I remember the day when blogging began to feel like a community of friends. It was because of Lynn Abbotts. I’ve moved around a lot in my life so I know that it can take a couple years for a new place to feel like a home. Three years is probably stretching it. Four might be an indication you are living like a hermit. And it’s been over four (cringe) since I started blogging. Blogging was the place I went for solitude. It began as a two-way conversation with my dad.
So, I was walking to the grocery store in Tucson that day, the sun was beating down, it was October 15, my son’s birthday, and I had spent the morning writing him a story. I was fidgeting with my phone when a notification popped up from Lynn. She said my story about his birth was like a word picture. It’s hard to explain how much her encouragement meant to me that day, and when I visited her beautiful blog, well, I realized I had met a soul mate. This is when I began to open up to other bloggers.
I have Lynn to thank for giving me a kick out of my safe little cocoon, into the light. She will forever be my Liebster friend. Liebster in German means “sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.” This award was created to recognize and discover “new” bloggers (smile) and build community. Thank you Lynn, for this acknowledgement. I’ll get on with accepting it and answer your 11 questions.
What inspired you to blog?
I had no idea what I was doing. It wasn’t my plan to write a blog. I had been sharing little stories my dad was telling me on Facebook. I didn’t want to lose them. When they outgrew Facebook, I started my blog called Sundays with Dad. Like the name, Sunday was our day together, we’d go to church, have lunch and, even without Dad telling me a story, that day was always a story. I kept writing.
After a while I discovered I liked telling my own stories and began interspersing them with my dad’s. One day, I decided I needed to pack up my things and find a space of my own. Ta-dah! Not According to Plan was launched about a year after I started Sundays.
What do you love most about blogging?
I was a dancer for decades, I won’t mention how many, okay fine, 4. (I’m 62 and proud of that. Freedom has come with age.) Dance gave me discipline. Dance gave me a structure from which I could create. Dance was where I escaped from things, sometimes myself, and could find beauty.
Blogging is the same. It gives me discipline to write regularly and a structure to build on. It’s where I sometimes escape to be surrounded by beauty. I have a special fondness for my poet friends and those who continually inspire my faith.
What do you hope to accomplish with your blog?
Well, hmm, perfect timing for that question, Lynn. I have been a little remiss in my reading and commenting lately because I’m getting ready to launch a new website so that I have my blogs and book all in one place. Blogging continues to be about discipline for me but more importantly about connecting to people and places I would never be able to experience. I’m amazed at the places and cultures and viewpoints I can experience because of my blogging friends.
During the course of your life who has influenced you the most.
Jesus.
Who is your favorite author?
Tolstoy.
What historical figure would you most like to meet?
Joan of Arc
Where or what is your happy place?
Home with my husband, my dog Sam, and my cat Mary (and my son Charlie and his wife Lauren whenever they can come to visit).
Not a Hamster Award Sam, we got a Liebster Award!Share with us a favorite memory.
Learning to ride a bike when I was five. “No training wheels,” Dad said. “Get on and sit down. I’ll hold it. Pedal.” I pedaled. I road past the barn a good couple 100 yards, stopped and turned to tell him I liked it. He was still standing back where we started. Waving at me.
What would you most like people to say about you.
She has a great heart.
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be?
Back to France. I felt totally at home there and would travel by train from town to town and end up back in Paris. I loved it.
Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
Many, but I’ll choose the one that inspired the theme for this blog and my new site Not According to Plan. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28). That doesn’t mean everything is all rosey. People can get that misconstrued. Jesus suffered. He doesn’t always remove our suffering but walks with us through it, giving us hope, comfort through His Word, and yes, new Life beyond what we can imagine.
11 Random facts about me:
I love red shoes and redheads.
I can’t do a cartwheel.
My cat Mary says I’m a Dog Mom. This isn’t true of course; I love all my kids equally.
I was a voice major in college.
I read four sections of the Bible every morning and write down my two-way conversation with God. This is often the foundation for my posts: poetry and stories.
My dog is 15 and I don’t know what I’ll do without him. But I said the same thing about losing my Mom and my Dad and my brother. I lived.
I never planned to run a nonprofit.
I never planned most of the things I ended up doing in life, like becoming a dancer, writing a book, being a regular church goer. (Boom! 11 random facts.)
I nominate the following 11 individuals and their blogs for a Liebster Award because they are inspiring or quirky or beautiful or all of the above and so much much more: (in no particular order):
Disue Poetry and short Stories
So you, 11 bloggers, I nominate you because you make me laugh, make me think and inspire me. If you would like to accept my nomination, here are my 11 questions for you:
Why did you start blogging?
What is your greatest inspiration in life and/or in writing?
Share something that didn’t turn out at all according to plan.
What do you do when you are afraid of trying something new?
What is your favorite breakfast food?
What is your favorite love song?
Who is your favorite author?
What’s the best book you’ve read in the past year and why?
Where are you from?
What do you want to be remembered for?
Okay, that’s a wrap. Thanks again, Lynn. Love you. Phew. Todd and Sam are “patiently” waiting for dinner. Where’s that cat…Mary?