be sure your posts will find you out

Back about four and a half years ago I came upon an old friends blog.  By "old friend" I mean that we had lost contact after knowing one another through our involvement at the same church.  He also married a childhood friend of mine which made him a friend-in-law I guess.  I was delighted to see that he had some blog postings in his archive from 2002, (not alot of people were blogging "back then").  Narcissically I clicked on September 2002 to see if, per chance he had posted something about our wedding day!  HAHA!!!  WHO DOES THAT??  And why would I even think a MAN would waste his time writing about OUR wedding day???

To my complete shock and excitement I came upon a posting ALL*ABOUT*OUR*WEDDING!!  I started reading as fast as my little eyes could scan and realized rather quickly that this post was a total mockery of our day!! I wasn't upset, just surprised.  I wondered if I should leave a comment, maybe something like this: "Hi Brian, (he gets annoyed when people spell his name incorrectly), nice blog you have here.......jerk!!"   I don't remember exactly what I did, but I did make known my "presence" on his blog one way or another.  A few months later I returned to the blog post to see he had changed a few things and tried to cover his tracks, for instance: "in July at a wedding in Massachusetts" and other such fallacies! It felt good to know he was a little sorry......or ashamed.

Fast forward years later and Bryan's blog has really taken off and his first ever published piece was done in Collide Magazine last year.  And want to know what it was all about?  The way he made fun of our wedding....and how I found out!  The title of his article was aptly named "Be Careful Little Blog What You Flame." 

His article begins like this:
" This was it. "This was the last straw.

Sitting us outside in the sun I could understand. I mean, how were they supposed to know it was going to be 90 degrees outside in September?

And the musical numbers? Definitely a bit much for my taste, but I could live with those too. Hey, it was their wedding. If they wanted it to feel like Mamma Mia!-meets-The Bachelor, that was their call.

But a season of prayer for the bride and groom? A stinking, 15-minute-long season of prayer when it felt like my sweaty neck already boasted a third-degree sunburn? This was too much. This wedding needed to be flamed, and I needed to be the one to do it...." 

For the rest of the article you can go here.
You'll have to read the entire article to know how it all ended. And if you're a blogger, you'll find some very helpful and insightful tips to seeing your blog become a success....and how not to be mean!   

"If you can't forgive and forget,
pick one."
~Robert Brault~

social media addiction

I've been spending too much time on here.

It's been on my mind a lot lately, especially since our delicious and relaxing time away at the cabin last weekend....with no social media within reach,
(well it was in reach via my nephews iPhone and I checked in once and was disappointed in myself for even doing that).

I don't want this computer to be an idol.

A part of the definition of idol is~~~
"one that is adored, often blindly or excessively."

I want to "GUARD MY HEART ABOVE ALL ELSE FOR IT IS THE

WELLSPRING OF LIFE", (Proverbs 4:23)


TRUE LIFE is not found on here or anywhere else on this earth,

IT IS FOUND IN THE SECRET PLACES OF MY HEART...your heart!!!!!!!

So, later today I'm going to go buy a timer to set by my computer.
And when my time is up, then the computer goes off.
It's SO EASY for hours......HOURS to pass without realizing it.

Apparently my time doesn't mean much to me
because I've been handing it out for free for way too long!!!

If you'd like to read a beautiful article about this, a convicting one to be sure, you can click here. I would really encourage you to take the time to read it.

Here's a sample:

"I think that many young women become addicted to social media and neglect their families and children out of a God given desire to be loved, to have friends who care, to feel a sense of importance–to push away the feeling that we are invisible in this world of ours. The desire to be loved and known and validated is God-given. Yet, He intended for us to have real community where we are loved and have a place to fit with family–cousins, grandparents, parents, siblings."

"He slept a summer by my side,
he filled my days with endless wonder,

he took my childhood in his stride,

but he was gone when autumn came. "

~"I dreamed a dream", Les Miserable~

Some links to the past

Happy Friday Everyone~

we're in high gear getting ready for my brothers wedding tomorrow!

All 3 kids are in the wedding, (pray for us)!!

I'm guest posting over at Bryan Allain's blog...
it's the most unladylike subject possible:
Poop....
You'll understand if you read it!

For any of Bryan's readers who have made their way over here,
I'll put up a few links to some older posts,
some "get to know ya" posts~~hope you enjoy!
Thanks for taking the time to visit!!

*Let's say you live in a cold, drafty farmhouse
and your mortgage and oil bill pretty much match, then here's how you might save some $$ with a wood stove.

*So, you're having a baby at home and the midwife doesn't make in time.
( husband catches baby)!

