My Blog in Summary

It is interesting to see this season of my life in words. The words used more frequently are larger while others seemingly fade into the background. Altogether they paint a fairly accurate picture of my life at the present.

It is convicting in to consider how the words I write and speak reflect my heart.

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14

Just enter your blog at this site and create a word picture of your own.

Getting Real

I read these two posts today and sat crying at my computer. Moved. Convicted. Amazed. Both are stories of real life and real hope. I hope you are able to read through them.

Enjoying the Small Things

We Are That Family

The Cooks Next Door

I just got home from our church's monthly Mom's Night Out. This normally involves some good food followed by desert and coffee. More than that it's a time to reconnect, laugh, share and be friends. I'm blessed that though our congregation is small by many standards it overflows with authentic relationships.

Want to meet some of my friends? Let me tell you that they are some of the most creative people I know. And when it comes to food, they shine. To bless us all Alaina and Heather have started a new blog. Hope you are able to spend some time at The Cooks Next Door and are as inspired by these women as I am.

Catching up

This has been an amazing summer for our family. Sean has been traveling across the Midwest with us on his tail. While he has been teaching teachers about technology, we've been seeing having some wonderful times of learning and visiting with friends. Thankfully, his work has usually ended around 4 so we've been able to have some quality family time all together.

That life has now come to a screeching halt. Sean is back to school. We have opened up the books again. After the initial dust settles, I think we're in for a fruitful change of pace.

I have so much to share on this blog about summer 2009. This blog is for my childrens' sake and I'd hate to skip over some of the highlights that they someday may want to remember more clearly. So bear with me for a while while I saturate you with pictures and stories.

On a side note: I'm wanting to get some of my blog published in book form as a keepsake. Have any of you ever done this and if so what was your experience? I'd appreciate anything you might be able to share. Thanks!

Ever so often I check my account with Statcounter and get a chuckle out of the ways and means by which people find this blog. According to the stats my most frequented posts relate to objects in kids' noses, wedding Scripture reading and our laundry room.

Here are some of the recent searches made:

altoid in kid's nose

white thing hanging out of kid's nose

her finger stuck in nose visit to ER

how to get a pea out of a baby's nose

toilet paper stuck in nose

weird thing in kid's nose

eraser stuck in nose

blowing nose so hard circulation cut off in hands

child has put playdoh up their nose

pea growing out of nose

Taking a Break

I'm not going to be around much for a few weeks in terms of blogging. There are some things I need to attend to before the end of the year. But more than that, I'm in need of a time of "fasting" from this blog. I'm seeking some perspective as to where it should fit into my life. It's become quite a hobby for me and I fear it is taking priority over the relationships within my own home. And as all things go with me, it is becoming a place of comparison. So that being said, I need to step away for a while. But for those few readers of mine, I'll be back. See ya then.

Be a Reader

As you can see, I've changed the look of my blog. However, in the process I dispensed unknowingly of my sidebar. All that information is gone. I'll be working on my blog roll soon, but thought some of you might like to meet each other by joining the reader's list to the left.

Blogging

I've been writing this blog for over a year now. Hard to believe that much time has passed and that I have had that many original thoughts to record. Blogging in many respects has brought out of me a part that has been screaming to be released. Like all moms, the daily responsibilities and relationships with family, though rewarding, leave little time for reflection. This blog has given me a safe place to come late at night or in the early hours of the morning and think through my days and God's goodness in my little corner of the world.

As many have said before me, possibly the best outcome of this blog have been the relationships. Several friends at my church and in my homeschool group write. There simply would not be enough hours in the day to hear all their wise words and great stories. Reading their blogs has opened up deeper relationships with many of them. And then there are those of you I have never met (yet) who continually inspire and bless me with your comments and own blogs. Thanks for sharing and allowing others into your life.

I continue to read many wonderful blogs by the "big bloggers". They may be inspirational, frugal, popular, crafty, funny.... Day after day they bring back more and more readers into their world with their words. I know that Shine Again will never be all that, which suits me fine. At times I've struggle with my focus in this blog. I'm not sure I've quite figured that one out yet. But I pray that those who read it and my children, in particular, as they grow, will see how God's goodness is reality in my life. It may not be a glamorous, funny or even extremely interesting life. But in the end, it is for Him.

