The Business of Blogging

 

I recently read and watched as a fellow blogger went down.  Someone I had become bloggy acquaintances with back when we both first put up residence on the www.  Our hearts, at the time, rendered a similar tune.  I had observed, over the last year or two, as her blog became her business and her life became guarded.  I didn't understand at first.  The tender personal touch which drew me to her in the beginning was replaced with the business of the blog.  Her whole writing style changed.  My heart ached for her and as she shared the final words of her last post before dis-assembling the virtual home she had built, the core of her message shook me:  blogging for her had become superficial and the true pain and pleasures of life had become something to skirt around as the business of blogging had overcome.

I didn't want to become her.

So many blogs I visit, I see this same scenario in the works.  The business of blogging and the facade of life.  We get into a habit of only sharing the good or the desirable, carefully stepping around the messes or ignoring the elephant in the room!  Don't get me wrong, not everyone is this way, but everyone has this potential, myself included.  Not that we air all our dirty laundry (that just gets ugly!!) and the truth is, some things in our lives HAVE to be in our lives alone.  But so much more can and should be shared.

He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, 

that he might fill all things.  And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, 

the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, 

for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith 

and of knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood [or womanhood!], 

to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 

so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves 

and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness 

in deceitful schemes.  Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way 

into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, 

joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, 

when each part is working properly, 

makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Ephesians 4:10-16

I could have bold-printed most of this passage, however, I think the point is made.  Why blog?  Some say to raise money, because they are bored, to keep an account, to communicate with family... all noble purposes.

Why do I blog?  To glorify God and build up the body.  That is just me.  Our family was called into a missional lifestyle almost 5 years ago now.  God put people and situations into our life which pulled us out of our comfort zone and transformed our way of thinking.  No longer were the activities of day-to-day life that which gave us purpose or propelled us forward.  Instead, daily life became an opportunity to declare the Lord and glorify Him.  My blogging, too, underwent transformation.  It was no longer just about keeping an account or communicating general information.  Instead, it became my platform to share my heart and my life and how God is intertwined in every aspect of it. 

Perhaps I'm not as deliberate as I would like to be.  When I share recipes, my heart is called to encourage others to good eats and biblical hospitality... but I don't always communicate that well.  When I share our school week it becomes an account of all we have done but the truth is, my heart hopes others will be encouraged and inspired through both the neat things we did and the challenges we faced.... so that they too will continue to answer God's call (for those who are called) to keep on keeping on with the trials and triumphs of teaching.

Everything I share here; good, bad, and in-between.... is intended to follow Ephesians 4, to build up the body.  Every time I share I want to be authentic and transparent... not dumping the garbage of my heart for which I will have to clean up the mess later (I did that once-upon-a-time on this blog.... those articles are now deleted!!!), rather, pouring out the truth in brokenness and the beauty in healing and the process of repair.

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each on of you speak the truth with his neighbor, 

for we are members of one another.

Ephesians 4:25

I take Ephesians 4 seriously.  As a matter of fact, we take it so seriously in our house, we built our ministry around verse 12!  We are a support ministry seeking to equip all who desire it.  While I would love the gift of evangelism, I am not an evangelist.... I am an encourager.  And that is why God has given this blog longevity.  Not for my glory or props or through anything I have done but for His glory and prompting and through all of His guidance.

My husband and I begin work this summer on a new look and new location for Faith and Home with a tailored domain.  We covet your prayers to the completion of this process which has taken well over a year now to set in place.  My desire, as this current location continues and once the new one is built, is to stay focused on God in my blogging.... to walk out Ephesians 4 in every corner of the site, to be transparent and inspiring and I want to re-commit, this day, to authenticity, open sharing and the continued philosophy of upside-down blogging.

Why am I airing this claim so publicly today?  I don't know.  Perhaps to seek prayer in the process.  Perhaps to encourage someone today who will stumble here, doubting the purpose of a blog.  Perhaps to encourage someone who is walking with a guarded heart and unspoken testimonies of day-to-day struggles and triumphs, that they too, YOU too, have a story to tell.  One which can encourage and inspire women (and men!) globally to hang tight, have fun, live in joy and grace and peace, and most of all, to seek Him who is master of it all.

