the walk.
Things I underlined: … you might need to learn how to say no, create boundaries, give up people-pleasing, speak up, reignite your passion, find your purpose; …Define a word makes it more read (i.e. A great life would be …. Define “great”.) … The more specific you can get, the more likely you will succeed. Being specific is an act of honesty. Can you be specific without allowing social definations to get in your way? — or in other words, what you think the definition “should” be? When we get caught in the external trappings of success, our internal life will never be satisfied.
Today, practice being true to yourself…
How would being true to yourself change your life?
I would make things change. A great life would be …. one not centered around just getting through the day. Not wondering how long its going to take to catch my breath. One not clothed in pain. Bottom line is, changing my physical person defines how I would change my true self. I wouldn’t have all these external things that involves just the basics of living to consume my full attention. I could focus, once again, on things that I enjoy doing, that take my breath away from the pure joy of it, to be passionate about something again (and that would include my husband).
If you are true to yourself, what are you afraid might happen?
That I will have to step outside of my comfort zone. Do things that I know I am capable of, but haven’t done in a long time. I might have to actually work at something, and with that comes the chance of failure. Its just easier to remain in the shadows and not do anything. More often than not, change means work, it means pinpointing things that might not be comfortable, and doing something about it to make it different. Its human nature to resist change.
What has stopped you before from becoming the best you possible?
Exhaustion. I am just so tired all. the. time. I know that what you accomplish, what you do, what your life focuses are on, have nothing to do with the physical being. Those things come from the inside. But, when the physical side messes with the head … the self talk, the forgetfulness that seems to be setting — all these factors take away from becoming the best I know I can be.
Describe the you that you would like to be in 30 days.
A well balanced, workable diet plan in place, a few pounds gone, and an acceptable feeling of getting through the day — to be able to focus on “being me” rather than just getting through yet another day
What is one thing you are willing to do today to be more true to yourself.
To find that plan that will work. Dr. Phil? eDiets? Weight Watchers? Drink more water.
_____________________________
Change Your Life In 30 Days
— Rhonda Britten
I just signed up to be a part of amazing project that D.Challenger Roe is doing.
I urge you to click on the above graphic, and sign up as well. Here is the challenge:
2,996 stories…
2,996 voices…
2,996 remembered…
2,996 is a tribute to the victims of 9/11.
On September 11, 2006, 2,996 volunteer bloggers will join together for a tribute to the victims of 9/11. Each person will pay tribute to a single victim.
We will honor them by remembering their lives, and not by remembering their murderers.
If you would like to help out, either by pledging to post a tribute on your own blog, or by offering your services to promote this cause, just leave a comment here and I’ll email you the name of a victim.
Then, on 9/11/2006, you will post a tribute to that victim on your blog.
But, and this is critical, the tributes should celebrate the lives of these people–kind of like a wake. Over the last 5 years we’ve heard the names of the killers, and all about the victim’s deaths. This is a chance to learn about and celebrate those who died. Forget the murderers, they don’t deserve to be remembered. But some people who died that day deserve to be remembered–2,996 people.
Thank you,
D.Challener Roe
________________________
Bubble asked: “Where do we learn the information about these peoples lives? ”
You leave a comment at proejct sight and an email with a link will be sent to you with your person that you are to do a tribute to. Mine is: Robert Fazio
I haven’t been around much the last couple of days because I have been “dealing” with Real Life stuff. And “dealing” not really the word I’m looking for, because I really enjoyed our time together. But “enjoy” might not be the right word either. See why I haven’t been here? Having a hard time putting things into words, and into their proper perspective. I am up in arms about what is going on, and it doesn’t even have anything to do with my aunt, for a change!
I have spent the last few evenings with my ex-DIL and grandson. Her and my son were divorced last September, and it has broke my heart to watch them go through it. I love them both, and so, maybe its called “sticking your head in the sand’, but I’ve tried to stay neutral, to not take sides, and just let the two of them work out the issues. I know the last thing I would have wanted was MY Mother-in-Law sticking her nose in my divorce business.
