the blog is sticking around :)

Woah…I think I might have not been too clear yesterday! I am not wrestling with stopping blogging, or instagram for that matter. Blogging has always been something I enjoy – it is a weird culmination of all the things that make up my days. I’ll keep blogging as long as I enjoy it, regardless if no one reads it but me! I had a difficulty verbalizing the tension I feel. A comment yesterday was able to word it so much better…here is her comment:

Audrey Assad penned one of my favorite lyrics, and it comes to mind here as I read your struggles with Instagram: “From a need to be understood / And from a need to be accepted / Deliver me” (from her song “I Shall Not Want”). Perhaps part of what it means to live with peace, even in the tension of it all, is being set free from that insidious fear of being misunderstood. It’s true that someone may see only a slice of your beautiful life on Instagram and come to different conclusions than those who follow your story more closely on the blog, but it seems to me the only thing you can control is how you conduct your life in real life and on the web (and in my opinion, you do this with vulnerability, honesty, humor, and hope). If you are misunderstood at times (and who among us isn’t?), could the freedom and peace come from accepting that and trusting this is actually normal and okay? Just some of my musings this morn…

The freedom from fear of being misunderstood.  Reading her words, I thought…yep that is it. I’ve watched countless blogging and instagram friends walk through horrible circumstances simply because someone somewhere misunderstood them. I’m sure you have seen it too. So, I guess that is my struggle with instagram – it is my quick snap happy, pretty place most of the time. There is a fear that those that only see my instagram would think my life is all rosey and perfect, or worse that I aim to portray that online. Life is truly good and for the most part I do find joy in everyday moments and things, my cup overflows – but there is more to the story than what that little square instagram picture portrays. However, Sara is right – I can only control how I conduct my life in real life and on the web. I’ll be misunderstood. I’ve been misunderstood. It will happen again. It happens to all of us. So, I’m going to let go of that fear. It is kind of dumb when you really think about it anyway.

Thank you for all your comments yesterday. I was hoping maybe 20 of you would give me a little insight – I was not expecting that response. That was a good…long cup of coffee that lasted all day.

Last week I mentioned I was wanting to learn more about hand lettering. You guys had so many good ideas and recommendations. Of course, I will be asking my sister for lots of tips. I’m also looking into some SkillShare classes. For now, I am just trying to copy by sight letters and words that catch my eye. It has become a relaxing way to end the day. Several artists online recommended focusing on one letter and writing it as many different ways as possible. I was going to do that, but I ran out of ideas…so I’ll just copy stuff I see for a bit!

Since I am on the topic of your comments, I am guessing not too many of you go back to read comments on old posts. I read every comment. I don’t respond as often as I’d like, but I read every comment. There were a few posts recently that you guys shared some really great ideas, so I wanted to highlight those posts. If you get the chance, the comments on these posts are full of so much goodness:

Coloring Outside the Lines  – lots of inspiring links regarding Bible journaling/art

Asparagus Pizza & Little Chefs – links and ideas regarding kids in the kitchen and recipes

Knock-Knock Jokes & Feeling Sad {Creating a Refuge} – beautiful ideas regarding creating a home that is a refuge

Thank you again for all your feedback yesterday!