I was commenting to Mr. Hippie the other day that it seems like a lot of bloggers are also crafters on Etsy, or photographers. In addition to blogging about life. Frankly, though I take pics, no one-not even a blind person-would call my pics photographic anything. There are shadows, and red eye, and bad backgrounds, and all the other don'ts. And don't even get me going on my non interest in crafts. Or in crafting to sell. I really have no desire to make the same thing over and over and over. Though I make a lot of my Christmas gifts, I try to make them really easy, so I am not making the same thing 20 times. It just is monotonous to me. I do sew, and I can knit and cross-stitch. I enjoy making beautiful things. I like that sense of accomplishment. But I'd generally much rather read, or write, or run, or sleep or cook. So, I am not going to have a photographic blog-though I do post pics. And I am not going to start an Etsy shop, because I don't do that. But that is not to say that I don't sometimes have to argue with myself over what I am not doing but what everyone else is.
One of the bloggers I follow has been doing a series on giving up good. For better and best. Because we can't do it all. I blogged about that a couple weeks ago. Books and bookshelves.
Just because something is a good fit for one person, doesn't mean it's a good fit for you. And what you see on someone's blog is just a sliver of them. It may be their triumphs, or failures, their heart, or rants. But it is only a sliver. It can only be a sliver.
Currently I am reading a 700 page book about the Shaeffers. In the chapter I read yesterday, she mentioned that you CAN'T include everything from a person's life. There is not enough time or paper. You choose highlights and lowlights. Glimpses that make up hopefully a fairly complete, though imperfect, picture of the person. I also spent months plowing through a 750 page bio of Lincoln. Remember? It took forever. Extremely interesting. And extremely long. And certainly not exhaustive of his life. Though it sure seemed like it could have been.=)
My point is, that though I want to inspire and motivate my readers with my blog, you aren't getting the whole picture of me. I want you all to learn with me
To wait on the Lord-in prayer and devotions.
To renew your strength-through my posts, and Scripture, and through humor, and homeschool stories, and recipes.
To run and not grow weary-through encouraging women's fitness-that fits with our lives as wives and mothers. To challenge you in your journey to keep on. To not give up.
To walk and not faint-day by day, we are in this together. Not to show each other up. But to share our hearts, failures and triumphs. To inspire creativity and love of beauty. To use our homes as hubs to glorify God.
What you don't see is myself or Meres in jammies at noon because there hasn't been time for a shower yet. Or me yelling at my kids. Or fighting with Mr. Hippie. Or the stacks of school books waiting to be corrected. You don't see the dust coating the piano, or the weeds in the garden, or the finger prints on the walls. You don't see me walking when I should be running. Or wasting time on Pinterest and FB when I should be reading or interacting.
Bloggers aren't trying to present a perfect picture. Sometimes we try to motivate, challenge, encourage and inspire by being vulnerable and sharing our weaknesses and failings. Sometimes we try to motivate, challenge, encourage and inspire by sharing the beauty around us, the goals met, what we are learning and doing. But we don't DO everything. No one does. Even bloggers. We are limited on time and personal resources too. We are giving up something good in order to keep blogging and living. Just like you.
What good did I give up this week for a better or best? I gave up an original meal last Thursday night, so I could work in my yard. We had an old standby and canned peaches. And though I can't believe I actually let myself do that, we are still alive to tell about it.=) And, instead of reading or doing something for me on Mother's Day, I spent time with my kids-playing Wizzard. Checking out their creations. Soaking up their laughter.
Do you see my true colors? I hope so. "Don't be afraid to let them show."
