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My Struggle to Find Focus — Biblical Truth for a Blogger

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I’ll be honest with you — I’ve been struggling with my blog focus this year.  I’ve wondered if my content is relevant to your needs.  Am I only adding to all the noise on this crazy internet!  Should I make money doing this? Should I quit?!

Times Change – 

A lot has changed since I began blogging eight years ago!  It used to be that we simply blogged to share our hearts and lives when the mood struck.  But current blogging advice tells us to post religiously, send newsletters weekly, add to that daily Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram — basically invade every bit of our followers’ world! 

With 500 million blogs out there — really 😯 — it’s hard for a blogger to avoid these temptations just to be found.

Last year, I had this idea (yup, I got it on the internet) that I might actually make some money doing this blogging thing. But after much frustration, I found it was distracting me from my love of writing (and making my follow-the-rules personality a bit crazy!).  So here’s where I’m at — even though it’s hard to gain readers — I just can’t bring myself to play their game!  And I bet you’re glad! 😉 

I find it super annoying when bloggers I follow won’t stay out of my inbox for more than a few days,  and I’m guessing you do too.  I get tired of being told I need some amazing, incredible, easy, fast – trick, gadget, schedule, book, or course – in order to be a better person, blogger, mom, wife, plus be instantly rich.  I’m sure you get my drift!  So I’m stopping all the racket and I’m going back to blogging the way I like it!

Ahhhh…. 😊

Biblical Truth for a Blogger –

While sorting through my conflicting thoughts, praying, reading, and seeking counsel, I read the book of Titus. I was again reminded that I am the “older woman” Paul speaks of.  Now, I’m not completely thrilled to have earned this title 😊 but it’s where I am in life!  And I do understand that because of my age and experience, I have a clear calling to meet the Titus 2 commands. 

According to Scripture, older women are to encourage / teach / train younger women to:

– love their husbands  (love isn’t always easy – we need ideas and help to do this well)
– love their children  (it can be really hard being a momma)
– manage / keep their homes (it’s a tough job but it has to be done!)

All of this so “that the Word of God may not be dishonored.”

I’m accepting that God has called me to this journey.  At least for now.  I will use my gift of writing — and my decades spent journaling to capture and chew on thoughts and ideas — to help “younger” women love the life they’ve been given.   And that includes all the emotional, spiritual, digging-in-the-dirt details of how that actually might look in real life. 

I also want to make this a place where “older” women feel comfortable having conversations about life in middle age:  menopause, empty nest, relationships in marriage after the kids are gone, finding purpose, and more.  This season of life can be quite unsettling to navigate.  We need friends to help smooth the bumps in the road.

Miscellany – 

By the way, you’ll only hear from me a few times a month, more or less as the mood or Spirit strikes.  And I will link to a few products I think you’ll find useful.  But only things I use and value and possibly some I hope to create — but mostly — I’m offering you some hard-won wisdom and discernment in the realm of wife-dom, mothering, personal and spiritual encouragement, along with home management and care.

Please reach out if there’s anything I can help with. Anything you’d like to get a conversation started on.  Shoot me an email with encouraging happenings in your life. I’d love to hear from you! Honestly, blogging can be lonely.

Another thing — my blog hasn’t grown in years, so I’d love it if you’d share my posts with women you care about. 
PS – Check out a few of my favorite finds below!

Thanks for your time.
Blessings and prayers as you seek to do your life’s work!

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Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. Titus 2:3-5


Encouragement from Emily Freeman!
If you haven’t discovered her podcasts, you’re in for a treat. 
She’s calm and balanced and just what I need to center me in God’s will!  Enjoy!

How To Organize A Brian Dump
Are you tired of holding your whole to-do list in your head!?
Well, here’s a great post on brainstorming I think you’ll find helpful.

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Finding Love in a Storm

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As I sit here, watching the storm blow in, I can’t help but remember my childhood at the lake.  Sitting on the huge, padded porch swing tucked under the upper level of my grandparents’ cottage, my cousins and I would swing and talk and plan our next excursion for our summer vacation.   We’d gather there in storms just like the one today, feeling oh, so safe amidst the pounding rain and the thundering bellow of the clouds.  And I realize something.

There is nothing so wonderful and calming and peaceful as feeling safe.  Of knowing we are loved.

Those days at the cottage were some of my siblings’ favorite memories of childhood.  “Why?” I wonder.  I imagine it’s because we gathered as families, loved by parents who cared about giving us little gifts like this — our yearly family vacation.  Possibly it was because there, like the adults, we had no cares in the world.  They, like us, had left the hustle of work and chores to get away and breathe.

