Since beginning blogging and as one year slides into the past making way for a new one, I've made it a habit to look back through the blog posts I've written and to share, once again, links to those posts that have generated the most response in readers. Response can refer to the number of "hits" on a particular post. It can reflect a larger than normal number of comments when I shared the post on Facebook or Google. It can reflect a surprising number of "reaches" as defined by social networking sites. Or, it may simply be that it is one of those posts in which the writing and reflecting has changed me.
Thus, response - as I'm defining it here - is not a hard and fast scientific number, but more my intuitive feeling which then appears to be backed up by the numbers and stats.
A book review of the Divergent Trilogy, I discuss what I appreciated about this particular set of young adult fiction and share why I've encouraged my children (and as and where appropriate, other teens) to consider reading it.
"I love the truth of this quote. We are all unique and different, with different strengths and talents and abilities. But one thing we have in common is failure. Everyone fails. And everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and become someone new as a result of those failures... and when we recognize, confess and move on, allowing our failures to unite us and to spur us on to something better, something powerful happens. That is a large part of the story of this book... "
Almost every Friday, I participate in a five minute free write, given a word prompt. This was one of those five-minute writes (although, I think if you read to the end, I confess I went a bit overtime to actually complete my thoughts). Here's a bit of an excerpt...
That doesn't change the fact that it is hard when I've got a vision for something... when I feel convicted about something... when I'm sure I'm willing and I should be... and he says "No."
It's even harder when God says "No."
No - I don't want you to serve there right now.
No - Another child is not part of my plan for your family.
No - That job was not for you.
No - You think you need _____________________, but what you really need is _________________.
Or just plain "No," and no explanations, no reasons or even good explanatory hypotheses, no thank-yous for your willingness, no understandings of why.
That this post made the list surprises me. It was written a bit tongue-in-cheek, excusing myself for a kinda-semi-absence from the blog, or, for not writing nearly as prolifically as I had been... But, if you take the time to click over and read... you do get a tiny glimpse of life in our home with four very busy and involved teenage girlies!
"I hope to be up and running again next week.
Of course, I say hope not in the Hebrews 11.1 sense of the word.
I say it more in the sense of my little "hope basket" I keep in my bathroom...
that is there "in the hope that" at least one or two of my girlies will remember to replace the brush after getting ready for school...
So I can find it when I need to use it later!"
I write for a couple of collective blogs designed to encourage and challenge missionaries (since I am one...). This post was written for a life overseas, and I'm really honored that they let me be a part of their group. I mean, this group of people really write - as in publish their own books... as in make money off of their pixelated and penned words. I write once each month, and this post just might be my favorite among all of the posts I wrote last year.
Here's an excerpt...
"...I learned something that day. It doesn’t matter what sort of troopers kids may be – when their carryon weighs at best their own body weight and at worse, even more, little tykes aren’t going to be able to manhandle them through the airplane aisle to seat 46E… or drag them along on a mile hike through the airport up and down escalators only found in your nightmares. Adding insult to injury, our kids hardly even opened those carryons. Instead they played with the masks and socks the airline stewardess handed out once seated on the plane.
Just like once we’d unpacked the bags and moved into our new home…
There, they threw almost all of the fancy toy gadgets from their carryons into an action packer, fastened the lid tight and shoved it into the closet so they’d have more room on the floor to play. Only a few things remained out, visible and accessible. Those last minute gifts from grandparents sat near their pillows, ready for bed every night. The girls kept out a few of their Polly Pocket dolls and clothing. Our boy kept out his Fisher Price knights and horses. And they discovered baby lizards… everywhere!
They started catching them, dressing them in Polly Pocket clothing, making intricate mazes and dwellings out of branches, muddy sand and mango leaves. Squeals of delight erupted when they observed that gently rubbing a lizard’s chin “hypnotized” it; that made dressing without hurting… or losing part of a tail… a lot easier. Our son, wanting to get in on the fun but not wanting to demean himself by actually playing with Polly Pockets… even if it was just their clothing… sat lizards on tiny little medieval horses and began jousting competitions.
(In the interest of full disclosure, I’m pretty sure some lizards were mildly harmed, i.e. tails lost, in the carrying out of these particular activities…)"
#10 big changes, and our latest prayer letter
Our prayer letter, where we announced a change in direction for our family. Instead of returning to Niger, God is now leading us to work in Quebec City, Canada - still involved in broadcasting and audio-visual production as well as teaching. Here's an excerpt from the beginning of that letter...
“And God Wrought Special Miracles By The Hands Of Paul…”
Other versions/translations say “unusual miracles…” “extraordinary miracles…” “no ordinary miracles…” and “not common mighty works…” if we list a few of the other renditions of this verse. At first that seems a bit redundant, doesn’t it? After all, the definition of miracle is:
- an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause.
- such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God.
- a wonder; marvel.
- a wonderful or surpassing example of some quality.
So why the seemingly repetitive adjective before the word miracle?
- Yet we know God’s Word is not redundant and that “all Scripture is inspired.”
