Moving Day

Today, I have some exciting news!

No, no, no. I am NOT pregnant. Very funny.

Maybe I prefaced that wrong... I have some news to share that is very exciting to me. I have no idea whether it will turn your crank.

After much labor (pun intended) on the part of a couple very special women, my real, live, grown-up web site is ready to go!

E. Tyler Rowan

You'll notice that my website is .ca - that's because I'm Canadian. :) But, you'll also find it if you use .com. Go ahead, try it! Cool, eh? (I know. My adolescent excitement is a bit much.)

I do hope my giddiness hasn't scared you away from coming along with me on this interwebby move!

Technical Details:

If you are a regular reader here, and you get blog posts by following, through RSS feed, or via email, I'd love it if you headed over there and subscribed to the new feed!

But, if you're like me (lazy), you don't have to. From now on, when you come here, you'll get sent there. And if you subscribe through my feedburner feed, I do believe you'll get forwarded. Dontcha just love it when you don't have to do any work?!

However... If you do not get a post delivered to you tomorrow through whatever feed means you use, please remember me and subscribe to the new site! (You never know when those technical glitches will affect things.)

Just to make sure they get their props:

Thank you so much to Holly of Crown Laid Down Designs. She is responsible for all that you see on the new site, with the exception of the words. Holly has spent many hours over the past two weeks dealing with my constant emails asking to switch this and tweak that. She is incredibly patient and detailed, and she was not satisfied until I was utterly in love with every detail! If we met in person, I just know we'd get along fantastically!

And a special thanks to my friend, Louise, of real life, Facebook, and Twitter, without whom I wouldn't have even begun to try. Louise patiently sat with me for hours (in a hotel room with sketchy wifi access), holding my hand through the process of starting up a wordpress page, cheering me on every time I wanted to cry and give up. Her confidence and creative genius convinced me that "I can do it!" I love you, Louise. Not just for all your help, but for who you are.

And to my old friend Blogger... I thank you for making it easy for me to get my thoughts out there onto the world wide web. And for being free. And for being easy to use. In spite of your limitations and technical difficulties, I will forever have fond memories of you.

So, what're you waiting for? Go check it out!

Disclaimer(s):
1. My blog was imported over there a while ago for testing purposes, so it's missing a few posts. It will be totally up-to-date by tomorrow morning when my new post is up.
2. Also, if you're like me and you hate the "click to continue reading" thingie, you'll notice a tab for Blog along the top of the page. To avoid the "click to..." and to not see my little "welcome window" (as I fondly refer to it) every time you visit, you can either subscribe (via RSS or email) or add the blog page to your favourites. Does that make sense?

Just Ask

Want to know the #1 lesson I've learned about being a writer?

Writers write.

Complex, I know. :) But this simple message pushed me to move from being a once-in-a-while blogger to a 4-ish times per week blogger. While I might not have time to work on my book every day (and frankly, there comes a point when seeking publication that it's better not to write much more; publishers like to see enough to know that you can do it, with enough work remaining to be assured that they will have some say in how the book develops), taking time to jot down 500-1000 words a few times each week is good exercise.

Have you ever worked out at the gym diligently for a couple months and then taken a week-long hiatus? Returning can be a bit painful and difficult, and you essentially have to re-train your body in doing all the exercises. Taking a break from blogging is kinda like that.

Last week, with the kids all home on break, I slacked off here. This week, I am retraining my mind. Want to help me get back in shape?

Here's what you can do (please, please do it!)... In the comments of this post, ask me questions. Lots of questions. Any question you ever wanted to ask. You can ask about my personal life, about anger, about ministry, about raising kids, marriage, or any other topic that strikes your fancy. I'm going to take your questions to build up my muscles - some answers may be entire blog posts, some may get answered in a Q & A style post.

Okay, so who's gonna help motivate me to get back in shape? Fire away!

Fans, Followers, and all that Jazz

If you've been around here any amount of time, you have likely heard about the book I am (slowly) working on, Mommy, why are you Angry? In the event that you're new here - Welcome! Thanks for visiting! I do hope you'll stay a while. - here's a summary:

While most women hope and plan to become a mother, few intend to spend their days feeling frustrated with their children, overreacting, yelling, being short-tempered, and more. Many women experience this ongoing struggle with anger, yet they are frequently so burdened with feelings of shame and guilt that their anger becomes a closely-guarded secret.