The Gift of a Storm

Then God gives the gift of a storm.  The quiet of the rain softly pattering on the roof.  The mist brushing our cheeks as we swing on the porch.  The slow rumble of the thunder echoing it’s way across the sky.  And we have peace  — peace amidst the storm.

As I pause and ponder, yes, for the first time in what feels like months, I realize how very important it is to give one another that sense of peace and love.  That feeling of being wrapped in a parent’s arms in the storm, knowing we are safe.  And loved.

Seek out your children or grandchildren today.  Let them know they are loved and safe with you.  Let them know you will be by their side.  No. Matter. What.

Of course, remember this doesn’t pertain only to children.  There are spouses who need that same affirmation.  And friends.  Even enemies.

If that makes you nervous, go to God, the source of all Love and Peace, and ask Him how to love like this.  He’s the expert!  His love never fails.

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Love never fails.  1 Corinthians 13:8
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Prayer — Who’s It For Anyway?

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Prayer, like everything in the Christian life, is for God's glory and for our benefit, in that order. RC Sproul

Prayer —

It’s something we often take for granted.  It’s also something we can think of too little.  Something that’s often our last resort.  This quote from RC Sproul reminds us to glorify God in our prayers, even before we seek to benefit ourselves.

In our home, I’ve often reminded my family to shake things up in our prayers.  Especially at our mealtime prayers.  It’s so easy to just say the prayers, give thanks and ask for what we want.  But what if we really pause to reflect on who God is and what He’s done for us.  To really thank Him and acknowledge His place in our lives.  And then to ask to be the kind of people who reflect Christ to the world.

“Our Father”…..

It seems so very basic, but The Lord’s Prayer is just that kind of prayer.  One which reminds us to put things in order as we pray.  To truly remember just Who we are addressing and what we’re asking of Him.

Jesus begins His prayer by addressing the one true God.  “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.  Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Only after acknowledging the power and position God holds, does Jesus ask His Father for things done on earth — “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Amen.”

In all seasons and in all prayers, let’s give God the glory and praise, then ask for His blessings and care.   Possibly as we do this, we’ll recognize our great need for humility and help in this life on earth.  We’ll not just spend our prayer time asking for an easy life, but for the ability to be strong and live out our faith in a world that desperately needs to see what faith really looks like in action!

Our Father, you sent your Son from heaven above, and you above all are the Giver of all things good.  Let your will and your way be done on this earth to all your creation.  Thank you for all the blessings you send our way.  Forgive us for the wrongs we have done and remind us to forgive others for their insults in the same way.  Please send us only the things we need and keep us from those that would harm us.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Blessings and prayers to you all at the start of this New Year!

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I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
    incline your ear to me; hear my words.  Psalm 17:6
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What’s This About Christmas and Tiny Tim?

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Well, we’ve entered into this holiday season full swing! In our home, the decorations are slowly put up so we can savor each activity, the gifts gathered with each special person in mind, and the Christmas movies enjoyed as we take time to relax after a long day.  One of our favorite stories this time of year is A Christmas Carol.  Charles Dickens said it best as he reminded us what’s important at Christmas.

My heart’s desire is that we take time to remember why we celebrate this day — why it’s our favorite season!

  • First, it’s not all about the lights or the decorations or our favorite Christmas melodies (although they add so much to this time of year).
  • It’s not all about the cookie recipes our family has passed down for generations.
  • Nor is it the gifts piled under the tree (and in our home, they will be piled — we’ll have 27 extra family members celebrating with us for much of the week!).
  • It’s not even winter’s glistening frost lit by the sun which casts long shadows across the yard.  It does make it feel, oh so, Christmas-y!

So what is it all about?

  • It’s ALL about the Son – the Son Who cast His shadow across history and all of creation so many years ago in a manger!
  • It’s all about the Baby who made shepherds pause in wonder and angels sing praise and glory.
  • The Child who made wise men travel and seek for years.
  • And as Tiny Tim said in our favorite Dicken’s story, that Baby-turned-Man “who made the blind to see and the lame to walk”!

‘And how did Tiny Tim behave?’, asked Mrs. Cratchit …….‘As good as gold.’ said Bob, ‘and better.  Somehow he gets thoughtful sitting by himself so much and thinks the strangest things you ever heard.  He told me coming home that he hoped the people saw him in the church because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember on Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk and blind men see.’                                                                                                                    A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

Oh, that is my absolute favorite line in all of Charles Dicken’s novels!  May we truly see the Truth of declaring the Gospel in his simple words.

Blessings to you as you prepare for this beautiful season of remembering God’s Son!

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And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.  But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.  The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.  Luke 2:18-20
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