Today I'm thinking about blogging. It has become a pastime of millions, many of them being SAHM (stay-at-home-moms) looking for a way to have a voice and connect with millions of others in the SAHM universe. Add me to the list, and you have millions plus one.
The reality is that I can barely follow a single train of thought for more than 20 seconds, let alone do something, document it, and post it online, all while trying to make sure those decapitated animal crackers aren't permanently set into the couch cushions.
Part of the reason is because I want to use it as sort of a "log" of what's going on with me. I don't keep a diary or anything of the sort. Who uses paper and pens anymore? (Really, I am a sucker for a new double-spiral bound notebook and fine-tipped pen, even if I haven't used one in a long time.) More than that, every piece of paper in the house has had an attempt on its life by a toddler wanting to "color". I have a feeling a pretty notebook would meet its end very quickly, so I settle for left over legal pads.
Also, I have a baby book for Lizzie, but at this point, all of her "firsts" are scribbled in a small day planner, since I don't have the patience to dig out the pretty book and find a pretty pen and write a pretty caption for "5th tooth" and "says 'bubble'" and "first boo-boo" every time something happens. Having a blog allows me to make broad, sweeping generalizations (like "colors with chalk on driveway" and "demands to go outside by finding shoes and hurling them at any able-bodied adult") so in a few years I'll be able to look back and go, "oh, that's what she was doing at 14 months."
Blogging helps me process things sometimes. There have been a few times lately that I have had something on my heart or on my mind that I've felt the need to find the way to articulate. Writing at the computer has kind of always been my way of putting words to what's going on internally. I used to write e-mails. The sad thing is that I don't often write e-mails to specific people these days; I just write a generic, somewhat depersonalized, safe-for-the-general-unknown-internet-public monologue.
I also used to write "the next e-mail"--a weekly email that went out to over 100 people, mostly in the college age bracket, connected through COC and/or BWAB, or by my just happening to know you. It was a sort of newsletter, sort of encouraging memo, sort of announcement venue, sort of Cindy's-stream-of-consciousness-processing-through-life e-mail. I lost vision for that e-mail shortly after getting married and beginning to work full time. I'd been writing it for about 4 years, which is a fairly long time. Without a weekly place to send my thoughts, I lost my motivation to write for a while. Maybe blogging would give me a chance to share again. The truth of the matter is that when my heart is doing well, and I'm receiving life, I am motivated to open up and share life as well.
These days most often my blog updates are inspired by having a circle of friends found through the Company Girls at Home Sanctuary. I don't know how I stumbled upon this blog by Rachel Anne Ridge, but it has been rather transformational as it relates to my household, and to my blogging. Even though if you looked at my house right now, you would wonder whether I have ever taken any thing she's ever said to heart, it has been a pleasure to keep company with these women.
I follow a handful of blogs: One belongs to my mom (a soon-to-be published author), some belong to my friends, some belong to friends who make beautiful crafty things, some belong to my friends' parents, some belong to people who take amazing photographs, some belong to people who make amazing food (and also take amazing photographs of said food), some belong to people who are entertaining and take amazing photographs of amazing food. There are plenty of others, too, of course.
I just visited Alicia's Homemaking (via Home Sanctuary) and am amazed at someone in a similar circumstance (young married, with a young toddler, with a limited income, with a student husband, doing her best to show love and honor Jesus) blogging daily with a goal and purpose in each post. She does useful things with her blog, like she shows off cool things she found at thrift stores and makes pancakes for her student friends.
It makes me wonder whether this is a season in life when I should pursue writing (in any form, maybe online, maybe in the privacy of my personal Microsoft Word documents, maybe on pretty notebook paper). Or if I should turn off my computer's wireless connection for a month and see if I actually missed anything of great importance.
The reality is that if I am to write anything, I would have to write about what is important to me, or I would have no drive to write it at all. I would also have to have a sense that it was as important as anything else that I am responsible for doing - like caring for my family, maintaining the house, having a quiet time, and getting enough sleep. At this point, if I sit at the computer, I don't usually have much purpose to it. I sit down, lose track of time, and before I know it, I jump up, thinking, "Oh no! I totally forgot to ...." and feel pressure to do something I should have been doing while I sat and jabbered on.
If you are reading this, I have a question for you. What drew you to blogging? Do you have a purpose for your blog? If so, what is it? Did your blog or your writing have a defining moment?
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Dear Cindy,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words about my blog.
When I started blogging, I did not have a clear purpose for my blog. I thought it would be the sort of blog where I talked about all things frugal--couponing, saving money, etc. My hope was to eventually teach classes on those subjects and to use my blog as a launching pad for that.