My heart and prayer for you today is that you would seek His grace and guidance to become (if you aren't already) an upside-down blogger.  Even if you blog to raise money, share with family, or simply chronicle life... you can still take the challenge of upside-down blogging and bring God glory in every corner of your webby influence!

Blessings,

Linking up today with some of these...

Setting Summer in Motion: How to Have a GREAT Summer Break

Boy, if that isn't a long title, my husband would be disappointed in me!  But, hey, it covers all the bases!  After all, most of us in the Northern Hemisphere are wondering; just what do I do with this summer set before me?  Oh, sure, we may have a few plans here in there.  If you saw my blog post this weekend in Weekly Wrap-Up, you saw my bucket list:

Call me juvenile or carefree... it makes no difference.  I am a list maker.  I am educated as an Early Childhood instructor and, even though I am in my 40s, I still feel the need for some good old fashioned construction paper, pretty pens, and glue sticks now and again!  What good is life if you don't have a little fun?!  Interestingly enough, I got the idea to make a common bucket list into more of a production from an almost 13 year old at this mamma's site.  I did it to inspire my kids (didn't work, apparently they are onto me now!), instead, I have inspired myself.  Today, I hope to inspire YOU!

Past, present and dreaming... here are a few ideas to set summer in motion and have a GREAT break!

1. Survey your summer
Every year I take stock of what special events are expected.  Do we have any visitors coming (or are we planning to go).  Is there anything needed to be prepared for summer visits.  I make sure to schedule those things in so I don't find myself rushing around at the last minute with preparations.  Once you know (approximately) where you will be and when, take it a step further...

2. Become a tourist in your own town
Each summer I make a trip to the local visitor center, city website or the town's Business Bureau for information on ALL the summer happenings within our radius.  Our old home-town use to print a "101 things to do..." manual each summer.  I would go through the materials I collected to comb out events and activities I found interesting and applicable for my family.  Then I copied a basic blank calendar for June, July and August and began filling in the various events in our area.  Not that we could or did go to ALL of them but we could definitely be more deliberate in our activities.  For example, wild berry picking peaked in late July, one guide had an article on all the best campgrounds to visit when berry picking so we would plan camping trips accordingly.  Also, for many years we lived a bit of a drive from the county's main town but every summer they did a picnic in the park with music.  We planned our trips to town around events like this and made a day of it. 

See your town through your child's eyes.  Try something new and revel in the simple joy of something old.

3. Slow down
It is hard to switch gears from full-time schooling to part-time or no schooling in the summer.  But right now I am going to give you permission to SLOW DOWN!!!  Whether on a picnic, at the beach or lounging in the back yard; take time to do some needlepoint, read that book you never had the time for in the din of the school year, sketch, or just people watch!  When God created the earth he rested.  Not because he needed to (he is God, he doesn't 'need' rest) but to set us an example.  Housewives work hard.  When dad clocks out at work each day he often comes home and rests.... while mom keeps right on.  It is our joy and our blessing to serve our family in this way... it is also our reminder that our rest and pockets of peace may not always coincide with our husbands.  The important thing is that we DO get them so we can be at our best the rest of the time!  If rest is good enough for God (and the Son of God) then it is good enough for me! 

Consequently, some of my favorite memories from my children's younger years are Picnic in the Park with live music while I worked on embroidery or crocheting and the kids danced and twirled to the music or sketched in their sketch books next to me.  Similar vantages fill my mind of our beautiful beach side as well (I sure miss that place!)

4. Who said you had to grow up?
BE A KID with your kids this summer.  I'm not saying throw ALL responsibility to the wind but last I checked, water fights really don't hurt.  Surprise someone unsuspecting with a bucket full of water or a turned on hose (it's on my bucket list this year!!!) and be prepared, even in your good clothes, for retaliation!!  Laugh loud and play hard.  See the world through your children's eyes from toddler on up to teenager.  Share life and summer with your kids.  One of my favorite summers was spent walking through this book with my kids:

I didn't just give it to them to read and do, no.  It became our summer manual for excitement and exploration of the world around us.  My darling explorers were ages 9 - 14 that year (my oldest opted out only because he was working all summer!!)  We marveled at the simple things and found ourselves impressed by the unexpected.  One day, the glint of an old abandoned railroad track in the middle of a scavenger hunt for "shiny things" had us on an adventure following the rails to see where they would lead.  I reveled sparking and sharing in the excitement with my young adventurers while still balancing my parental responsibility to stay safe as we trekked on.

