27 Mar 2018

Chasing Traffic

by | posted in: creatives | 1

Why do you do what you do?

I mean, I’m sitting here on the couch, loading photos for my church, writing this blog post, my little is not napping, so I guess I’ll just wait until I hear something crash.  He needs to learn to play in his room quietly right?

Anyway…why do I do what I do?

I cook…because I love to see other people eat my food and enjoy it.  And I like playing with the flavors.  That’s why I usually don’t cook for myself.  Because who likes to cook for one?

I letter and watercolor…to meditate on Scripture and to do art at an affordable price so others can enjoy it in their home or to give as a gift.  And to help them meditate on Scripture too.  To fill their home.

I blog…because I like to talk about what I want to talk about, yes, of course.  But, I also like to encourage other women.  I started blogging back before blogging was really a thing, and especially before making money blogging was really a thing.  I wanted to share devotional thoughts and recipes and travels.  My blog has definitely had different focuses over the years, but it really was and is about encouraging other women in their walk with Jesus.

I do photography….because I love it. I love to look at photos after I take them.  I love to capture smiles and special moments.  I like to do it affordably for others who may not have an unlimited budget to spend for fancy photography.  People without a large budget should still be able to have nice photographs right?

I was listening to Taylor’s podcast Boss Girl Creative this weekend while I was out doing Masters Prep errands (its basically when all of Augusta does spring cleaning at once so that you can rent out your house, get tax free money, and get outta town for the winning of the Green Jacket).  And, if you haven’t had my friend’s Green Jacket salad, stop, go make it, and come back!

Anyway, back to the podcast, Taylor was talking about private label rights and how purchasing what other’s create is a thing…but why?  Why not just create it yourself?  Or hire someone to create something specifically for you or your business.

I really don’t blog to make money…even though it is great when I do.  I blog to talk and encourage and share.  It doesn’t have to perfect or top the SEO charts.  That’s why I do what I do.  SEO isn’t the most important thing to me, though if I got more traffic that’d be nice.  But I don’t want to do things on the blog just to chase traffic.  I’ve always wanted my blog to be me.  So, I’m careful about who I let guest blog and what sponsors or ad posts I write.

It is always an important thing to remember in life: why you do what you do.  And stick to it.  Doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to change over time…but always be true to yourself…don’t go chasing traffic.

 

1 Oct 2017

Write31: Lavish Hospitality (Day 1)

by | posted in: 31days, lavish hospitality | 0

 

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Day 30

Every October comes around and there is group of women who set out to write a blog a day for the entire month.  Every year I try to do it, and every year I fail.

This year, I’m trying something new.  I’m working on a book (Lavish Hospitality) and want to use this space, this month, to work out the 31 short chapters of the book.

This is not going to be a book about food and blankets and setting up guest rooms.  Yes, partly, there will be some recipes and stuff like this.  But, hospitality is more than just setting a pretty table.

I want to “prepare a space for lavish grace”.  Here the the sub-headings:

To my heart.

To my husband.

To my children.

To my neighbors.

In my home.

In my church.

Grace was poured out lavishly on us.  We need to be ready to pour it out lavishly on others.

Hospitality has a southern ring to is.  You may think of cozy reading corners, mums in the Fall, tea and coffee, flowers and guest rooms.  It can be those things.  But, just because you have coffee set out doesn’t mean you have a welcoming home for others.

So, in the next 30 days I’m going to be sharing 30 quotes and thoughts on them.  These quotes will help me formulate thoughts on this topic, and I hope they will encourage you to practice lavish hospitality in your world.

6 Oct 2014

The Gospel and Blogging

by | posted in: Bible | 0

The Gospel and Blogging

Do you ever ask a question of God and then get the answer the very next day?  Yesterday, I was journaling through a Piper article at a local coffee shop (thanks to the Mister having a day off and graciously keeping the boys), and I wrote down a question that I wanted to talk to the Mister about – as he is very good about seeking the enjoyment of God in my life – as he should (Ephesians 5).

The question was this: how do I do blogging and social media for good – and not have it cause ungodly characteristics to take root in my life and heart?  In social media and really in all things – I struggle with envy, contentment, craving to be better and known.  These thoughts grip my heart instead of lettering the wonderment of God grip my heart and let that be enough.

I don’t want to give up blogging and photography and social media – and I don’t think the need is there – I just think that care and concern for my soul (and also yours) needs to be always at the forefront of my mind.

So, here’s the answer – or at least more of the equation that I will bring to the Mister as we talk about it on our anniversary trip this coming weekend.

So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk.  Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God’s pure kindness. Then you’ll grow up mature and whole in God. You’ve had a taste of God. Welcome to the living Stone, the source of life. The workmen took one look and threw it out; God set it in the place of honor. Present yourselves as building stones for the construction of a sanctuary vibrant with life, in which you’ll serve as holy priests offering Christ-approved lives up to God.

