Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Just to Let You Know.....

Hopefully you've visited recently and noticed that it's been a few days since I've posted anything.

Let me explain why....

I was reading a blog that I frequent and the sweet lady was saying good-bye. She had spent time in prayer and felt that God was calling her to focus on her calling as a wife and mom and to sign off to the blogging world for now.

I'm going to miss gleaning from her wisdom, but completely understand the decision she has come to.

One thing in her writing that stuck out to me and has caused me to step back for a few days was this....

She wrote that she'd become discouraged by the women who are trying to "look" like other bloggers....those who are merely mimicking what they read on other blogs and trying to appear spiritual.

This really made me stop, think and do some self examination with some serious questions and views on my end.

I respect this woman a lot, but I find myself thinking that there are what...a million blogs out there..and in all of that, there has got to be times when God will lay the same subject on more than one person's heart to write about.
We tend to read blogs that are similar and share our viewpoint for the most part. Isn't it logical to assume that you're going to come across duplicates??

I also have to admit that I believe God can bless me through someone's writing even if they are in the wrong frame of mind when they post something.

If they are trying to "appear" spiritual, isn't that something that is between them and God?

I'm certainly not trying to attack this lady at all....again, I've been thoroughly fed at the hand of her postings.....

Then I began thinking...do I fall into that category? Am I copying other bloggers or trying to "appear" spiritual??

There have been times in my short blogging venture that I've done a post only to click on someone else's blog and see they've posted something similar. Did I "copy" them? No..I tend to believe that God has a message that He really wants to get out and that the other blogger and I may have a few of the same readers, but for the most part, we have a separate, different readership and God is reaching an ocean of people through our writings.

Am I trying to "appear" spiritual?

No. Let me be the first to admit that my relationship with my Savior isn't always what it should be. I try really hard to seek Him out before I do a post because I want my blog and myself to be a vessel He can use to further His Kingdom. But He doesn't always "give" me something to post about. It's those days you'll find random postings if you find a new posting at all.

I can't "appear" to be anything. I am who I am....a 44 year old-wife of almost 26 years to the best husband in the world- SAHM of the two greatest teenagers God has ever created. My house is not spotless, my car needs washed, the ironing needs done, I've got 62,000 books that I've started and have yet to finish reading. We have homeschooled for almost 12 years and will graduate our youngest next year. I live a simple life and find pleasure in simple things.

I face the same financial, marital, life with kids struggles as everyone else, we're just in different stages of life. Maybe you have already been where I am or I've already been where you are.

I want my blog to help and encourage. I want you to leave my site with something to ponder, laugh about, relate to or maybe even the occasional eye roll...."WHAT was she thinking!!?"

Yes. I love my Heavenly Father with every fiber of who I am. He is my Everything. Yes, I fail Him...but He loves me anyway. He loves me just as I am, but He loves me too much to leave me that way.

So with that, let me just say....

I'm not perfect and I don't ever intend to portray myself as someone who 'has it all together'. Those of you who read my blog and personally know me (R & K) can attest to the fact that having it all together is the farthest thing from the truth...but I do pray that when you visit, you leave here blessed.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for this. I look around sometimes and I find that some of what I thought was my 'original' thinking...well....really wasn't that original. I am learning a lot from other blogs (such as yours) and it has taken me a long time to get where I am in Christ now...although I still have FAR to go!! I hope too that I don't ever appear as if I'm only trying to LOOK spiritual....especially now that I'm only truly learning what that is. I have never felt closer to God than I do lately and I believe blogging is helping with that...but I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. I understand your feelings completely.

Trixie said...

I have to say that I get a lot from reading your posts...and others that I subscribe to here on my google reader and from yahoo...and never do I think that people are posting just because they're copying one another. But that is what makes being online instead of face to face so difficult sometimes, and so awesome at other times. I'm glad you have this blog, and I look forward to reading it when I can spare time from things here to do that.

Kerri said...

Awwwww maaannn.... you just so totally burst my bubble!! Here I have spent 13 (??) years thinking that you did indeed have it all together and holding you up as a hero on earth... I am so totally bummed right now!!! LOL....... Great post as usual. I love you!

Kerri

Journaling Gina said...

Thanks for being transparent and reminding me that I am free to be me...I don't have to copy or try to look like anything other than who God made me to be! What freedom and creativity can come when we embrace that...no need to cookie cut our blogs, lives, kids or anything else! Thanks for this great reminder!

Sandy said...

Hey, Deb. Timely post! You may have noticed my "absence" from my blog lately. Funny thing is, I've been praying about whether to continue blogging or not. There are a number of reasons why I think I should, but a big one is the amount of time I spend on writing and uploading photos. I find myself drawn to my laptop--you know, for "good" reasons like checking email, reading blogs about faith and family, finding recipes, looking up information, etc. And of course, there's always Facebook and Solitaire! So, will I "retire" from blogging? I'm still praying and thinking. If I do, I'll let you know, and I'll still continue to follow yours. Blessings to you!

Tina said...

I couldn't have said it better myself. I totally agree. I think it is sad that your blog friend came to that conclusion because I personally do not think it is true, but to each his or her own. I understand that she wanted to spend more time with her kids, but blogging really doesn't take up too much of my time and I have been asked before if someone could repost or link to my blog because something I wrote about really hit a particular cord with that person...and I love that! I hope that people walk away and have something that they can apply to their own life or can bless another person with. That is how God works his magic!

Keep on plugging away and don't let that person discourage you!

Jules said...

The Apostle Paul said that he didn't mind if Christ was preached for the right reaons or not as long as Christ was preached! Perhaps it's the same as when someone tries to appear 'spiritual'. As long as what they write is Scriptural, I think it has the potential to impact someone's life.

Sometimes as bloggers we get comments and we're touched and humbled that we've impacted someone's life, but how many others read our blogs and never comment but perhaps their lives are changed from something we're written? That's my prayer anyway.

Sadly I don't have it all together. My family knows that. Some of my posts aren't "spiritual" but if we realise that everything we do is worship then even the ordinary posts have the ability to impact someone's life.

When it comes down to it though we have to do what we feel God is leading us to do. Sometimes that might be a sabbatical. Sometimes it might be only posting once a week. Other times He might plant the desire in us to blog every day because what we write is what He wants us to share with others. I think we all need to regularly examine our motives for blogging, particularly if we say our desire is to bless/reach others.

I've also noticed that it's quite common for several bloggers to write about something similar at the same time. Rather than seeing it as copycatting perhaps we should realise that it's an important message that God is using us as His tools to get out there.