Unleashing the Blog that Binds *Updated

(**Update: Warning! Before you read this post, please understand that I was on a serious 3 coffee brain spaz. This was my beginning of the week brain dump. It gives me nervous hives just reading it with all this week held. It is later in the week now and things are calmer! But if you dare proceed, I left the post as is.)

I realized this weekend that I have actually started enjoying watching my blog stats go down. Am I insane? I am a blogger! Stats are everything, right?! Yeah, no.

Daring my stats to plummet, watching the little line on the chart point downward, to me says "I'm free." I'll blog when I feel like it (some bloggers would use stronger language here) and when I don't feel like it, I'll go on living life like I did before blogs existed  - taking the time to call friends, going to the outlet stores, working on my writing in other venues, reading more, and thoroughly living life to the fullest.

{This week, I HAVE to write a blog post come Wednesday because I am utterly grateful to be included in a trip to NYC to meet Jillian Michaels (celebrity trainer from The Biggest Loser) and totally adore Beth from RoleMommy who is putting the event together. AND, I'll enjoy going with several wonderful ladies from this area are coming too: Jo-Lynne and Sarah F among others.}

And so, for that, I will share the completely amazing experience but between now and then, you aren't going to hear from me because today I have TWO classes to teach. I love teaching, don't get me wrong, but it is taking more than I realized to read the material each week, create power point presentations or add to others that already exist and regurgitate it to the students.

AND, once you get in there in front of all these PEOPLE IN TRAINING (otherwise known as college students), it is seriously nerve wracking. I am doing better now but those first couple of classes were a little touch and go. (Can I do this, God? Can I do what you have given me to do here?)

And, I do love my students. I teach at a local Christian college and I love talking about God and how our walk with the Lord plays into our use of modern communication and media. (I am teaching Intro to Digital Media and Communication Theory. My husband still laughs that I am teaching technology - but, honey, you taught me so well -- and he REALLY has and I listened! He also laughs that I write a Frugal Living column and act as an extra in local movies being filmed too but I am so he had better get used to it. I like to keep him guessing -- and saving $.)

BUT, all that said, I do hope to write blogpost about this coming weekend since I will be volunteering in the prayer room at the Women of Faith Conference at the Wachovia Center. So many women, so many needs. Pray I can leave my world, my busy thoughts, my ME, outside the prayer room and reach out to those who enter with love and compassion. I know it will be beautiful. Please keep this in prayer if you read this post. I know it will be awesome.

And, then, there is delaying my trip to the conference on Saturday morning so that I can present the idea of a presbytery wide e-newsletter to session WHICH I have no time to do myself so I need help. BUT, I love the idea and I have loved using the ease of Constant Contact to coordinate women's ministries in all the churches. Please pray that I can go forward in humility and love as I tell a room of pastors to get their act together and unify through a newsletter that can share resources, events, devotionals, etc. and that I need someone from one of their congregations to agree to help.

So many heavy matters and WHAT? -- The casting company called on Friday. They wanted me as an extra in a movie TODAY. Yes, I was home all day Friday with sick kids and totally missed the call. I used to miss their calls when they called home so I only gave them my cell this time. I was home. Phone was in my purse. I didn't see the call until 6 PM. They called at 11:37 AM and they closed at 5:30 PM. I just have to say -it wasn't meant to be.Today would have been NUTS since as I began this post with - I HAVE TO TEACH today - the best real "gig" EVER - which is much more permanent than one day on a set.

PEACE OUT. PRAISE the LORD! Be inspired but don't be slowed down. If blogging is keeping you from enjoying life, don't write. But, if you want to write simply to share, to get out those raging feelings, to add a quirky experience to the mix, to connect, to laugh, to contribute to the online community, then DO IT, by all means. But, don't live by your stats like I have done. I am declaring today, this week, a week of STAT Free days! Don't look, don't do it! Enjoy writing just to write. Enjoy connecting just to connect. Enjoy living just to live.

Comments

[melissa from girlymama]

i'm coming to nyc too! i'm so excited you can make it!! fun!!

[Sarah P]

That's great!! It is going to be so much fun.

Sarah

On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 8:02 AM, wrote:

[Jennifer Young]

Maybe this is just a season for a slowdown on the blog side of things. You have so much going on! Write when you can, you're doing great.