1 Peter 2:1-5 The Message

I went through especially the first couple verses from my She Reads Truth reading for today:

Here’s the KCV (Kimberly Campbell Version):

Since you have been called to the amazingness of the Living Hope of Christ saving you and the Spirit living in you: don’t have anything to do with causing distress or pain on anyone else, don’t have anything to do with concealing or misrepresenting truth, don’t have anything to do with claiming and not being, don’t have anything to do with discontentment or wanting what other’s have, don’t have anything to do with communication that causes harm to another.

What of the above areas do you struggle with in blogging/social media?  For me – its envy.  Why do I write and photograph and cook – others do that and they have more followers, likes, giveaways, etc.

Do you struggle with putting down others in your blog?  Maybe its the cute sarcasm of something that will be funny but you well know that it is really a slam against someone else?

Do you only put the good on IG and not real-life – that would be the claiming and not being part.  Does it only show your home when it is show-worthy or your kids when they are all clean from a bath?  Why not put the real life of them screaming their little heads off when  you take away their milk cup?

God wants us to crave Him, crave the Word, work as unto the Lord (not so we gain more likes on facebook).

Who is set in the place of honor in your blogging and social media?  Is your life on the computer or your iphone a sanctuary or dwelling place for God?

29 Sep 2014

Blog Mission Statement

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Blogging Vision

NINE.

For 9 years I’ve been blogging.  So, this year I think it is time to regroup and rethink and re:purpose.  While in seminary I took a class on mission and vision and purpose statements.  So, I thought I would share my “mission” statement in blog format today for yall.  Having a blogging mission statement helps you limit what you blog about – and limit is a good thing.  The blogosphere is full of all types of blogs – and you could spend your time trying to blog about everything.  That wouldn’t work.

First – so much has changed in these 9 years.

I was still in my 20s when I started blogging.

I had just finished seminary and was working odd jobs just so I could hang out and love on college girls at UNC (mostly), some State and Duke students mixed in.   Some of these girls are some of my dearest friends now.  I started two blogs: a devotional one and a cooking one.

I then moved home to my parents house in Florida to pay off debt.

Then I moved to Louisville, KY to work for the then president of one of my favorite religious organizations.  I love everything they stand for and love their ministry.

Then I got my dream ministry job of writing curriculum for a church in Raleigh, so I moved back to my favorite state in the country.

Then I met my husband, got married, had a sweet little boy, moved to Little Rock, AR, had another sweet boy, and that brings us to today: the ATL metro area.

Here’s what you will find at this blog site.

Food: I love to cook.  I love to savor food and wine and times with friends and family.  I am a foodie at heart and love to share that heart with others.

Photography: I love to capture sweet moments – both in the lives of our family and for other people.  A smile, the shade of light blue of my littles eyes or the perfect colors of a sunset.  Or what about maternity shoots or faces or portraits, or families.  Anything – capturing life’s moments.

Family: I love family ministry. Helping families be the family that God created them to be.  That was my heart and passion at Providence when I was writing curriculum.  Being a family in today’s world is so difficult – but with a lot of help and grace we can do it!

Faith: Everything I do, with God’s help, is looked at through the lens of faith.  I’m thankful for God’s grace in my life.  And I like to share that with others.  Whether that is through books I read, devotionals I write, links I circle back to.

Maybe you’ll find some other topics every now and then, but mostly that’s what this blog is about.  Enjoy reading.

16 Jan 2014

2014 Goals: Reading, Writing, & Blogging

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2014 Goals

Here is the last of my 2014 Goals. I think all of the above go together. i look forward to a year of more prayers for the journey, a prayer book for new moms, reading more books, and doing more blogging.

Prayers for the Journey: a free e-book that is for all wives (or women who are praying for a future husband) that takes you through a book of the Bible and prayers and journaling space. Here is the one from Ephesians and I have LOVED hearing feedback from y’all who have used it! I should have Nehemiah back from the editor by the end of the month. The ones on tap for this year are: Colossians, James, 1 Peter and 1 John.

Bigger Writing Projects: 365 Prayer Journal for new moms. And a journey through the OT and Knowing God. Most of the book will be done when I finish the Bible readings for the year, then I’ll go back and expand my findings – to make a devotional for y’all!

Blogging: I want to blog at least 5 days a week, use Social Media like Influenster, Instagram, Twitter, FB, and Pinterest. I want to get to know the ladies of AR Women Bloggers. I would love to attend a Blogging conference – sponsored by someone because we don’t have the funds to pay for it.

Reading: I get much inspiration for the above by reading. And I think all of these are tied together by this one discipline. I read blogs, books, the Bible, mags, etc. And they: the photos, the quotes, the stories – all inspire the above. I want to read at least 10 pages a day and pick out a few blogs to go back to and read some of there tutorial pages. Some I’m looking forward to are Naptime Diaries, Willow Bird Baking, and Adventures in Cooking. One of the books I want to read in 2014 on writing is Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Any other blogs I need to be reading? Any Prayers for the Journey books of the Bible you want me to tackle? Any blog topics you’d like to see written?