Just a side note: While we were gone in June, my family had a get together and read back over their favorite posts for a good laugh. Too good for words, I hear was the winner. Thankfully, I haven't had a day quite like that since then.

Are you a reader?

I'll be working on my blog roll here this next week. I did this once and somehow it didn't work. That was a frustrating waste of time.

But since I have some time right now, I'd like to try again. Just so you know, being on my blog roll is not likely to bring you a lot of traffic. But I would like to share you with others, with your permission.

So if you'd like to be linked from here, leave me a comment.

Meet my man

Do you want to meet my most favorite person in this whole wide world? Get a glimpse into the mind and days of the man who leads me, inspires me and walks with me every day. Yep, he's blogging now and chronicling our summer adventure as we explore Cape Canaveral, Florida and the wildlife of the Space Coast. If you are a homeschooler your kids might find his posts of interest in the coming days. We'll be at the Space Shuttle Launch Saturday. He's a math and physics teacher so you could count it as school;) Pay him a visit and leave him a comment.

Praying

There are many benefits to the blogging world the greatest of which is realizing the reality of God's kingdom as believers are living out their faith in the day to day. Tonight there is a family in the biggest battle of their lives. Take a moment to read their story and pray on their behalf.

Will the real me please stand up?

Last week I went to a mom's meeting organized by our homeschool group. This is a laid back discussion time in someone's home. I rarely attend these meetings because they are either held in the daytime during naps or in the evenings when I am scheduled to work or need to be home that night.

I had a rare opportunity to attend the meeting and jumped at it. The topic was "being real". This has been on my mind. I had recently broken out in hives after hearing what "works for other homeschool families" in regards to curriculum. I have a tendency to compare myself to others probably to a fault. This turns into wanting to represent myself to others in the best light possible in order that I or my home or my marriage or my children or my homeschool or my faith will somehow measure up. What does this accomplish? It probably makes the other person break out in hives and begin comparing themselves as well. So needless to say this was a timely topic for me.

People, usually strangers, often approach me. "How do you do it?" "You must be the most patient person in the world." "You're children are ALWAYS well behaved." "I don't know how you do it ALL!" "I'd love to be a fly on the wall at your house." "You must be really organized."

I don't know what the proper response should be. I want to be real. I want to bring honor to God, my sustainer. I want to proclaim His goodness and grace toward me. I want to encourage them by my responses. I want to be one who does not complain because life gets hard.

I want to be real. I want to let them know that my house is not clean. I want them to know that if they were a fly on the wall that they would be safe because in my disorganization I can never find the fly swatter. I want them to realize that I'm struggling with the same insecurities that I've had for years. I want them to know I sometimes disappoint my husband and children and they disappoint me.

Blogging is a funny thing to me. It's my world edited by me. What gets better than that? You get to read my best thoughts and see the prettiest pictures. If I change my mind, I can edit it or delete it into the unknown.

Though blogging has become one of my favorite pastimes and I don't plan to stop anytime soon, I walked away from that meeting being thankful for flesh and bone, like-minded women with whom to share and the inspiration that comes from another's wise words. I am blessed by those who enter my disorganized, noisy home to spend time with my family. It is comforting to know that there are people who know the real me and choose to call me friend.

All this to say, those of you who know me in real life, thanks for letting me be ME. And for those of you who know me through my blogging life, thanks for continuing to visit. I pray that this is a place of blessing for you and not comparison.

New blogs in my life

There's a few new-to-me blogs out there that I've been enjoying recently and I thought I'd pass them on to you.

If only I had Super Powers
This is a blog written by an everyday mom who is also a speech pathologist. She highlights children's books and exercises to improve a child's speech weekly. I have found this so helpful in supplementing my kid's therapy as well as being able to relate to my friends who have children with Autism spectrum disorder.

The Flourishing Mother
I love visiting this blog because it oozes beauty and peace. Andrea is clearly a woman who loves her Lord and serves her family well. Inspiring.

The Place Beneath
Saralyn is constantly challenging me to think deeper about my "everyday" life. I am blessed every time I read what she has been learning and teaching her children. I've only "known" her a short time but I am the wiser for it.

Share with me- what is one of your newest, favorite blogs?