“RefreshMoments”

http://refreshmoments.com

Why do you blog?
I blog because it helps me keep track of those little moments that otherwise get lost in the endlessness of ordinary days. The moments where I see my children change and grow right before my eyes; where I see myself change and grow; where I see that the world around me is filled with God’s presence. I want to take those moments and share them with others who have probably had the same experience. Those are my selfish reasons for blogging.

I want my blog to to encourage and uplift my visitors. I hope to give them something to think about or make them laugh. I want it to be a place that in 5-15 minutes makes them feel like they get a little break from their day that makes it better to get back to their regular stuff.

I’ve only been online a couple of months, but I’ve been planning this blog for a year! (I waited a long time for a design slot with a popular firm and then got bumped. I found someone else who could do a beautiful custom blog for a price I could afford and decided not to wait any longer.)

I blog about those intersections between some ordinary occurance in my day and God revealing Himself to me in those moments. Often, I’ll tie in a recipe or something that creates a tangible reminder of that lesson and gives me a way to share those thoughts with others in my world.

That pairing of a devotional thought and recipe was the original inspiration for “RefreshMoments.” I put it on paper long ago before there were blogs that gave me the opportunity to put it into the blogosphere.

What are some of your favorite blogs that you read? ? Journey of My Heart, My Cup 2 Yours, Aroma of Joy, Peace for the Journey (lots of them I found through “The Sampler)

I do. I’ve been published on paper and part of what appealed to me about blogging is getting “instant” feedback from readers. Books can disappear into oblivion on a shelf–maybe they don’t get read at all! But if someone stops by my blog there’s a much greater chance the words will be read. It’s a great thing to know when something I’ve said resonates with someone, so I love to get comments and am getting better at responding back so there’s genuine interaction.

I’ve started “Speak up Weekends” on my blog as a way to specifically invite dialog on a given topic each week.

Some do; mostly friends who live a distance away. And it’s funny, but that’s ok with me. It seems a little less “invasion of privacy” to share my blog with people I don’t see regularly.

Faithlifts; Laced with Grace; The Higher Calling.org

Hmmm…I probably spend between 5 and 15 hours a week reading and blogging. Probably too much time. But I’m switching out shopping for blogging (see post “The Economy of Writing”), so I’m at least saving money even if I’m not saving time!

I’m inspired when surrounded by God’s beauty. I’m inspired when I’m really paying attention to what’s happening around me–things my children say and do; by unexpected encounters that seem predetermined for me.

Blogging has been a positive thing for me because it helps me stay more mindful of God’s presence in my life. When I’m tuned in to what’s going on because I’m always on the lookout for “more material,” I also see the revelations and inspiration He places in my path that I might have missed otherwise.

I like reading other blogs because I find that so often something I’m learning is showing up in other people’s writing as well. It brings the lesson home that much more to see it’s kind of a collective thing.