By transparently sharing her own prior struggles as an angry mother to five, Tyler will convey two truths every woman needs to hear: “You are not alone!” and “You can have victory over your anger!” With a Christ-centred and practical approach, Mommy, Why Are You Angry? will provide women with the strategies - both spiritual and hands-on - that will help them to find freedom from anger, and thus become the mothers God intended them to be.

I have been incredibly blessed to have the opportunity - two years in a row - to attend an amazing conference for writers and speakers. Over the course of those two weekends, I presented my book proposal to four publishing houses and two literary agents. Everyone liked the idea! Yay! The proposal even made it all the way to pub. board - a bunch of folks at the publishing house meet and talk about all the books they're considering - WooHoo! - before hitting the wall. The wall was, in essence, that I am a nobody. Okay, you don't have to get all worried about my self-esteem! I know that I'm somebody to at least 5 or 6 people! But in the world of book publishing, a previously unpublished author with a teeny tiny blog doesn't amount to the kind of "somebody" they are looking for.

The thing about book publishing these days is that it's no longer just about having a great message or good writing. Publishers don't like to take risks with their money; they want a sure thing. For a publisher to think your idea (or mine) is a sure thing they are looking for those first two factors plus a large platform. In other words, a whole lotta fans! You see, fans are kinda like "guaranteed sales."

I have been wrestling with this whole platform issue for over a year. There's something about it that feels so...self-aggrandizing. Like me! Follow me! Last night, though, God was not going to let me sleep until we did some business. (I confess, it may have also had something to do with the coke slurpee I had at 9pm.) I felt Him telling me that not only did He give me a message to share, but that He needs me to do some work to let people know I've got a message about the life-changing power of Jesus Christ! I sensed Him asking me why I was resistant to using the social media outlets that have proven to build the platforms of others, social media outlets that He is using to get His message out. It occurred to me that I was not resistant because I didn't want to appear prideful, but I was resisting because of my fear and insecurity. What if no one "likes" me?!

At 2am last night (I guess that would actually be this morning), I sat down and created a facebook fan page. While the page bears my name and my head shot, it isn't a place for people to come and love me and tell me how great I am. No, it's one more small place for me to share what God has been placing on my heart in the hope that it draws even more women to Him. And if I am faithful in telling others of His glory, He will draw as many "fans," "followers," and "friends" as He decides are necessary.

Just like I can't sit here in front of my computer screen and hope that God magically and mysteriously turns my thoughts into the book He's given me to write, I also cannot merely wish and pray a platform into existence. Not only has He given me a book to write and a message to share, He has given me - entrusted me with - the task of doing the work to get that message out there! To let women know that, with God and God alone, they don't have to be angry anymore!

All that to say, Hey, wanna be my fan?!

I'm also making myself available for speaking engagements. So if your church ministry, women's event, or MOPS group is looking for someone... ;)

Sing praises to the Lord who reigns...Tell the world of His unforgettable deeds. ~Psalm 9:11 (NLT)

Women's Ministry that Wins

A (long) while ago, I started a series on here called "Building Your Ministry," in order to share what God has taught me about "doing ministry well" over the years. Until our family relocation nine months ago, I spent just over six years as leader (and founder) of the women's ministry in our church. My leadership journey was not without its bumps and bruises, but my prayer is that other women in ministry will be able to benefit from both my mistakes and my successes.

I believe that, eventually, I will write a book on this subject. It's one of the two big ideas that I find constantly rattling around in my head. I also believe that, as one facet of my writing/speaking ministry, I would like to do some consulting for women's ministry teams.

Because this little blog series has been so sadly neglected over the past few months, I find myself re-evaluating and re-thinking. But rather than come up with my own "plan," I wanted to ask YOU what you think I should do. So here are a few questions for ya:

1. Do you like the name "Women's Ministry that Wins?" (If not, I am wide open to suggestions - titles are not my forte.)

2. Would you like to see posts on this subject on my blog? (If not, do you think I should start a new blog solely for this topic?)

3. If I am putting up WMW (that looks catchy, doesn't it?!) posts on this blog, should they be scheduled? As in: weekly on a certain day of the week, monthly, etc.?

As an added bonus question, while we're on the subject of this blog and the content here:

4. What are your favourite kind of posts to read here? (If you can think of the titles of a couple of your faves, that would help, too!)

Thank-you, friends! You have no idea how valuable your feedback is to me. After all, you're the ones who encourage me to keep on writing out my random ramblings. So what you think and what you like really matters to me. :)

Building Your Ministry, part 1 - What Your Team Really Needs from You
Part 2a - How to Love on Your Team
Part 2b - continued
Related Posts

How Many Followers Do You Have?

In this internet world, we are quickly growing obsessed with the number of followers, friends, and fans that we have.

We have lost sight of what it really means to follow someone.

I'm sure you will find Ann's thoughts on what it means to follow Christ as profound as I did. And convicting. And inspiring. And just downright true.

Celebrating Some Darn Good Blogging

Read this post and visit these gals, but don't forget to come back to this post and enter to win...

Every now and then, I find myself feeling a bit discouraged in blogging. Maybe my visits are down (stats are not always my friend). Maybe I've been busy or uninspired, blogged too infrequently, and lost readers. Or maybe I just feel like sometimes I'm wasting my time.

When those days get me down, I can always count on my fellow bloggers to life me back up. One thing that always brings a smile to my face is receiving a blogging award. They're nothing formal or fancy, no one regulates them; they are given by the very people who read blogs - other bloggers. Honestly, nothing is as encouraging as hearing someone say, "I read your blog. I like it. And I want to let other people know just how much."

I made a decision early in my blogging days that I would always accept every award sent my way, even if I became a famous super-blogger (bwahahahaha). Not because I feel it's necessary to fill up my sidebar with my own accolades, but because I believe it's important for us to encourage one another. And nothing is more encouraging than having another blogger link to you and send her (or his) readers your way. It's telling them, "I read this blog and you should, too!"

So here are some blogs that I read, and you should, too!

Just a note to the recipients: To accept your blog award simply save the picture to your computer, then upload it in a blog post where you accept it. You may also want to save it in your sidebar (because they look purty). In the post, make sure you link to the blog where you received the award from AND link up to a few (the number is up to you) blogs you would like to pass along some encouragement to. You'll want to email the people whom you are honouring, so they know they're being awarded.

I would like to pass this first award to a couple blogs that are lovely in my eyes:

Loni at Loni Bourne Photography - her blog is made beautiful by the photographic art she fills it with; she's also a real-life friend (and did my photographs for my bio).

Shauna at Shutterbugg Mom - That's Me! - another real-life friend who blogs amazing photos and thought-provoking words of wisdom.

Thank-you to Julie, who blessed me with this award (in June, 2009). Please accept my apologies for taking an eternity to receive it. :)

Award # 2 is going to a couple blogs that inspire me:

Jen at Pearls of Wisdom - a real-life friend, a new blogger, an inspiring writer.

Sarah (aka Kingdom Mama) at Kingdom Twindom - she's hard-core, gets right down into the nitty gritty, and finds God in the midst.

Jenny at The Wagner Family - homeschooling mom to five blondies, chalk full of wisdom on marriage and parenting.

Traci sent this award my way a while back. (She created it herself! Isn't it beautiful?) Your visits and your encouragement are a gift to me, Traci. Thank-you.

The third and final award, to those who brighten my day:

Danielle (aka Mama Bird) at Mama Bird Muses and Babbles - seriously, my day is not complete without a visit to her blog; I heart Danielle!

Bobbie at 40 Shades of Pink - a blog friend made real-life friend whose blog is full of her zest for life (and cooking and gardening - amazing).

Christine at Passionate Homemaking - my long-time (nearly 12 years) BFF; she took a little blog hiatus, but is finally back at it. I missed you (and miss you)!

Julie, I don't know why you keep on blessing me and encouraging me (when I'm such a slow recipient), but again I thank you! You are too kind.

This concludes my 500 post party (but there's still time to enter to win). Thanks again for stopping in!

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

Welcome to my little space on this here world wide web! Grab your coffee, have a seat, and visit a while.

In honour of the fact that I have been here for the writing of 500+ posts, and especially the fact that there has always been one or two of you reading and cheering me on, I'm having a little party. I don't know about you, but one of my favourite things about parties (besides the non-stop visiting) is the party favours!

For the 500 post party, we'll be sticking with the theme of "fives" all the way through. I'll tell you my five favourite topics to blab blog about, there will be five fantastic party prizes to be won, and you will have the chance to get your name put in the draw five times...

So, without further ado, my five fave topics of conversation (in no particular order, and excluding my family - because they are absolutely, unequivocally #1)...

