My Favorite Blogs of the Week!




I almost skipped today’s blog post. Each time I sat down to work on it, I heard:

“After all, you didn’t blog yesterday. And you were late the day before. You might as well just wait ‘til the new year. Or February. Or 2014...”

This morning, as I was agreeing to never write another word in my entire life, I recognized…


How did she sneak in? 

The answer to that question is a whole ‘nother post for another day, of course. 

But in case your not-so-super-secret-self has snuck up on you in the last week or two, let me say this:  

You are not alone. 

For some of us, the sudden appearance of self-protective alter-egos is “normal” this time of year.

This does not mean that we are beyond all hope.

It simply means we are broken people, desperately in need of the God who loves, rescues, and restores us.



* * * * * 

1. I read Steven Pressfield’s “A Pro Recognizes Another Pro” after Annemarie had come to me frustrated over her lack of progress with her art thesis project. She’s done so much work on aspects of it that just aren’t working out the way she’d hoped. 

I shared with her my own struggles with the creative process in writing and how “murdering my darlings”–editing out words I love but that don’t belong–is the hardest but most important thing I can do. 

Last night, the two of us sat on the couch, me doing market analysis for a new book concept (grunt work: yuck!) and Annemarie ruthlessly “murdering her darlings.” And I smiled at us: two pros doing the hard work of the art we love.


2. I squirmed through Kara Powell’s Christianity Today blog post “Why Your Social Media Use Hurts Your Kids.” 

I’ve had my English II students research “Generation M” every year for seven years, now, in hopes that they’ll become aware of the dangers of social media and hyper-connectivity. But how many times an hour (minute?!?) do I reach for my cell phone? (I’m seriously considering downgrading from my Blackberry to a call-and-text-only model...but...but...but…!!!) 


3. Jon Acuff’s article “3 Things Zig Ziglar Told Me at Lunch” applies equally to entrepreneurs and stay-at-home parents. These 3 principles were “nothing new,” but they are great reminders for me as I consider my priorities for the new year.


4. Sheila Wray Gregoire’s “Important but Not Urgent” really hit home, especially since last night, our entire family gravitated to the love seat, couch, and chair around the fireplace (all 3 cats and the dog included!)  We LOVED it...stayed up ‘til way too late because we didn’t want to “break the spell.” But, of course, there is no “spell” -- if it can happen by accident, it can happen by intention.


5. I’m in the wrong age-range to be reading All Groan Up, but the “Biggest Surprise About Becoming an Adult No One Talks About” was a good eye-opener that this is a struggle for the teenagers, 20-somethings, and even 30-somethings I work with. (What’s your reaction to “the biggest surprise”?)


6. I'm a former knitter, so Lysa TerKeurst’s devotional over at Proverbs 31 Ministries -- “The Unraveling of a Marriage” -- made me cringe; I know what happens when a snag is cut instead of carefully re-woven into the garment!  Such a great metaphor for marriage and any close relationship.


7. Although I’m not a business person, Seth Godin’s “The Power of Zero Spend” got me thinking about what happens when I let important boundaries get fuzzy. When I cut myself too much slack...make too many excuses...put more energy into the stories about why I’m not doing something than I do into actually doing it. 


8. I’ve returned to Stephanie Shott’s “He Is I Am” throughout the week, as I’ve needed constant reminding of my Source of identity, strength, and purpose.


9. I just read Bonnie Gray’s “A Heart’s Homecoming: Taking a Different Route” this morning and kept thinking, “She gets it!  She understands!”  As one who has avoided pain my entire life, I am very new to the journey of intentionally returning to painful places. Part of me (the Choleric/Driver part!) wants to “get on with life” and “get things done.”  Bonnie reminds me that I’m following where Jesus leads, not blazing my own trail.


10. I’m the last of my friends to learn about My One Word, but I’m a better-late-than-never kinda gal!  I gave up on New Year’s Resolutions decades ago, but I’m pretty sure my Sanguine/Expressive brain can remember one word. Mine was confirmed this week, and I’ll be sharing it on Tuesday.  “Landing 2012 Well: Using the Week Between” is a great blog post for reflecting back on 2012 and looking forward to 2013.



Your Turn:
  • What blog posts have you read this week that you especially enjoyed?
  • What topics tend to grab your interest? 
  • Anything else on your heart!


Coming in January!
Labels: