Blogging Cliques…Where Do I Fit?

Posted on by Mary

Are there blogging cliques? Where do you fit?
ABSO LUTELY!!!!

Anytime you have a large group of people (especially women) you get cliques.

Here are just a few example as that I have found.
1. Professional bloggers…..these people make blogging their job. There blog has tons of ads and/or they have something to sell or market.. It’s very hard to make connections with these people if you don’t know them in real life. They have gobs of comments on every post and you feel lost in the shuffle.

They also tend to not pay attention if your blog doesn’t look like theirs.

2. Ranters and Ravers! These people seem to always be unhappy about somebody or something. Rarely are they positive…ABOUT ANYTHING!

3. Mom bloggers…..they blog about all things kids. I have some pretty neat mom blogger friends. Warning though…some mom bloggers may border on the trivial…like poop, puke, all the cute things their one month old did and so on.

4. Famous people- for some reason they think just because they are famous they should write…….or have someone front as them…..they almost never respond to commenters.

5. Ministry/Faith based blogs- this is where I fit in the most. I want to encourage my readers, challenge them to grow and walk with God. One day it might be a family thing the next how God is working in me but I *try* to always have a faith thread through whatever I write! And that seems to be what most of the writers in this category does!

Now there are a bazillion and a half other cliques but these are the ones I have witnessed first hand over the last 7 years!

And I most certainly am not stereotyping every celeb blogger or every mom blogger or every faith based blogger! These are just some of my experiences!

Thankful Tursday-2 weeks Worth

Posted on by Mary

Thankful Thursday 1-9-2014

Today I am thankful for a great dentist!!!!!

I’m not joking either!

Ever since I can remember I have had some pretty insane dental experiences.

My last dentist said, ” oh your teeth look great, I barely have to touch the”

Nearly three years later, (yeah I know) I sat in the dentist chair two hours on two different days and my teeth are CLEAN!

And thankfully I don’t have a ton of dental worked needed to show for it.
The last dentist had a long list of “things that NEEDED to be done” which included 2 bridges.

So I asked my new dentist if that she be added to the list of things to be done and he responded with these three questions.

1. Do you have enough teeth to adequately chew your food?
My answer yes, I am only missing 1.
2.does missing that tooth make you feel self conscious?
My answer no, it’s way in the back
AND MY MOST FAVORITE QUESTION….
3. Do you have an exorbitant amount of money that you don’t know what to do with?
My answer (with a chuckle). No.

Then you don’t need any bridges!
I have seen this new dentist now a few times and he definitely manages my pain better….and does a far more thorough job than any other dentist I know!

1/16/2014
I am so thankful to live in a state that is fully funded to help families with kids who have autism. New York is so often picked on for so many things and in reality there are so few states as New York. Without New York our son would not have the opportunities he does. It truly is such a great blessing!

Women Living Well Book Club- Week 1

Posted on by Mary

Hi all,
It’s that time again to blog my way through a book, that is a part of an online book club! I have enjoyed doing these (2) over the last year.

I have worked through numerous of the Good Morning Girl’s bible studies, and thought it would be fun, and life changing to partake in the Women Living Well book club by Courtney Joseph!

CHAPTER 1
1.) On a scale of 1-10 (10 = great; 1 = stinky) , how is your walk with God right now?
Somewhere between a 5 and. A seven…..all depends on the day!

2.) What would you say is your greatest hindrance to carving out time to meet with God in your busy day?
Lack of routine. I never know what my day holds

3.) Grab your Bible and read (or google) Hebrews 11:5-6. What does verse 6 state that we must do and believe if we want to be like Enoch? WALK WITH GOD!

4.) What is one intentional thing you can do this week to begin creating space and solitude to earnestly seek after God?
Be committed and intentional

Chapters 2&3
1.) From Chapter 2: When, where and how are you studying God’s word right now?
In the mornings after the kids get on the bus for school at my kitchen table. Bible reading, a devotional book, extra reading (like this book). I’m reading through the bible chronologically in two years!

2.) Read Luke 5:12-16 – what was Jesus doing here? How can we, as busy women, follow his example?
He was serving others. He was intensely busy , and yet despite all of that he took time to get away with God

3.) From Chapter 3: How can you improve your prayer life this year?
I loved the idea of a prayer walk through my house! I think I’m going to try to implement that!

Wow what a challenging start!
I highly recommend this book!

I think that as I go on my heart will continue to be challenged! But as for today Chapter 3 REALLY spoke to where I am at in this moment. In this week! Waiting on God’s answers to our prayers. I will be writing more about this soon I promise!

What Got Me Interested in Blogging?

Posted on by Mary

So I’ve been asked this soooooo many times!

It’s a couple of things

1.  I have always loved to write and to be completely honest I was intrigued by the “art” of it all. You get to design and embellish, write and so much more.   In all the testing and so on at one point I had FOUR different blogs!   I wanted to try out different platforms and I wanted to write about different stuff!

2.  I still remember the very FIRST. Blog I read….it belonged to my brother-in-law HT!  He no longer writes one…unless he does it secretly 😉 he now is my techie.  He designed my blog and if  I have any major issues he is the first place I turn!

3.  When I started my first blog (7 years ago!!! yep I totally missed my own blog’s anniversary!   Lol. ) I was expecting my third baby in three years.  We were new in ministry and there was no one my age around!  I longed for friendship.  I knew nothing of Facebook or MySpace or Twitter  (did twitter even  exist in 2007?). I quickly made friends!   I still read their blogs!  And my blog has most definitely changed!   

So I guess the next question is Why after 7years do you still blog?

Well the obvious answer is 

BECAUSE I LOVE IT! It gives me an outlet for all the crazy thoughts flying through my head!  Don’t worry I don’t write about EVERYTHING that crosses my brain waves!

The not so obvious answer I guess, is that I have a story to tell (we all do). A story of grace, mercy, and love!  I’m not some famous person with a gigantic platform to reach millions.   But if I inspire one person.  If one person is challenged to seek and grow in their relationship with God. If one person changes how they view this life, we’ve been blessed with…..then ALL. Of my time, effort and money has been well spent!