I love talking about marriage. In particular, how we wives can single-handedly change our marriages (from bad to good or from good to great) by giving our husbands the respect they not only desire, but NEED.

Many of my posts talk about ministry to women. I heart women! The unique way that women have of relating to one another, the need they have to be in relationship with each other, and seeing women using their gifts to serve God - these are just a few of the reasons I will never be able to not do women's ministry in some way, shape, or form.

If you've been around this place a while, you also know that I write about anger in motherhood. I wouldn't say that I "like" writing on this topic, but I don't believe I have a choice.

Though you've only seen it mentioned a few times, you can expect to hear more from me about Haiti. It's inexplicable, but Pat and I have discovered a love for the Haitian people that is unmatched by our love for any other people group of God's beautiful world. And unless God says otherwise, we hope to be a part of the blessing of that nation - both financially and through hands-on work - for the rest of our lives.

You will also find that a good portion of the posts I put up have to with how God is working in my life. I talk about the tough work He does on my heart and I chronicle the many ways I see His hand in our everyday experiences. I need to write what I live and learn, because it is through the recording that Truth and experience take permanent root in my soul.

I bet you're wishing I'd hurry up and get to the party favours...

It will be my great pleasure to give away the following five gifts to Y-O-U:
1. Two copies of Lysa TerKeurst's latest book, Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl;
2. A gift card for Chapters/Indigo/Coles in the amount of $29.39 (for my Canadian friends);
3. One copy of Beth Moore's latest book, So Long Insecurity: you've been a bad friend to us;
4. A photocard design of your choice - in digital file so that you can print it at your convenience - created by the fantastic and talented Danielle! (Just a note that you cannot place your order until after Easter, as Danielle is shutting down her computer for Lent.) (Just a new note to let you know that Danielle is still taking orders. And get this - SHE IS DONATING THE PRIZE!!! So you can see why I heart her.)
5. Three blog awards to be passed on to bloggers that I love!

You can be entered to win one of the first four prizes by simply leaving a comment letting me know which one you hope to win. This comment will get your name entered ONLY in the draw for that prize.

If you would like your name put TWO draws, leave a 2nd comment telling me your second choice of the prizes. But, there's a catch... Your 2nd comment needs to include the answer to this question: what topic am I writing a book on and speaking to women's groups about AND why? Hint - the answer can be found by following up on my five favourite topics.

But I really would love for you to be entered in all four draws. I mean, how much fun is that?! If you really want that, too, you just need to love me. :) Leave a third comment letting me know that you have subscribed to the blog feed from Titus 2:3-5 (or that you have added yourself as a "follower") OR that you have sent a few friends to visit and join in the party by linking to this post in one of your posts (don't forget to leave me the link in your comment). If you happen to do BOTH of these things to love on me, I'll love right back on you by tossing your name in a fifth time! I will add that one to your first choice, increasing your odds of winning the gift you really want.

Because I love to blog and I love to read blogs, I'd also like to send you to look at a couple that are near and dear to my heart. I will save that for a post later today, though, because we've been partying here long enough (I'm sure your coffee is either cold or empty by now) and I really, truly want you to go say "hi" to a bunch of great bloggers.

Thanks for celebrating with me! I can't begin to explain the impact that writing for my blog and getting to know a few of you from this blogging world has had on life. I'm hooked for good!

I'm Throwing a Party, and It Just Wouldn't be the Same without YOU!

Without so much as a nod of my head, I wrote and posted my 500th post in this little internet space. I am disappointed that I allowed a special moment (to me, anyway) slip by without fanfare. But, given that I seem to run a couple days behind my blog plans on a regular basis (birthday posts, The God Chronicles*), I have decided to hold a celebration.

So on Monday, in honour of you - the rockin' few who keep on reading my babblings - there will be a par-tay!

There will be a few "best of" posts going up; there will be some long-overdue awards handed out; and there will be prizes! You are welcome to bring your own coffee and snacks. :)

Clearly, I don't have 500 things to give away (oh, but I wish I did - wouldn't that be fun with a capital F?!). How about 1 prize for every 100 posts? Count 'em - 1-2-3-4-5 things for you to win. Just for F-U-N! Prizes may include Lysa TerKeurst's latest book (two copies), "Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl," a CD of my first (and so far, only) talk on mother anger, a gift card for Coles/Chapters/Indigo, and a few other things I'll think of over the weekend.

