Tag: support

Mystery Blogger Award!

On By LindaIn Awards and Games7 Comments

I was impressed the other day running across a blogger’s statement that he wasn’t blogging for awards and, although appreciating those who nominate him, he wouldn’t be accepting any of them.

I wish I could say the same about my blogs.

But I can’t. I LOVE awards! I’m honored by them! I’m thrilled by them! They validate what I’m doing in a way few other things can. The recognition I feel from someone walking the same road I am is simply amazing!photogrid_1476365612975

And I was just nominated for the Mystery Blogger Award! Thank you On My Way Home for the public pat on the back! I am especially honored and thrilled to receive this nomination from a published author of children’s books – a goal I aspire to soon!

In the words of its creator Okoto Enigma :

“WHAT IS MYSTERY BLOGGER AWARD?
“Mystery Blogger Award” is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging; and they do it with so much love and passion.
– Okoto Enigma”

THE RULES

  1. Put the award logo/image on your blog
  2. List the rules.
  3. Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
  4. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
  5. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
  6. You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
  7. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
  8. Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
  9. Share a link to your best post(s)

 

Now on to what you really want to read…

Three Things About Me

  1. I used to hate writing. Reading, yes. I could and did read all day. But writing? No thanks! Funny how God changes you when He calls you for a new job.
  2. I love to sew. Stuffed animals, quilts, pillows, bags, soft sculptured dolls – pretty much anything except clothes. I currently make and sell memory bears in my Etsy store and am working on starting a new store to sell inspirational bags as soon as I get more time.
  3. I’m about to be a first time grandmother!  Aryn Jade is due early July and I’m just about ready to self-publish my first children’s picture book in her honor!

 

Questions to Answer:

  1. Why did you begin blogging? At first, it was a way to practice my writing skills as I worked on my novel. But it has since changed to be a way to glorify God, inspire others, and share my testimony of God’s faithfulness in my life.
  2. Your philosophy of life?  Like my husband is fond of saying, “Life is hard, and then you die.” Everybody is struggling with something. We need each other and we need God. And what we do on this side determines what our life on the other side will be like. It’s like our life here is school preparing us for our future after we graduate.
  3. What would you do in life if you were sure of success? join a Christian soft rock band and go on world tours
  4. Your favorite dessert or other guilty culinary pleasure? coffee ice cream with chocolate chunks!
  5. Best childhood memory? When on a field trip to an amusement park, the wind blew my brand new hat off my head. I watched with dismay as it blew over the fence in an area I couldn’t access. However, my big brother climbed the fence and retrieved the hat for me. I don’t remember if he got in trouble over it, but I know that every time I looked at that hat, I remembered how he cared enough to chance it for me. Oh wait… maybe it was the time this same brother tried to push me out of a roller coaster car just as it made a fast turn high in the air…

 

My Nominees:

Joe Rodriguez at Lighthouse Devotions by JR – love his use of photos of lighthouses to illustrate spiritual matters

Celestial – who sees God in everything

BibleBloggerGirl at Teen, Meet God –  a teen leading teens (and some old people like me)

God Inspires, I Write – she doesn’t blog daily, but when she writes, it’s good

The Focused Heart – short yet powerful

Pastor Randy – love his uniqueness and how he makes connections

Be Blesstified – it’s always good

The Godly Chic Diaries – inspiration for women

Dani at God in Real Life –  practical blogs on living the Christian life

Love Joy Balance – another good one filled with practical posts

Heavensreef – unique use of questions to get us thinking

Matthew Winters (Comeback Pastor) – always an interesting read, and love that he shares his personal life with us

 

Five Questions for My Nominees:

  1. Why did you start your blog?
  2. What is your best achievement in blogging?
  3. What has been the craziest things you have done while traveling?
  4. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
  5. My weird question:  jello or pudding?

My Cross… It’s Not What You Think

On By LindaIn short storiesLeave a comment

She opened her Bible and read Matt 16:24  “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

She had heard many interpretations of what this cross might be. Chronic illness, death of a loved one, difficult people in your life…  They all sounded reasonable, but something about them bothered her. And they didn’t really apply to her life at the moment. Did that mean she didn’t have a cross?

So she asked the Lord.

“Do I have a cross?”

“Everyone does.”

” Well, I’m not sick. No one has died. And there are no difficult people in my life.”

“It’s not what you think.”

“So what is my cross?”

“The ability to understand.”

“I thought that was a good thing.”

“To a degree it is. But you want to know and understand every spiritual thing.”

“So?”

“You’re not capable of understanding everything. You’re limited by your human brain. Besides, even if you could, it wouldn’t be wise. There are some things you cannot handle yet. And sometimes knowing too much would cause you to mess up what I’m doing. You would be tempted to take over instead of relying on Me.”

She thought about that for a few minutes.

“I can see how knowing everything could be a bad thing. It could feed my pride and I would be trusting my understanding instead of trusting You.”

“Right.”

“So how do I carry this cross?”

“Deny your desire to understand everything. Accept and enjoy what you know and don’t fret about what you don’t know. Learn to use the knowledge that you have. Trust Me for the rest. And relax. You’re not carrying this cross alone.”

“I’m not?”

“No one carries their cross alone. I promised to always be with you, in every part of your life, to care for you and help you. That includes carrying your cross.”

“Is the cross the same for everyone?”

“Oh no. Just as every person is different and unique, every cross is different and unique.”

“Wow. It’s amazing that you can help everyone at the same time in so many different ways. I can’t get my head wrapped around how big You are.”

“See? That’s what I’m talking about!”

And she did.

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