5. It isn't about the money.
Too many people miss the opportunities to truly relish life and, in particular, summer vacation because they are wrapped up in what they can't afford or what they don't have room in the schedule to do.  Our favorite summer I spoke about above, was spent on a missionary's budget (aka, we had NO money).  The most money I spent was on that book!!!  The kids joined a reading program at the library and earned free ice-cream at certain points throughout the program which we went and enjoyed on a hot day.  In #2 above, most of the ideas I would jot down on my calendar were either free or might cost a gallon of gas.... if that.  I watched for free days at museums and the pool (our pool would have them once a month through the summer).  We were always on the lookout for promotions and opportunities to do something fun without breaking the bank.

6. Carpe Diem
This, too, is on my bucket list.  It was a sudden inspiration to round it all out and sum my summer ambitions up: Carpe Diem (Sieze the Day) because Tempus Fugit (Time Flies).  I have always been an adventurer.  They use to call me the gypsy when I was a child.  I spent many a summer on the road with my dad who was an over-the-road truck driver or my grandma who visited family in other states.  I even found adventure in venturing just two townships over at my paternal grandparent's house for a week at a time.  When I was home, I set to purpose each day of summer break with some sort of great adventure whether it was to write a novel or build a cardboard house.  Even now, as all my children are middle school/high school/college.... the adventurer in me is still quite alive and a need to seize the day is an integral part of making even the most mundane moments of life, memorable.  My life won't last forever here.  My children will not be in my hands much longer.  When we all look back on our days and, especially our summers, I want them to be remembered as something we lived to the fullest.

This doesn't mean we sign up for every club, every sport, every swim class.  Quite the opposite actually, it means we consider what makes life full and wonderful and worth waking up to.  First, of course, is our purpose to glorify God and second, I believe, is by building family and memories full of joy and hope and laughter and adventure in all the simplest things as we live in the Light of His Glory.

7.  Pictures are optional
If you take them, be creative, have fun, be spontaneous.  And if you don't.... don't feel guilty!  Pictures of the simple things are best.  Here are some of my favorites from the blog from summers past:

So.  Whether it is a weekly picnic at a local park, a walk down a different street or cooking out on a hot summer day, I pray your summer is blessed with wonderful memories and moments you can treasure for every year beyond.

Blessings,

Linking up today with some of these...

 

 

Homeschool Journal: Filling in the Gaps

You've got to love librarians with a sense of humor... the above is taped to the librarian's counter at the college's library where Ashley will be going in the fall.  If your kids ask why they have to read this summer instead of just play computer games.... give the above answer a try!


Ashley's testing is ALL DONE for college entry.  She did great and we are proud of all her hard work.  However... after observing her through this process we began to pray if FULL TIME dual enrollment was really the right fit for her come fall.  Her still un-identified neurological challenges and potential temporal seizures were of most concern.  We found that she was beyond exhausted after a full afternoon of study following her regular schoolwork in the morning and even complaining of headaches after some particularly rigorous sessions.  She is smart enough and has even found grace in the Lord to overcome some of the most perilous challenges of ADHD... but the headaches and exhaustion....

Through our prayers and discussions with each other we agreed a better route would be to ease in.  Like conditioning for a race: you don't just run a 5k when you have never run more than a block before.  The "stress" of higher education may need to be conditioned into her because of her neurological challenges... maybe.  Or maybe we will find that the full time weight of higher education will always have to be taken in small doses for the comfort of her brain!  We don't know, but such peace came over all of us as we began to embrace and step in this direction. We simply trust God knows what is best.