However.
When you stick your head in the sand, you run the risk of getting sand kicked in your face, and that is exactly what has happened. I feel like I am having to take sides, and, while thinking with my heart, it was an easy decision to make, my head says I’m betraying my son.
But. My son is betraying HIS son, and I guess that is the main focus I need to have. Malachi is what matters the most here, and it is for HIM I am fighting for.
This is so neat……I just wanted to share it with you …I bet you catch youself singing or humming today and I think Jesus will be smiling even if some of us are off key….anyway have a Blessed day
The Adult version of ” Jesus Loves Me ”
JESUS LOVES ME
Jesus loves me, this I know,
Though my hair is white as snow.
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in Him.
(CHORUS)
YES, JESUS LOVES ME… YES, JESUS LOVES ME..
YES, JESUS LOVES ME FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.
Though my steps are oh, so slow,
With my hand in His I’ll go.
On through life, let come what may,
He’ll be there to lead the way.
(CHORUS)
Though I am no longer young,
I have much which He’s begun.
Let me serve Christ with a smile,
Go with others the extra mile.
(CHORUS)
Why this book? The author says this:
For twenty years I searched for the true me. I had no idea who I was or what made me feel confused, overwhelmed, or unsatisfied. I constantly thought there must be something wrong with me. There wasn’t. I just didn’t have the skills to see the truth of who I really was.
Over the next 30 days I’m going to give you the skills you need in order to change your life from the ground up. ….. if you are willing to focus on one thing a day.
And focus is what I had to have in order to change my life.
….Over the next 30 days, you are going to break down the barriers between success adn peace of mind, as well as inner satisfaction and material wealth. Those qualities can all co-exist with each other. The challenge is that you must be willing to do the work when it doesn’t seem good or doesnt’ seem easy.
If you are willing, you will learn that loving yourself has great rewards, and without it, love will feel impossible. You will discover that friends are vital to living without fear, while following your intuition is the pathway to truth.
_____________________________
Change Your Life In 30 Days
— Rhonda Britten
*sigh. Don’t ask. Just accept. And love me anyway…
Years prior to this, I can’t count the number of craft projects I started and never finished. And purses. A revolving door of change. And, if you have been a reader for even a short period of time, you know the “look” here changes as often as the weather door. HOWEVER. In my defense, recently, I have started AND finished 2 prayer shawls, and am working on a 3rd one. Months and months go by now between purse changes. And, I’ve stuck with the same blog program for almost a year now (I know the archives don’t reflect that, but thats because I tinkered one time too many and thinking I had lost the blog, I started over — with “A Prairie View” (if you remember, it used to be “Carolyns Comments.) Knowing what I know now, I probably could have saved it and still had all those enries. But I didn’t, and I think I had messed it up but good, so, I started over, and deleted Carolyns Comments. So, I am showing SOME improvement in the “stick to it” department.
But this elusive “Blogging a book” endeavor that I want to do, keeps fizzling out, or, I just can’t settle down to one. I have probably 8 books here on the computer desk that I can see myself working through. Its just a matter of settling down with one.
I know I wanted to throw myself into the Blogathon project, but this isn’t what I had in mind. Until some issues are resolved, I’m putting the Blogathon on the back burner and not worry about who I’m going to blog for. Worrying about it at this point isn’t going to get me any where. I have a Bible on the way. I trust Gordon’s opinion. Its as simple as that.
Now on with REAL life:)
This was my response to an email I got about the concern they have about the “cause” that I want to blog for in the Blogathon.
Hi. I know that one of the problems with the internet is that feelings and expressions can sometimes come across the wrong way. So up front, I want to say, I am not arguing with you, nor am I being hostile or anything else.
I’ve not responded to your emails, nor at the forum (which I see now has been closed, so I’m glad I didn’t …. the LAST thing I wanted to do here was engage in a debate or be confrontational) — anyway, I haven’t responded for a variety of reasons.