Perhaps both words together remind that an abundance of miracles surrounds, every moment, day in and day out, without fail. Most of the miraculous we forget because it has become common. We simply take for granted a beating heart, a deep breath, the gift of sight, the sun rising and setting, tides coming in and then out again, thorny soil producing fruit… too many miracles happen each day to try and count them all, and we forget about them because they are every day, dependent upon the Creator and Sustainer of this universe. The miracles God did through Paul were icing on the cake miracles – the unusual, extraordinary and not common ones. It’s that genre of supernatural that people demand of God.
Yet why should we expect… why do we demand… extravagant extravagance when every day we look right past His every day lavishness?
#9 When it rains, it pours
If our extended families ever doubted whether or not people read our blogs to keep up with them, sometimes, the response to this post should erase all doubt!
When it lightenings, it thunders...
When it snows, it blizzards...
AND in the Midwest... when it blows, it tornadoes...
We actually drove through some pretty wild weather last week as we were traveling... but cliché-ish statements like these describe how I've been feeling the past few days... weeks...
...those clichés CAN and, at this moment, DO imply a breathless "What's next?" questioning that I'm whispering after the past three weeks, which have included
- flurries to blizzards of activity,
- showers of obligations with downpours of miles in the van,
- whirlwinds of friends, faces and places...
- and too many thunderous strikes of loved ones seriously sick way too close for comfort... and seemingly all at once....
[Then] While we were traveling, we received word that both Tim's dad and Richelle's dad were quite seriously ill and hospitalized....
#8 "I'm sorry. We aren't serving eggs today."
I'm always surprised when I discover a new blog reader - but usually that happens via the computer - email, the blog itself, Facebook. After I wrote this post, I actually had several people (including my kids' oral surgeon as we were in for a consult regarding wisdom teeth extraction) mention this blog post... in person, face to face! For what it's worth, this is another one of my personal favorite post from this past year.
I'm always surprised when I discover a new blog reader - but usually that happens via the computer - email, the blog itself, Facebook. After I wrote this post, I actually had several people (including my kids' oral surgeon as we were in for a consult regarding wisdom teeth extraction) mention this blog post... in person, face to face! For what it's worth, this is another one of my personal favorite post from this past year.
One of the last times my friend and I were at the café together, we sat down at our normal corner table where we didn't have to see the large flat screen TV on the wall above us and to my right, even though it usually featured a soccer game or some sort of documentary I'd usually find interesting... and ...we waited for our server to arrive with the menus that I practically knew by heart but still took the time to read... every single time. Not sure if that is because I'm a creature of habit or if I was simply trying to make my little weekly escape last as long as possible before entering back into the fray... but I did. That week, I settled on my regular - l'omelette française... or an omelette chock full of ham and and even more cheese - usually Gouda.
When our server came to get our order, we'd already exchanged a few pleasantries with our greetings when he brought the menu, so I immediately said, "Je voudrais avoir l'omelette française, s'il vous plaît." I instantly knew that something was up... he had that same smile plastered on his face that he always had when he told me they weren't serving my favorite coffee.
"I'm sorry. We aren't serving eggs today," he replied.
"Oh... um... well, then - a plate of french fries would be delightful. Instead of cheese this time, can you be sure and bring me some mayonnaise on the side?"
There was that awkward smile, again.
"Oh... you aren't serving those either?" Wanting to avoid further awkwardness for our server, I tried a different tactic. "Please, sir, tell me what you'd recommend that I try for breakfast this morning?"
I actually don't remember what he said after that... because as he was talking to me, I was looking out the window of the café, at the market that lined the sides of road, across the street from the small parking lot in front of the café. There, vendeurs had piles of eggs stacked... some of them at least a meter high...
#7 Sobering, Scary... and Rings SO True
Another book review (because I read a lot); this one prompted lots of discussion and inspired at least a few - that I know of - to want to read this book!
"I don't remember where I first saw this title, exactly what prompted me to get a copy of this book, or how long I've been slowly working my way through it,
...but doing so has taken me on a HUGE learning curve.
There's even something called Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), or a condition in which people have
It was one of those words I'd heard, and certainly understood when I read it in context, but not one that I'd spent much time thinking about, until recently... until reading this book."
Another book review (because I read a lot); this one prompted lots of discussion and inspired at least a few - that I know of - to want to read this book!
"I don't remember where I first saw this title, exactly what prompted me to get a copy of this book, or how long I've been slowly working my way through it,
...but doing so has taken me on a HUGE learning curve.
NARCISSISM ~
inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity.
also: self-centeredness, smugness, egocentrism.
There's even something called Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), or a condition in which people have
- an excessive sense of self-importance,
- an extreme preoccupation with themselves, and
- a lack of empathy for others.
It was one of those words I'd heard, and certainly understood when I read it in context, but not one that I'd spent much time thinking about, until recently... until reading this book."
#6 of bugs and maple buds
This was just a cute post about one of our kiddos - kids who've been bounced all over the country and across three continents - and something she said.
This was just a cute post about one of our kiddos - kids who've been bounced all over the country and across three continents - and something she said.
When I told her that they weren't the rainy season red bugs, she asked for the seemingly billioneth time this year, "Why can't we go back to Niger?"
*
*
*
*
*
*
Oh... the things that make us homesick for our Niger home...
**********************************
Pop back in tomorrow for the top five posts last year...
and links to a couple of series that I've written/worked on over the past year.