*A French Dinner party for my husband because I love him and would like to thank him for catching the aforementioned baby,
oh, and it was his birthday!

*The Story of how I married this Amish man of mine, (he was Amish until age 17).
I'm so glad I didn't judge an ex-Amish man by his cover, (i.e. silk shirt, tight jeans and white high tops)!

*A little tour of our vintage kitchen.

*Blogging 101~some blogging advice from Mr. Bryan Allain

*My thoughts and judgements about homeschooling. *

So there you have it, a few links to the past.....
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!!!

“Live life so completely
that when death comes to you like a thief in the night,
there will be nothing left for him to steal.”
~unknown author~

Blogging 101

Okay, just as I promised yesterday, here are some helpful hints to get you on your way to blogdom as taught by Bryan. **p.s. I paid for this class and you get this info for FREE, that's how much I love you**

5 REASONS TO BLOG:

1.) the more you write, the better you write. Blogging can help you find your voice, your unique way of expressing yourself through words.

2.)instant feedback, (and what sanguine out there doesn't LOVE this one??) Can I get an "amen" Jeane'!!

3.)connect with potential readers, building "readership" if you ever hope to publish a book

4.) it's glorified journaling!!

5.) YOU have something to say that no one else has to say! Only YOU can share your unique view on life!

THE 5 GOLDEN RULES OF BLOGGING:

1.) CONTENT is KING. You don't have to have the most "blingingest blog", (my quote there), because what it SAYS matters most. And how can you be sure that you have good content? IF you're writing about what you're passionate about, then it's good to go.

2.) Keep it FRESH & CONSISTENT. If there isn't a post for a week to 10 days and someone happens upon your blog, they probably won't be back.

3.) Be scannable. People are lazy readers online so give them PoP fOr ThEiR eYe!! Make it interesting.

4.) Be opinionated! Tell people what you think so they can get to "know" you! If you want some comments then write something that people disagree with!

5.) edit. edit. edit. Try writing one day and posting the next.

5 WAYS TO GET NEW READERS:

1.) Comment on other people's blogs.

2.) social networking~facebook, twitter, etc.

3.) Guest posting, posting on another blog. Do you have a favorite blogger? Just ask them if they would be willing to have you post something that YOU have written.

4.) write good CONTENT. Make people want to visit again and again and again.

5.) Links. They are like the currency of the blog world.

Lastly, Bryan made an interesting point that I think about quite often;
"I DON'T HAVE TIME TO BLOG,
I MAKE TIME TO BLOG."

So, on that note: it's HAPPY MINUTE, 11:11 pm which means I better be on my way to my happy place ~ under my down comforter in our freezing cold room, (we like to sleep in a cold room) on my fabulicious pillow next to my Man!! I've already made enough time to blog for today!!

LET YOU VOICE BE HEARD AND
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME HAVING BLOG ENVY
just get STARTED....everyone has to start somewhere!!!
Here's my first post!

"Wheresoever you go,
go with all your heart."
~Confucius~

How to bring the bling to your blog!!

If you have a blog,

or wish to start a blog

check back here tomorrow for a few GREAT tips!!

Bryan Allain, master blogger,

taught us some tricks of the trade at our writing class last night.

I'd like to call it Blogging 101.

I don't have time to post it right now,

I must go torture myself at the Y.

No pain, no gain right?

Or in this case, no loss!!!

Happy Wednesday Friends.....

see you tomorrow!

Fluffing my blog

Hello Friends, I come to you from our cozy home on this snowy February evening. I'm sitting at my new green chair that matches my new green side table. It's the perfect shade of "vintage green" and was MADE for my kitchen. And it came with two chairs so I expect we'll be having tea or coffee shortly, while little ones run around the house like caged animals!! What a delight to see it snowing! I woke Tyler up to look out his window. Squinty eyes peeking through the blinds with excitement! I use to love that feeling when I was little, knowing that a full day of outdoor fun awaited me.

I just wanted to let you know that I'll be "fluffing my blog" in the next week or so. I'll be testing out new looks so bear with me as you watch it change from day to day until I find that perfect fit!! I am a woman who loves change, but when it comes to my blog I have liked the look I've had over the years. It gives a "familiar" feeling to those who return to read. I personally like that feeling when visiting a blog. But, I like to change with the times as well and there's sure some great blog bling out there that I have to at least TRY on!!! I've also considered having someone design a blog header, (top of page) for me. Any suggestions of where to go?? Is it worth my $$ or should I just work at it on my own??

Good night all,
sleep well!