One has just been a time issue. I was able to catch your email yesterday at a good time; but was on the run until evening. The evening was spent, in part, with family, but also doing research and thinking.
And today, again, have been at work.
But work doesn’t always stop the thought process.
Obviously, I am out of my league here. There is probably no excuse, but the bottom line is, I am a 47 year old woman, living in a rural midwest town. I have always stuck my head in the sand when things happen I don’t like. I have opinions, but keep them to myself, and very quiet in groups, let alone getting on a soapbox about ANYTHING. I tend to ride the fence on most issues, because I know there is always 2 sides.
I didn’t pick my “cause” out of thin air. This “Tim Todd” we keep talking about…. his uncle was our minister from 1970-1987. We have had his dad and several other of his uncles visit our church, on an almost yearly basis. As a church, we have supported their Bibles to Russia campaign, and as recently as 2 weeks ago, we did a campaign to send money for Bibles for the troops.
I first had this titled “Dilemma” — because I had a “problem” and was going to seek some input here. But. Its all worked itself out, and how.
It all centers around my “Blogathon” project, July 29. As usual, I put my cart before the horse, and found myself coming to a screeching halt. My “cause” that I had chosen could not be used. They checked the website, and said it didn’t qualify. I was told the best way to know if a charity or foundation qualifies is if it is “501(c)(3).”
501(c)(3)????
Did. Not. Have. A.Clue. to even what that meant. While I’m still processing the fact that my whole plan for the Blogathon had just gotten blown out of the water — our treasurer comes in. He needs to find some paperwork on the church … to see if we have a 501(c)(3).
OK — for the 2nd time in less than 3 hours, I hear about this 501c3. He looks through some files, and finds where, yes, we do. It has something to do with the IRS and “non profit organizations”
So…. I get to thinking … if we have it, then maybe my “cause” does as well. I send off an email, and guess what …. they do! So, we’re in. We “qualify”.
I’m thinking coincidence? I really don’t think so. I’m still shaky on this, but I think God has a plan.
This week has been a mixture of things — of tears and laughter. Of production and laziness. Of time shared, of being alone. I suppose in the big picture of things — just another typical week.
A good friend of Ethan’s died. No, not a classmate. His friend was a 93 year old lady that he had bonded with a couple summers ago when my aunt still lived in her apartment, and on Wednesday, they would take transportation and do “Wednesday shopping”. Ethan often went along, and this lady just loved him to pieces. She loved his singing. “Sing for me, Ethan”. And very often, he would. She attended our church, and if she had to miss a Sunday, she’d ask my aunt “Ethan didn’t sing, did he?”. I think Ethan even “dedicated” a song or two along the way. She was his #1 biggest fan.
When he learned that she was in the hospital, had suffered from a stroke, and wasn’t very responsive, he wanted to go up to the hospital and sing to her. I really struggled with this; and decided that I wanted him to remember her as she was. So, he didn’t go.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And leadme in the everlasting way. - Psalm 139:23-24
You know, I didn’t do my usual “fanfare” of “oh, here’s a great book, I’m going to follow along” with this one. I just decided to put things into action instead of just giving it lip service. I am looking for a “constant” - something that will help me bring God daily into my life, to put more thought to what it means to be a Christian, and…well, a whole slew of other reasons. To start a project that has a beginning and an end. I’ve had this book forever — so its not something I went out and bought to do this.
So, we are Day 4, and the thoughts, the doubts are arising. Am I just giving this lip service? I’m writing the words, but am I walking the walk? (although…Daisy did a wonderful Tasty Tuesday that address this). Sandy’s comment yesterday encourages me to keep on doing this. Never really thought about it this way, but I have moved to “writing article” stage, and that does give me a sense of satisfacation. That maybe, just maybe, I do have something worth saying. Although, this is more of a process of “being a better Christian” for me, than it is to “write articles” for you.
