I don’t remember quite when I started reading blogs. But after some time I began to think about starting my own. I wrestled through a lot of questions: Is it safe? Will some stalker find me or my children? Would anybody be interested in what I have to say? Would it be a wise use of time? After considering it for a long time, I felt that it would be a good use of time and it could be done safely. I had been wanting to do more writing and felt blogging would be good practice and discipline. Writing for an audience (hopefully!) would help me be thoughtful and careful with my words. And blogging would be an avenue to be a blessing to others, to share things the Lord had taught me, to encourage other women along the way.
And besides all that, it looked like a lot of fun!
So with the technical help of my son, I plunged in a year ago today.
Besides all of the the above reasons for blogging, I have found a wonderful blogging community out there! I am so glad to have “met” so many of you online!
To celebrate my blogging anniversary, I want to do a few things. First, I finally wrote a “100 things about me” post. I had seen and enjoyed these on other blogs and decided to join in. I had wanted to post that here and then after a couple of days put it in the upper right hand corner. But WordPress calls this a “Post” and those things “Pages,” and after I post a post there is no way to change it into a page — I’d just have to copy and paste the text into a page, then I’d lose the comments here. So, I’ll just post it as a page under the “About me” section. You can click here to read it, but I won’t be offended if you don’t. 🙂
Secondly, I’d really like to see if some of the folks who read would leave me a comment here. 🙂 I am so thankful for those who comment regularly! You make my day! My blog stats tell me that on a “normal” day when there is not an interactive meme like the photo hunt or Works for Me Wednesday or that kind of thing, I have 100-150 or so readers. I’d love to hear from some of you so that I know someone besides spam bots are out there. 🙂
Thirdly, to say thank you to my readers, I want to have another give-away. I will draw from the names of those who leave comments on this post between now and Monday morning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time and give one person a couple of prizes. One is something I have mentioned many times on my blog, a copy of the devotional book Daily Light on the Daily Path. It is composed totally of Scripture verses, usually centered around one topic for each day. I like to use it to begin my devotional times, but there are some days — Sundays and unusually busy days — when that day’s reading may be all I do. Yet so many times the Lord has given me just what I needed for the day, and something thinking through the list of verses and trying to figure out why the compiler grouped them together has shed light on what they mean. This book has been in publication for decades and had been a blessing to many. I first read of it in missionary biographies.
When I was reorganizing my CDs the other day, I discovered that I had two copies of one of my favorite CDs, A Quiet Heart by Soundforth. I think I have posted the words to most of the songs on it at various times! I would like to give the extra copy, though it has been opened and used, to someone else so it can bless them.
Again, I’ll be sending both of these to one person whose name I’ll draw from the comments on this post. I will be glad to ship them anywhere. If you are not interested in these — perhaps you already have them (though you could always pass these on to someone else) — please just let me know in the comments, but do stop in to say hi and help me celebrate!
Just for fun, few stats: my blog stats tell me that in the past year I have had 664 posts 😳 , 5,866 comments (most of those from the interactive memes) and 17,004 spam comments (thankfully WordPress has an excellent spam catcher!) My most-viewed posts, besides the Dog Days of Summer give-aways, are Chicken Tenderloins and More Chicken Tenderloin Recipes, One of THE best things to do with leftover ham, Encouragement for mothers of young children, and When there is no hunger for God’s Word. I think it’s funny that recipe posts are getting the most views when I don’t consider myself that great a cook, especially next to some of the others out there!
Besides continuing on with my other reasons for blogging, I do have two goals for the coming year: to try to write shorter posts (I know I am way too wordy), and to try to use “smilies” less and convey the sentiment through words instead.
Here’s to another great year!
Stray Thoughts 
Even though it has only been recently that I have “met” you in bloggyland, I have been inspired by your active approach to blogging. You are a gracious blogger and a role model for all of us! Thank you for being a “model citizen” in the land of blogs. You are a gem! May God richly bless you and be gracious unto you. Happy Blogiversary! 🙂
Congratulations on your Blogging Anniversary!!!
I am enjoying your blog immensely.
Please add me to your drawing. Thank you!
http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com
OOPS!! That was me. I didn’t realize dd was still signed in. Sorry.