Therefore, you are cordially invited to attend my 500 post par-tay on Monday, February 22. Come prepared to visit too long, drink too much coffee, laugh (or cry) too hard, and win too many prizes.

* Regarding The God Chronicles... I have decided to give this blog carnival its wings and let it fly away. (Yeah, I'm not so great with the metaphor.) I think it's fair to say that my carnival suffered from chronic lack of participation. Don't worry - I'm getting over it. It just no longer seems reasonable to host TGC as a carnival, given that my heart breaks each month when no one links up. (I said "getting" over it, not "gotten" over it, okay?) I will still post the God sightings in my life under the tag for TGC, and you are always welcome to join in by posting your own TGC and putting your link in the comments. But it will no longer be a regularly scheduled event (no longer, ha, it hasn't been since October) on this here blog. For those who did participate in TGC this past year - THANK-YOU!!! I love you all just a little bit more than my other readers. Kidding. Sort of. ;)

Nothing Like an Ice-Cold Lemonade

While we were away recently, I received an email from Sarah. She said, Hi~ Love your blog, and just wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the Lemonade Award on my blogs . I appreciate your content of being a Christian and striving to be a woman of God. Thanks so much! Sarah In case you didn't notice, Sarah said "blogs" because she's got a few - 8 Muddy Boots, Beautiful 2 God, and Lake Women's Ministry.

In the world of blogging, it can be difficult to keep ourselves from turning it into a popularity contest, based on how many comments we receive, how many followers we have, how many hits we get each day. I know I'm not the only blogger who has looked at sites like Pioneer Woman's and wondered how in the world she accomplished it - and if it's possible for anyone else (ahem, self) to attain such internet fame.

It's so important to remember why. Why did I start blogging? To grow in my faith, to share my faith, to be real with other women, to keep a record for my children, to express myself... Interesting that achieving fame, hits, comments, and so on are not on my list.

Thank-you, Sarah, for reading the things I ramble on about here, and seeing who I am, "a Christian striving to be a woman of God." No amount of comments could replace the feeling of knowing that someone out there gets me.

I'd like to pass the blessing on to some other bloggers who are on this walk with me - in real life.
Christine at Passionate Homemaking...Becoming P31,
Karalee at The Andrus Family,
Shauna at Shutterbugg Mom - That's Me,
Nadine at Daughter of the King,
and my only male reader (with the exception of Pat) Jordan Polson.
I almost missed someone (perhaps because she hasn't posted in FIVE WEEKS), but here's hoping this will get her inspired words flowing again - Stacy at my simple walk.

There are some "rules" for the receipt and acceptance of this award, but you may notice I really didn't follow the rules. So make your own rules if you like, just make sure you share the linky love with the one who bestowed (isn't that a great word?!) the award (ahem, me) and those you are awarding. That is, if you feel like accepting the award. I promise not to get all bent out of shape if you don't.

1) Put the Lemonade Award logo on your blog or post
2) Nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude or gratitude
3) Link to your nominees within your post
4) Let the nominees know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog
5) Share the love and link to the person from who you received your award

Dontcha Just Love to be Loved?

Look at this adorable award that got sent my way!

I love how bloggers encourage one another to keep at it. I know that these awards may not mean anything special to anyone else, but to me it means that somebody reads what I write and enjoys it. Which makes me all warm and fuzzy.

I want to thank Barb at Spotlis for passing the Friends award to me. I am blessed to know that at least one person likes me here on the www! (Even if my husband does think we bloggers are a silly breed.)

The rules say that I am to pass this award on to eight other bloggers. Normally, I am a hard-core rule follower. But fact is, I LOVE all the blogs I read, and even some I don't read regularly. So here's the deal - if you find your blog name in my list (in the first sidebar), consider yourself awarded. If you're not there (maybe your blog is private, so then you're not listed b/c I don't want to tease people with the possibility of reading your awesomeness *grin*), but I have left you a comment anytime in the month of January, please consider yourself awarded, too!

If you want to follow the rules: paste the picture in your blog, nominate 8 other bloggers (and link to them), print the following...
"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

P.S. If you accept the award, make sure you comment so others can come visit and congratulate you! :)

Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are!

