This week’s PhotoHunter theme is DRINK!!
In a word…COFFEE!
A Saturday morning bike ride and a leisurely cup of iced coffee.
And making sure I don’t run out at home.
Lions and Tigers and Blog Awards, Oh My….
Yesterday was the start of the “finals” of the Homeschool Social Media Awards hosted by Alpha Omega Publications. For the last several weeks, bloggers and social media types from within the Christian homeschool community nominated their favorite bloggers. Yesterday, the nominees were announced and the finalists were revealed. The voting phase has begun.
I’ve been blogging for 4 years. I’ve had 3 different blogs. And probably a total of about 55 readers. Well, that may be a slight under-exaggeration, but you get the point. I don’t have a big following. But that’s okay. At least it is now.
But there have been times over the last four years that I allowed my blogging to define who I was. I lived for the comments. I lived for the stats. And trust me, when you don’t have a big blog, that can be a bit of an ego slam.
How many people read that post?
Why didn’t they comment?
Didn’t they like it?
Maybe I should just quit.
Here’s the thing. I love to write. I love homeschooling and I love to talk about it. And when I started blogging, that was enough. But I didn’t realize at the time what I was getting myself into. I didn’t realize that I was joining a community of sorts. I didn’t realize that, in a way, this community could be a bit like junior high with its ability to make me feel invisible just because I didn’t have Gloria Vanderbilt jeans or a Dorothy Hamill haircut. Suddenly the need to feel noticed trumped the simple joy of just doing what I loved.
Visiting other blogs became a struggle. I would see AMAZING blogs with gorgeous photography, TONS of comments and hundreds of followers. And I’d feel inadequate.
And, oh dear, blog awards were a struggle. A blogger with 55 followers typically doesn’t get nominated for many awards. But I would graciously visit all those nominated blogs trying to choose someone to vote for. But rather then learn from them or be encouraged by what the nominated bloggers had to say, all I could see was my own blog…with all its perceived inadequacies.
During that time, blogging became a burden. I wasn’t writing because I loved it. I was writing because I wanted other people to love it. And when they didn’t, I felt crushed. I lost my joy. And my purpose.
There’s a little bit of wisdom that someone once shared with me that I had completely lost sight of. I’ve shared it over and over with my daughters and other folks over the years. Now I had to listen to my own words.
“If you’re not enough without it, you’ll never be enough with it.”
My identity is not found in my blogging. Or anything earthly or worldly. Because no matter how big a tower I build in my own strength or wisdom, it will never be enough. And it’s that way by design. If my purpose and my joy are not wrapped up in doing all things for HIS glory, joy and contentment will be illusive. And that’s a good thing. When joy and contentment are illusive, we are more inclined to cry out to our REAL source of joy. There will never be feelings of inadequacy over even the smallest of towers that we allow Him to build in our lives.
I don’t know what towers you’re trying to build. I’ve had to learn this lesson over and over again through the years. And I know I haven’t learned it for the last time. In fact, a couple of weeks ago when the blog awards were announced, I found myself having to revisit this lesson! We are human. And prone to tower building.
Now, mind you, blog awards are not bad things. They provide an opportunity to tell a blogger that has touched your heart in some way that you appreciate them. They provide an opportunity to expand the circle of people that you can learn from. It’s not the awards themselves that are flawed. It’s our hearts. If the Lord has used these awards to reveal something to you about your heart, don’t ignore it. It won’t go away. He won’t let it.
And for that I am very grateful.
2011 Stormy Lake Vacation Collage
Me & Dad • Lovely Sunset • On the beach • Look Mom, I’m SKIING!
Aren’t they cute? • We ♥ G’ma & G’pa • Perfect mirror image • Sibling ♥
I ♥ the driver • Another evening cruise • Strange children • Looking for food
Yes, another sunset • Inside activities • Five loons • Oh Captain, My Captain♥
A quiet moment • Still looking for food • Cousins & tubing fun • Last sunset
Photo Hunt: One
The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis
V.A.C.A.TION….in the Summertime!!
We’re heading to the beautiful Northwoods this afternoon and won’t be back for more than a week! I’m ready for a vacation! Here’s where we’ll be….are you jealous yet??!?
Weddings, Gardens, and Independence Day…
Last weekend, all four of my children were in the wedding of a dear friend. The girls have been been friends with Emily…more like sisters, really…for more than 20 years. They’ve share both the blessings and the hardships of growing up “in ministry.” It’s created a bond that is unbreakable. It was a wonderful weekend with laughter, tears, and lots of makeup and hairspray!!
Summer has finally arrived in Northern Illinois and our garden is finally looking like a garden! In fact, we’ve even eaten some peas! Now, if only the tomatoes would ripen.
And finally, I was asked to write an Independence Day guest post over at The Homeschool Village! You can hop over HERE. Happy Independence Day!
Memorize Mondays: Week 23
I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you!–Psalm 119:11
Every Monday in 2011, The Joyful Journey is the home of “Memorize Mondays.” Each week, I’ll post a short passage of scripture that I have committed to memorize. For the next several weeks we’ll work on memorizing the 5th chapter of Romans! I’d love to have you join me! Memorize one verse, two verses, or the whole passage for the week…it’s up to you! I’m posting this week in the English Standard Version (ESV) but feel free to post in whatever version you prefer! I’d LOVE to know who’s memorizing with me, so if you decide to join in on any given week, please leave a comment here or on Facebook to let me know “you’re in!”
Click the Memorize Mondays button to download and print the passage in .pdf format!
Week 22: Romans 5:15-17
Death in Adam; Life in Christ
18Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(If you’re a blogger and you’d like to join in on your blog, feel free to grab the Memorize Mondays button from my sidebar!)
Photo Credit: Janna Difino
Memorize Mondays: Week 22
I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you!–Psalm 119:11
Every Monday in 2011, The Joyful Journey is the home of “Memorize Mondays.” Each week, I’ll post a short passage of scripture that I have committed to memorize. For the next several weeks we’ll work on memorizing the 5th chapter of Romans! I’d love to have you join me! Memorize one verse, two verses, or the whole passage for the week…it’s up to you! I’m posting this week in the English Standard Version (ESV) but feel free to post in whatever version you prefer! I’d LOVE to know who’s memorizing with me, so if you decide to join in on any given week, please leave a comment here or on Facebook to let me know “you’re in!”
Click the Memorize Mondays button to download and print the passage in .pdf format!
Week 22: Romans 5:15-17
Death in Adam; Life in Christ
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
(If you’re a blogger and you’d like to join in on your blog, feel free to grab the Memorize Mondays button from my sidebar!)
Photo Credit: Janna Difino
Shake It Up Cafe
A very busy week of VBS has preempted Memorize Mondays!! Sorry to those of you who are memorizing every week! Take this week to review everything that we’ve memorized so far!!
Here’s a little taste of what we’re doing at SHAKE IT UP CAFE this week!
VBS 2011 – Shake It Up Cafe Preview Video – Cokesbury Vacation Bible School from CokesburyVBS on Vimeo.