Congratulations on your Blogging Anniversary!!!
I am enjoying your blog immensely.
Please add me to your drawing. Thank you!
http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com
I am also a new reader of your blog and really enjoy it. Congrats on your Blogging Anniversary.
Please add me to the drawing.
Congratulations
keep writing I like your blog Barbara
I added you to my bookmarks from Show & Tell and came over to visit. Congratulations on it being your 1 year blogaversity. I will have 6 months on July 31st. It has been such a joy to me. I’m going to go read your 100th post now!
Susan
One year of blogging! Congratulations, Barbara. I think you’ve definitely taken to this medium of communication! Keep it up. 🙂
Have a happy Blogging Anniversary!! I enjoy reading your blog and am happy to have found you. I look forward to all your future posts!!
Hello Barbara!
Congratulations on your blogging anniversary! I certainly have enjoyed reading your blog. You have a wonderful way with words, and this medium is a great way to encourage others. Your blog has also sometimes led me to other blogs that often had just the encouragement(or rebuke!) that I needed at the time. Thank you for the recipes, too!
Keep on keeping on!
happy 1st blogiversary! 🙂
Happy Year One.
for me…you don’t need to shorten the posts…but if you wanted to elimiate those creepy yellow smiley things…that’d be great!
Long blog posts are not inherently bad, you know. Some of the most interesting blog authors to me consistently log full screen posts on a near daily basis.
Thanks to everyone for the very kind words! I’m glad that some of you don’t think long posts are a bad thing. Some of my favorite bloggers also write pretty long posts — it’s fine if the style is engaging. I do still need to work on better and more consice ways of expression.
Congratulations on your blogging anniversary! I am counting down the days to my own anniversary–August 29th. Blogging is such an addiction. And I’m always happy to find new blogs and meet fellow bloggers.
Barbara,
Congratulations on your blog anniversary. I regularly read your blog (usually via Bloglines) and appreciate a lot of what you have to say, although some of the posts are clearly not geared towards a readership like me :). While my wife does not generally do a lot of things on the computer, there have been times when I have pointed her to some of your posts that are directed more in that direction.
Anyway, I like the way you write and appreciate the way you have done your blog. I have no idea how you manage to post so much so consistently. I struggle to post once or twice a week.
In Christ,
Pastor Frank Sansone
HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY!!
I have only recently found your blog… but have enjoyed digging my way through your info! Keep up the good work~
Hi Barbara! Well, you know that I loooove your blog and find riches to read all the time here! Congratulations on your one-year anniversary! And you can enter me in your drawing!! God bless!
Congratulations on one year of blogging! I’m glad that your stray thoughts make it to the internet for the blessing and encouragement of sisters (and brothers) in Christ!
I am a victim of wordy posting myself, and when you come across the tips of conciseness, please blog about them! Now off to read your 100 things because I think those posts are really interesting.
Yea!!! we are celebrating together. I knew smart minds thought a like. Congrats!!!
Congratulations on your blogging anniversary, Barbara! I’m so glad to have met you and I would love to be entered into your giveaway..thank you!
Kelli
Congrats!
HAPPY BLOGGING ANNIVERSARY, Barbara!
God is good for leading me to you and your blog. I have totally enjoyed your posts. Thank you too for being such a thoughtful and sweet friend. God bless you and your family! 🙂
Happy Blogging Anniversary! I can’t say I read you every day, but I know you from my sister over at Dappled Things, and I do come over occasionally to see all the neat things you have posted. When I read you were having a Blogiversary (over at By Grace), then I had to pop over tonight to wish you well and that your prolific blogging would continue. 🙂
Congratulation on your blog birthday. I for one am so glad you decided to blog. I always read your blog even though I don’t always comment. Your writing is such a measure of strength to me. And you are one of the bloggers who always leave a nugget on my blog when you come over to visit.
God Bless your heart. May I still have many years of blogging pleasure and treasure from reading your blog!!!
I missed the drawing, but that’s OK! I’m just glad that you blog so that we could meet. You have blessed me many, many times!
Congratulations! Praise to Christ for the ways He has used you here over the past year. 🙂