Lurk - verb (used without object)
1. to lie or wait in concealment, as a person in ambush; remain in or around a place secretly or furtively.
2. to go furtively; slink; steal.
3. to exist unperceived or unsuspected.
4. Chiefly Computers. to read or observe an ongoing discussion without participating in it, as in an Internet newsgroup.–noun Australian Informal.
5. an underhand scheme; dodge.
6. an easy, somewhat lazy or unethical way of earning a living, performing a task, etc.
7. a hideout.

Lurker - noun
One of the `silent majority' in a electronic forum; one who posts occasionally or not at all but is known to read the group's postings regularly. This term is not pejorative and indeed is casually used reflexively: "Oh, I'm just lurking." Often used in `the lurkers', the hypothetical audience for the group's flamage-emitting regulars. When a lurker speaks up for the first time, this is called `delurking'.

My friend Jenni has informed me (via her blog) that it is National Delurking Week. What nation - I don't know! Nor do I care. Because this blog world is all very official-like, I now pronounce it National Delurking WeekEND here in Canada - that way I can justify my participation.

So, what are you waiting for?! Tell me who you are. Say "hi." Even if you are a faithful reader and commenter, say "hi" just for kicks. What's that? You need incentive??? Oooooh, incentive I can do. Comment on this post, and I'll put your name in the drawing for a super-duper prize. If it's your FIRST TIME leaving a comment, let me know and I will enter your name TWICE! Just because I want you to feel loved and welcomed.

And....go!

Oh, sorry, you want to know what the super-duper prize is. So do I. But I'm going to let Pat decide (you're free to make suggestions to him, but if he never listens to me I'd be surprised if he listens to you). :)

Happy National Delurking WeekEND!

P.S. Comments will be closed at my bedtime (around 10pm MST) on Sunday. You know, when the nationally recognized holiday ends.

Recap

Borrowing from my friend Mary, who also borrowed this fun idea.

The first sentence from the first post of each month of 2008, accompanied by a little update.

January:

I am so glad this day is over.

FYI, we still have these days. More frequently than I would like. My prayer is that God will continue to teach me to show grace, to be patient, and to speak and act in love - especially to those I love the most.

February:

February 1, 2002... After a super-fast induced labour, and a whirlwind delivery made by the nurse (because the doctor arrived 6 minutes later), we had the joy of welcoming our first baby girl!

This big girl lost her first tooth last week. She told me that even though she knows I am the tooth fairy, she would pretend to believe so her sisters wouldn't be sad. (I think she was a bit afraid that if she didn't believe she might not find any money under her pillow the next morning.)

March:

Blessed are those who mourn...

The beatitudes are worth revisiting this new year.

April:

I am going to post something fun, interesting, and wonderful tomorrow!

My writing (and writer's block) are keeping time with the same cycle as month's ago...

May:

No matter how old the mother is, her love is fresh and new with each child, grandchild, and great-grandchild.

I really hope to go visit my Grandma this summer!

June:

I don't want to violate anyone's privacy, so I'm going to keep this post rather vague and obscure, but I trust that God will direct.

Go right ahead and keep on praying.

July:

It's easy to complain.

Still blessed, still complaining, still learning.

August:

Dutch Bros Coffee.

This trip was definitely one of our most memorable family times. The kids still ask if we can go on another long trip and stay in cabins, "but a cabin with two rooms, so the kids get their own." (For two of our seven nights we were able to stay in a 2-room cabin - what a treat!)

September:

Here's a little tidbit for ya - I always thought the word was pronounced Meeeeeee-M.

So, I think my source was wrong. I do actually think it's pronounced as above. Hey - no one's right all the time!

October:

If you've been reading for a while, you're well aware of my struggle to lose the last "few" post-baby pounds.

Can you say, "New Year's Resolution?" Yep.

November:

Two weeks ago - lotsa comments, me so happy.

Here's a funny thing I noticed. When I get lots of comment feedback, I feel affirmed and loved and encouraged, therefore I write more (and I think - better). When I begin to lose that [comment] lovin' feeling, whoa that [comment] lovin' feeling I get a wee bit discouraged, and write less often (and of lesser quality). Which begets fewer comments. It's like the "circle of life" only not quite as sweet and beautiful.

December:

I was tagged by Hope at Pink-a-Doodle-Doo for this fun Christmas post. (Um, since there are already lots of links in this first sentence, click here to view the post.)

As you can tell, I do enjoy posting a meme or participating in a "tag" on my blog. Gives some fun fodder to jot down, without too much deep thinking (which would be especially painful after staying up TWO WHOLE HOURS past my bedtime in order to count backwards from 10).