All of this is to say, I had to smile today, when I opened my book, and flipped to Day 4. When I chose this book last week, I just flipped through it, read a couple of the questions it had towards the back, and thought it would be “do-able” for what I wanted to do. Beyond that, I haven’t read anything else. I haven’t read ahead. I am just doing this, one day at a time. I guess what amazes me is something I said yesterday — and there it is in print today. — that what we do sometimes is a “defense mechanism”. Reading that today, after expounding on it yesterday, and not knowing it was be addressed today — tells me I’m on the right track with this process, with this book.
I don’t want this to be a venture in doing nothing but “copying” out of the book. I want to basically read — and answer the questions they have each day. But. What he says today, I want to share with you. And then….I’ll go from there. Doing this is the “exception”, not the rule to how I will proceed with this book venture.
Teach me what I cannot see; If I have done wrong, I will not do so again. - Job 34:32
We often lack objectivity as a defense mechanism. We want to be “good Christians”, but somewhere along the line, we lost our objectivity. “Good Christians” don’t have problems. They never are depressed or angry, or deal with painful problems. Where did we lose our objectivity? in childhood? through the growing up process? as we matured through life? Living life like this keeps us in the dark. But living in darkness is more comfortable than living in the light, because we might have to step outside of our comfort zone. Take responsibliity for our actions, and not be able to blame our parents or our children or our friends — or more importantly — blame God — for our problems. The fact is, life is full of problems, of hurts, of less than comfortable, sunshiny, warm and fuzzy things. But we are not to measure our level of belief or how much of a “good” Christian we are by these things. We need to measure our level of being a “good” Christian by our response to all of these things Turn them over to God. “I Surrend All”. Let God take the steering wheel for while. When we do that, then we are being the child of God he wants us to be. He wants to love us, take care of us, comfort us, protect us. But life happens. He doesn’t “cause” those bad things to happen. But he is always there to get us through them. Knowing that, relying on that - THAT is what makes us a “good”Christian and helps us to step out of the darkness and into the light.
________________
The Search for Significance Devotional
by Robert S McGee
The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? the Lord is my defense of my life; Who shall I dread? - Psalm 27:1
How many times do we say “Fine” when people ask us how we are? Now granted, there is a time and a place to devuldge more. Sometimes, a “how are you” is nothing more than a greeting, a “have a nice day” type sentiment. People ask, but its more of just saying to say, and not really “How. Are. You.”. And even if they truly were interested, you need to consider the time, the place, the surroundings if you are going to truly share “how you are”. Because of this, we have conditioned ourselves to just give lip service to the question, and not much thought.
But. How are we? Honestly? When we aren’t honest with others — when there really is something wrong, whether it be big or little — and we insist we are fine, are we being hoenst with them? are we being honest with ourselves? once those walls go up (and believe me, I have a degree in wall building), its hard to let anyone in. Including God. We may pray. We may don the cloak of Christian. But, if we have walls up to protect ourselves from the world, then there is a good chance that a wall seperates us from God as well.
Life is painful. Even under the best of circumstances, there are days, moments of emotional pain, fear of rejection, falling into the trap of people pleasing. We are human.
How we deal with that pain often sets the pattern of our life. Some of us overeat. Or go shopping. Others gamble, drink, become abusive. Others withdraw completely. The list goes on and on. For every person, there is yet another way of “dealing” with the pian. But we all have the same opportunity of dealing with it the same way. Turning it over to God. Being honest with Him. Once we find comfort there, then it becomes easier to share it with those we love and live with here on earth.
How are YOU doing today…..
_________________
The Search for Significance Devotional
by Robert S McGee
In some respect today was just another day. On the quiet side. David wasn’t at the office — we passed as I was going home, and he was going to the office. He had to take a truck to the shop — which is over an hour away. It also looks like they are hiring another driver, and so the day was spent with him as well. Either way, it was nice and calm, as I did the billing. Very few phone calls, and very few problems with the billing. Even though I didn’t get out there until 10:00, I was done and headed back into town by 3:00 — so the bills could be in the mailbox to actually go out today. Alot of times, I don’t get done until 4:30, 5:00 …and they it is the next day before they can go out.