With that we were able to begin our year-end wrap-up.  Planning for next fall so I know what to be working on this summer in order for her to be prepared.  She is planning to attend a 'basic training' of sorts at the college in August with other new students where she will learn to do research writing.  Then, in September, she will put her feet down on ONE college class: Music Theory (she will be working toward a degree in Christian Leadership with a focus on Music).  As far as this year, she is working to finish her Apologia Biology, which she loves and considers leisure reading!!  I gave up on drilling her with Consumer Math when she recently found out she had actually fulfilled her math requirements for graduation last year. She hates math and nothing seems to incentivize her in it!  She worked hard but after 2 months of sickness this winter putting her 'behind' in all her work, we have resolved to collect biology and call it good!!  Sometimes you just have to give yourself permission to let go!!  She writes and reads daily, it is hardly a class for her anymore...more of a way of life!  I feel good about it all.

Brenden and Brooke technically finished almost 2 weeks ago.  Brenden, with his dyslexia, is just sort of always learning.... some times of the year more vigorously than others! For the first time EVER Brooke completed a math workbook.  We usually finish the school year a few chapters shy.... don't feel bad if you do too, when my kids were in public school they brought home so many unfinished workbooks because they never got to it with the teacher, it was crazy.  So, for the past 2 weeks, they sat through a Bible Overview class I did with Ashley, did math facts (we love XtraMath.com) and read.  They start Christian Youth in Action training next week and will be gone for 10 days so their summer vacation has sort of begun!  With Ashley not being totally done, it is hard to celebrate and say, officially, "Woohoo, School is out!" because for one 'student' it isn't completely, yet.

I know there has been some bloggy sparseness these past few weeks.  I was finishing filling in the last of the gaps around the house as the kids and I wrapped things up.  The garden has been my biggest draw.  I consider myself an accidental gardener so there is a lot of learning as I go!  I finally got almost everything, seedlings and seeds, completely installed.  Only a few small things left to seed in the back area along our fence and in my corner plot.  It has been ALOT of work this creaky body does not appreciate!  It didn't help that last Saturday was consumed with pest control.  I found I had flea beetles eating my tomato plants.  I spent the night praying and trying not to stress and the good Lord led me to a recipe for a concoction which I mixed and began the tedious process of applying to the leaves of ALLLLL my tomato plants.  This also opened up the necessity of transplanting so all of my remaining seedlings and store-bought plants went in the ground that day as well.  The kids pop in and out to help as I need them.  I feel it is so important, when you can, to have things growing for children (no matter their age) to appreciate, help with and learn from. My haven for summer lazy days is coming together though.  

My other joy these past days has been curriculum.  For those who have followed this blog a while, you know I am a recovering curriculum addict!!  Our local Homeschool Organization had their annual book sale/swap so, instead of just attending, I scoured my goodies and reserved a table to sell!  I told my husband it was so I could support my habit!  ha.  As it was I spent $20, made $17 and wrote a post-dated check for $20 to nab an irresistible writing curriculum which was an absolute God-send and perfect for Brenden.  The best part was the box full of FREE (yes, FREE) PACE science, civics, economics and government curriculum a neighboring seller gave me.  After sorting and searching I found that ALL of the needed material for Ashley's senior year in these subjects was there in full.  I only need two booklets for a total of $6.  I promptly called A-Beka who I had reserved curriculum in these subjects through back in April and cancelled that portion of my order... I saved over $70!!!  After swapping out for some science workbooks for Brooke, they ended up owing me almost $2 and the remaining $48 I owed for my last payment was erased!  Remember that $20 post-dated check for writing curriculum?  More than covered!  I felt so blessed seeing how God was covering it all and providing beyond my expectations.

No gaps to fill this summer, though the 'vacation' will be very different this year.  Ashley is trying to land a job to save for school in the fall and a car later on.  She still doesn't have her permit, needs to study, but retrieved a State I.D. so she can be all officially when an employer is ready to hire.  Brenden and Brooke will be summer missionaries serving around the city in Bible clubs.  Each week will hold something different for them. I will be (hopefully) working on back-log articles for gaps on the blog, like the latest one, and gradually pulling together lesson plans for school to start back up in the fall.... all while (hopefully) enjoying my growing garden, a less stressful pace and hopefully even some good books NOT on the necessary reading list!  Which reminds me, I even did a bucket list for this summer!  I tried to get the kids to join me, Brooke is the only one considering doing one of her own.  Mine hangs on the wall in my bathroom so I don't forget to look at it!!!  .....

I pray all your gaps get filled with blessings and signs of God's work and guidance in YOUR life!

Blessings,

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