Clearly, Too Much Time on my Hands

In my vast boredom (read: when I should have been folding laundry, but chose to sit on the computer instead), I decided it was time to add a playlist to my blog.

I am aware that the jury is hung as to whether the playlist is fun or annoying. Personally, it depends on my mood that day (and the time of month *wink*).

I just feel as though there are so many aspects of a person's personality that can't come through in writing. For example, knowing that I LOVE country music might completely alter your opinion of me. Maybe you'll think I'm more fun-loving than you assumed. Or wonder if I'm a bit of a dork in real life. (Both are accurate.) So here - get to know me a little better through my song picks.

If you are from the camp of "I hate stupid playlists; they are so annoying," well, the strategic placement of my playlist RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE FIRST SIDEBAR is just for you. Hitting the little pause button is oh-so-simple. You don't need to hate me or leave me forever - just pause my tunes. I don't mind, honest.

What I do want to know, though, is if this playlist thingie causes any trouble with page loading. So definitely let me know if my page has now turned into one of those that takes eeee-tern-it-eeee to load. Because, obviously, that is not a problem I want to have. (I already have enough issues going on with this silly bit of technology.)

Have fun listening! And we'll change it up a bit after Christmas...maybe some good ol' hoe-down music for ya'll.

P.S. You may notice that you cannot read the artist's names. This is due to my greed in needing two sidebars...resulting in smaller space for putting cool stuff in. If you really want to know the artist of a particular song, just let me know.

Ten Thousand

As I write this post, my handy little counter says "9738" visitors since I started out. To be honest, I'm kinda surprised! I was worried that I'd be writing for myself, my hubby, my mom, and my BFF to read.

I'm thrilled, excited, and blessed to know that other people who don't even know me (and even some who do) read my blatherings on here. My hope is that my day-to-day will be an encouragement to someone else - then it will be totally worth pouring my life out here on the world wide web.

To celebrate the impending 10,000 hits, I've decided to host a giveaway. It's a thank-you giveaway...well, because I want to say thanks! Because everyone is different, and I wouldn't just give the same gift of thanks to everyone I meet, the gift is not determined. NOPE. You must help me!

So, here's how you win:
- look at the hit counter (which is sitting right up top beside this post)
- post a comment (obviously, tell me what number you read on the stat counter)
- also, tell me three things about yourself that would help me choose a great thank-you gift for you (your fave colour or verse, whether you like pretty or useful, and so on) - THREE THINGS.

I'm not going to tell you how I will select the winner, but Pat knows so you know I'm not just choosing someone I like (I like you all, anyway, so how could I choose?). Go ahead and keep commenting, even after the 10,000 mark.

I'll announce a winner soon!

Working it all Out

I usually spend the last couple weeks of August looking forward to the fall. Though I love the laissez faire feel of the summer months, my administrative brain thrives on organizing, planning, and list-making. One of my greatest pleasures in life is to feel like I'm accomplishing things - getting stuff done, if you will. Such task completion is unheard of during the long, lazy days of summer; those days are filled with a whole lot of kids, sunshine, and bar-be-que.

You would think, then, that I'd be in my glory right now. I should be able to do all sorts of great things with the spare time afforded me by the fabulous school system! Rather, I find myself running 'round in circles, accomplishing a little bit of this, a touch of that, and a whole lot of nothing.

My husband diagnosed me with a case of "too much on my plate." Which boils down to too much ministry/meeting/socializing and not nearly enough housekeeping/cooking/parenting. The tricky thing in being healed of this syndrome is determining which of the many good things needs to be released. Because it's not like I'm really wasting my time (overall), the things that are consuming me are all decent and worthwhile things.

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure any of the tasks that are keeping me busy need to be relinquished. I suspect my problem could be solved by a dose of serious scheduling. It's a matter of setting aside specific times for certain tasks, rather than randomly jumping from one thing to the next without ever actually completing anything. And, here's the clincher - stopping at the designated end time, even if the task is not complete (because running on all day trying to make a video on Movie Maker will only result in NOT completing such tasks as dinner, children's homework, and effective communication with spouse).

So, in an effort garner a few extra coveted comments, and in the spirit of keeping it real, I'm going to give you a list. I want your honest opinions - is each item a worthwhile way to spend my time? If not, let me know! If you think it is (or could be), any suggestions on how I schedule it in? Your system for doing such tasks...your favourite time of day to do certain activities...things you do daily, or weekly, or however often... I want need your help! (And I'm pretty sure Pat will appreciate it, too, because maybe one of these days I'll start making the bed - if you insist!)