I still need to go out and put more hours in … I try to work a miniumum of 10 hours out there — and when its all said and done, it does take that much, if not longer. By the time you doing the billing, the expenses, the log sheets, checking of the charged fuel tickets — and then inputing all the fuel used in what states in a spread sheet …. it takes a good 10 hours a week, if not longer, depending on the week. But it was nice to cut the day half way short, and I will probably go out Wedneday for a couple hours and then maybe again Saturday. I would like to get totally caught up on the log sheet spreadsheet thing … we do a quarter at a time. Its nice when you keep it up, week by week. But, its not totally impossible if you wait until the quarter is over, and then you have 30 days to get it done and sent in. If you don’t work on it during the quarter, it does take a good 2 or 3 days to get it all in. I like data entry, but you can only do so much of it at a time. And the older I get …..
Didn’t do a whole lot once I got home …. started listening to my next Video in the LBY study. I have GOT to get this into a routine — a daily routine instead of the hit and miss I’m doing now. I love listening to Beth Moore, so it shouldn’t be a problem getting to it; but it seems like I just don’t. Routine. 21 days. Just need to concentrate on being more consisent. In a lot of things.
As I said…. just a really. quiet. day. I can handle days like today.
Blessings to all.
You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. - John 8:32
To be loved unconditionally. What does that feel like? I drive myself crazy sometimes, just trying to be loved or accepted. Trying to win approval. Very often by people that don’t really matter. I do have to admit, though, where I am at this point in my life, there are things that I want to do that don’t have anything to do with what people think of me. I am way beyond that. Losing weight. I want to do just to feel better. To not hurt, to be able to breath, to not find going shopping something to be endured now, to not stand for hours, declining offers to “have a chair”, because its a lawn chair, and I’m afraid of what might happen if I sit in it. I have a hard time accepting that God loves me — even like this. Aren’t we to honor his temple? Look what I have done to it? How is that honoring him?
But thats where unconditional love comes in. God’s love. He loves us - no matter what. Christ paid for my sins. But I live in a world of sin. In a world where everyone has emotional baggage. If I could totally grasp the concept of unconditional love, forgiveness and acceptance of God, then I wouldn’t turn to food for comfort. I woudln’t spend endless hours on the computer, searching for the “warm fuzzy feeling” of contentment — in a new layout, or a new friendship, or postive comments on something I had just wrote.
How can I honor him? to turn those tempatations, that emotional baggage over to Him, and let HIM be my comfort food. To make heathier choices along the way. He’s going to love me either way; but if I can get beyond the physical side of how I feel, then my attention can be focused on what He has to offer at His table. Unconditional Love. Forgiveness. Acceptance. What better feast could we ask for?
_________________
The Search for Significance Devotional
by Robert S McGee
OK — this isn’t going to work:) When a blogger sits at the keyboard, and does a false start, 2 or 3 times before actually typing, this is not a good thing. I know I have gone from the day to day meme schedule to “simplicitic” blogging, but I usually don’t have a problem coming up with real entries on my own.
Course, it might have something to do with the weekend not being the over productive weekend I had wanted it to be. Yes, we did get a few more things accompished. But, we could have done soooo much more, and didn’t. Confession: I lost myself in the world of web design. I change this layout 3 times! I even changed my website, to match the blog layout. I’ve since changed it again, but left the website alone. Just in case you are curious…. scroll down to the bottom of the sidebar … and find the theme changer. Change the theme to Lesbar. (oh, and if you actually do that, and then want to get back to this layout — scroll down to the bottom of the entries, and there are 4 white drop down boxes. One of them is the theme changer. This layout is called Sinorca V2.) I really like how it turned out … but, I think it was too drastic of a change. I gotta have that sidebar. I have had this banner in my file for awhile. I wanted to go with a “summer/patriotic/promote Blogathon” look. It took me awhile, but I finally got it.