However, as the blog evolved, I realized that while I like couponing, etc., I am passionate about what happens in my home!
I have learned SO MUCH about cooking and a host of other subjects through the blogs of other moms. Blogging inspires me to keep learning and growing--all of a sudden I want to pick up photography, take a business class, learn some HTML.
When I started blogging, I did not feel intimidated by how good my writing was or wasn't. I can be myself. As I continue, however, my desire to improve my writing is growing, which I know is a good thing.
Also, I honestly don't think I would be so faithful with my blogging if I wasn't hoping to see a financial benefit from it in the end. I'm hoping it can be a form of working from home that I LOVE (not so crazy about some of my other options).
That is the long answer to your question! I hope you are able to figure out what works for you...I'm praying that God leads you. :D
Love, Alicia
Some great thoughts!
ReplyDeleteMy blogging has been through very different stages. I started out on xanga in 2004 right before getting engaged. I was jumping on the bandwagon because all of my Sunday School students were blogging. They have loooong abandoned xanga and probably don't even remember having their accounts. It was fun to see everyone's updates, or for those who liked to put all their feelings out there, that was an interesting read sometime.
Our main purpose for blogging is to keep our relatives around the world updated on what we're doing. We actually don't know any bloggers in real life, okay, maybe a few, but definitely less than a handful. So, whenever we get comments from family members and friends who read, they always end up emailing us. We found the blog to be a better way get our updates out there because we sent sooo many emails that they always ended up in people's spam box.
It's also a great way to document our life. Even if no one read our blog, I would still blog. I would not be able to remember when the girls started doing certain things at a certain age if I don't have the photos to look at. With the blog I can just do a simple search and find out what Melody did when she was 8 months 2 weeks and 4 days old. Okay, maybe not that specific, but it's easier than searching a journal.
After Melody was born, I started blogging on momaroo about Melody's development, etc. Then, we decided to do a family blog. It's still a WIP because it's kinda all over the place, so we'll see what's next for us. =p Mostly for documentation and share what we do, like, eat, etc.
I love reading blogs by others who are like me...or have been traveled the journey before me, so I can see what's next. There are so many creative, inspiring, and encouraging bloggers out there.
Cindy, you listed some of my favorite blogs. You also mentioned my favorite toddler in the whole world. It's almost like we're related or something. ;)
ReplyDeleteOkay, true confessions time. I started blogging because I had to. According to umpteen speakers at writers' conferences, anybody who wants to break into publishing has to network, build an audience, and blah blah blah. So I started blogging although I'd rather read a good book or trim my toenails.
But something funny happened along the way. I found some blogs I loved. Some of them changed my life. Some of them make me laugh, some make me cry, some point me toward the Lord, some teach me how to be a better writer or a better person. I've made connections with other bloggers, not to "network" but to enjoy our shared interests or even to become true friends.
Still, I'm not a natural-born blogger. I hate wracking my brain to come up with a new and interesting topic, and I'm always afraid I'll write something stupid. I should take it less seriously and pretend nobody's reading what I write. And that's true, sometimes. :)
You're all so inspiring and encouraging. Keep it up!
Wow... so much good food for thought, and I want to comment on it all!:)
ReplyDeleteI started blogging "because everybody was doing it" in college (over on Xanga). Then, blogging became a way for our families to stay up to date on our lives, without me having to write a million and one letters/email to everybody to keep them informed.
Now, I have two blogs that I "regularly" update - a homeschooling blog (basically a log of our journey with helps for other homeschoolers) and my 'ministry' blog. Each of those blogs has a defined purpose, and having the purpose defined helps me to stay on track.
I did spend two months "not blogging" this past spring/early summer. It was a hectic time of life, so I didn't miss blogging as much as I thought I would, but at the same time, I came back with a greater sense of purpose for my blogs.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts - there is definitely a lot to think about here!
Hello! I hopped over from Home Sanctuary and can definitely relate to your post. So many of the things you express, I have felt too. I found so many blogs that I love to follow. They often inspire me. I think I wanted to give some back...but feel I lack direction many times. Good luck as you look for answers to your questions. I look forward to looking around your blog some more.
ReplyDeleteHi Cindy! What a thoughtful, reflective post. I've been blogging since January mostly because A) I wanted to chronicle my life as a dad and B) I hate writing by hand - I have terrible handwriting and can barely read what I wrote.
ReplyDeleteMore than my own thoughts and writing, however, I've come to enjoy the community of bloggers I've found, and the inspiration and laughter they've brought to my life.