Things I try to do daily:
- morning time with God (sadly, since the summer this has been more like every other day)
- emails, on and off as they come in or when I sit for a break (or if I'm sitting at the computer all darn day) - usually ministry-related
- assorted computer work, typically about an hour but as I said it can be an all-day production at times (note the above-mentioned movie creation) - usually ministry-related
- spend time on the phone (again, some days it's only a call or two, but others it feels like the whole day) - about half ministry-related, half just life
- a load of two of laundry (um, I wash, dry, and fold it, but it typically lives in ginormous piles on my laundry room floor - maybe I should sell our dressers!)
- dishwasher
- cook supper (though it sure hasn't been anything fancy - or healthy - these days)
- write for my blog (okay, I confess, it's more like 3-4 times per week, but I'd like it to be daily)

Things I do weekly:
- clean bathrooms (they get a quick wipe mid-week - have you ever tried Clorox bathroom wipes?!)
- vacuum
- sweep and mop (I probably do this twice per week)
- balance the budget
- read other blogs I enjoy (once or maybe twice during the week)
- attempt to help the kids really clean up their messes (this hasn't happened for nearly a month now)
- attend women's Bible study (Mondays)
- attend life group with Pat (Sundays)
- attend/host ministry meetings for planning/prayer/etc. (on average, there are 3 evening meetings per month)
- attend our women's group (Wednesday AMs)

Things I do monthly:
- parent helper at playschool
- parent helper at kindergarten
- take Braeden to medical appointments

Things I don't do often enough:
- have fun with the kids
- snuggle with my husband
- memorize Scripture

Things I don't do but should (I think):
- make the bed
- meal plan
- schedule chores/housework
- put away laundry
- have a shopping day
- exercise the dog every day
- exercise myself - at all

So, what do you think? With effective planning and time-management, can I fit it all in? Or do you see some things there that jump out to you as "gotta go" items?!

Blogger is Making Me MAD *edited * twice

* Edited a second time to add: I just want to thank you all for stopping over and commenting. As my mom so nicely worded, your comments have given me definitive evidence of this deficiency. All of your lovely comments are here on my blog, and I wish I could reply to you each individually, but DANG IT! I am not getting any emails. I have even added my other email accounts (hotmail and yahoo) to see if perhaps the issue is with my email server and not BLOGGER. But it is BLOGGER! Something is WRONG with my account! WHY CAN'T WE EMAIL BLOGGER TO REPORT ISSUES???!!! (scowl)

*Edited to add: I decided to make this my Works for Me Wednesday post. I realize that backwards week was last week. But if I don't get some solutions to this problem, I could very well lose my mind! And by the way, I did not receive one single email from the 3 comments that are already here. Argh!

Since we went on vacation this summer, I have not been receiving emails to notify my that someone commented on my blog.

Have you ever tried to get help from Google??? I tell you, it is theeeee most ridiculous system! You visit a help forum, you post a topic, and you hope and pray that maybe someone intelligent will reply with a solution. Occasionally, if enough people comment on your topic that they, too, are having the same issue, an employee will come on and let you know that they are working to fix your problem.

Apparently, I am the only blogger with this issue. (Though in my fun time over at the help forum I did learn that this had been a "known issue" in the past.)

So here's what I'm doing to fix the problem... I am blogging about it (and using all the nice key words that will - hopefully - get the attention of the powers that be in this bloggy world). I'm going to make a lot of noise here on my blog! LOL. And I need you to comment to this post! (FYI - I do have the correct options selected in my settings, and I have even tried enabling comment moderation, in hopes that this will force my stupid blogger account to start sending me emails when I receive comments, to no avail!).

If you don't have a blog, you're probably wondering what the big deal is. Here's the thing - if I get an email when someone comments, I can reply to them on that email. Simply put, it's a handy feature! But it's also the best way to really connect with people who read your blog. Sure, I could comment over on their blogs, but it's not quite as personal.

Essentially, Blogger/Google is getting in the way of my relationships! And if they don't fix the problem (with your help, please - comment, comment, comment), I just might have to fire them and take my unpaid business over to Typepad or Wordpress...

Really, you have no idea how important it is for you to COMMENT!!!!! :)