Oh, I also got my Blogathon blog up and running. Click on the quilt block at the top of the sidebar. But — thats all I’m going to say on that. We still have about 7 weeks, and I’m going to wait probably until the end of June or the first of July to start promoting the event and my cause.
Another week ahead of us. The words “another week looms ahead of us” — but that sounds so ominous, so negative. I want to embrace this week and not look back on it with regret. I found peace and comfort in what I did this weekend, but I also have regret. Lets work on a positive week, with no regrets.
Blessings to all.
It started with one — and then two — and then it seemed like every day of the week is covered where blogging is concerned, to follow along, with other bloggers, all doing a similiar, but different thing. Its a great idea. It really is. But I seem to be going through an “awakening”. I woke up and realized the other day that I didn’t “have” to take my aunt’s friend to the airport — doing something that raises my anxious level over the top (the driving in city traffic …. my aunts friend is a real sweetheart, and doesn’t raise my anxiety level one little bit). A couple of days ago, I had the concious thought “what am I doing here”. Through that thought process came some decisions.
Its funny how blogging life imitates real life. As I am decluttering my real life, I realized I needed to declutter my blog life. Hence, the “simple” (ok, simplier … its still kinda fancy) layout. Not all the graphics and such the other one has. I can almost guarantee you I will go back to that other one as some point… because I really really do like it. But for today…Simplicity, at its best.
I used to be involved in sooo many things, with scouts and church, and school organizations. Due to various different reasons, I have pulled out of most — and I just focus on one or two, where I can be most effective. I am doing that with my blogging life as well. Thursday 13, Monday Memories, etc — all good blogging tools, and a great way to meet other bloggers with similiar thoughts and ideas. But, you know what? I have a hard enough time keeping up with a handful of friends that I have met along the way and check their blogs daily. Why would I want to gather more … and more. Granted, there are probably some pretty terrefic people out there, that I could and would bond with, if our paths crossed. But that little word I just used … more… I realized that is where alot of my relessness was coming from. Wanting more…. and more… and more… and not even knowing why. I felt like I was spinning out of controling, joining group after group, and each group having anywhere from 25 to HUNDREDS of ladies on their blogrolls. There is no way I can keep up, play by the rules, and do the particular “meme of the day” justice.
I have taken a step back. Simply, I want to focus on my daily reads — leave comments with them every day, and just be the best friend I can be. Quality instead of quanity.
I want to focus on the Living Beyond Yourself series, maybe even posting every day, the homework, as I work through it. God is calling me. I believe this change in attitude with the blogging is concerned is coming from Him.
I have another “project” on the burner, that is going to be very previlant. Its not going to take a whole lot of my daily time, for the most part. I’m going to have a new banner, and some other promotional tools that I’ll be using, and I will probably be blogging quite a bit about it, but withing the realm of my normal blogging, not above and beyond. I am going to participate in Blogathon 2006. 24 hours of blogging for a worthy cause. I have my “cause” already, a banner is being created. I’m excited. And I’m going to tackle this with the enthusiasm and passion I know myself to have. I haven’t felt this way about something in a long time. I’m not going to say anymore about it — and just wait until I’m ready to do it, all at once. I did something similiar a couple of years ago, and I raised $80, I think. Which, is an OK amount. But, I really believe in the “cause” I’m doing this year, and would like to do alot more. I know I was kinda timid about “getting teh word out” last time. This year, I’m not. I have thoughts - ideas, plans. Stay turned….. for more details:)
So, I’m not bowing out of blogging. Just redefining. Refocusing. I still have a couple of blogrolls on my side bar, that I will continue to keep there. But, they are just that. Blogrolls, of similiar natured woman — Christian woman. They aren’t “participation” blogrolls. So, if I do want to go beyond the normal daily course of my daily reads, they are right there at hand. But, I want to continue to simplify, become more at peace — with myself, with God — and yes, with my blogging.
Blessings to all.
