Tag: blog

Links, News, Publication Updates, Reblogs

Updated Blog Domains

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Click on the blog titles below to be linked to their new domains!

 

Purposeful Ponderings Blog Title

About Purposeful Ponderings: Poetic Devotionals

Purposeful Ponderings: Poetic Devotionals comprise original poems and prayers based on scripture. Readers are encouraged to add these short devotionals imposed on a thematic image or series of images to their daily routine.

God’s poetry is the most divine. It is a source of solace, reflection, and wisdom. These are the songs of the souls who penned them from God’s direct inspiration while they lived through their experiences. They are the words we learn to memorize as children, but more importantly, cling to through our adult circumstances. These are the words we know because they suture our broken hearts.

For these reasons, I have decided that for my weekend posts I will write an expounded lesson about one of the Psalms, another book of biblical poetry, or a portion of poetic prayer set apart from the biblical narrative.

Blessings to all who read and glory to God alone. May my ponderings encourage your purpose.

 

Following Doc's Shadow Blog Title

About Following Doc’s Shadow: A Dog (Somewhat Cat) Blog

Purpose:
  • To chronicle my pets’ lives through a photo-journal highlighting persona poetry and anecdotal captions for photographs, videos, and illustrations.
  • To build awareness about canine rescue.
  • To encourage behavior education and breed research for pet and owner well-being.
  • To promote reputable, supportive websites and organizations.
Social Media:
  • Create of a responsive, photo-journal themed WordPress site.
  • Link a Facebook Page to the WordPress site.
  • Connect with trainers, breeders, and dog-lovers.
  • Reblog pet stories, photos, and websites (with permission and discretion).
Reblogs, Uncategorized

Strive for Balance in Post Design

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Interesting that I caught part of “The Karate Kid” over the weekend and heard Mr. Miyagi’s balance advice to Daniel. This blog offers great advice about post design. But, before I apply it, I better get my own karate kid to class!

The Daily Post

Once you’re in a blogging groove and the words begin to flow, you naturally begin to look for ways to enhance the look of your posts.

Adding images is a great way to reinforce ideas, emphasize or illustrate a specific point, provide visual breathing space within lengthy text passages, or even inject humor. When using images, take some sage advice from Mr. Miyagi of Karate Kid fame:

Better learn balance. Balance is key.

But this is blogging, not karate

Soource: WikipediaSource: Wikipedia

Ah yes, grasshopper, but did you know that balance is one of the bonafide principles of design?

Balance is embodied in a visually pleasing arrangement of the items on a page. For extra credit, you can read up on the different elements of balance.

Balance dos

While it’s your blog and you can do (almost) anything you want with it, here are some fast and…

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Advent, Personal Parables

Advent 2012: Disturbing the Peace

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PeaceDid you notice I did not post an Advent blog yesterday? Maybe, like me, you feel like the holiday season is the least peaceful time of your year. There are always places to go and people to see. Lists take longer than usual to complete. The events calendar is so filled, it appears black. Dark moods fill our cups of good cheer.

Herod had many dark moods. In the time of the Pax Romana, Herod’s paranoia became paramount. What did the star shining incessantly in the sky mean to him? His reaction to the Magi gives a glimpse. His actions shed light on his true character.

When compared to Herod, it is easy to feel wise. But, what about lacking personal peace in a season of desiring “peace on earth, goodwill to men.” What light does that shed on my character? “When King Herod heard this he was disturbed and all of Jerusalem with him.” The Magi saw the star and knew it meant a great king had been born. King Herod must have missed the star’s significance if he had to consult the chief priests about the Messiah’s birthplace.

I missed something yesterday: our family Advent reading. I was ordering Christmas cards and preparing for Christmas programs even as I was making dinner, getting kids here and there, helping them complete their schoolwork. But, missing this particular reading disturbs me.

Luke 2:1-20: The Birth of Jesus.

Poetic Reading: “Christmas Wonder,” “Stained Glass,” and “While Bethlehem Sleeps” (Shepherds…)

Family Reading: Bartholomew’s Passage –Week Two: Wednesday and Thursday

Through our reading, God’s light illuminated His story anew for me. Did it disturb Joseph and Mary to lay Immanuel in a manger? Didn’t the angels disturb the shepherds’ peaceful watch? What was it they said?

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Glory to God, indeed, for His divine disturbance with His perfect peace!

Advent, Personal Parables

Advent 2012: Making Peace

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Today we reflect on making peace.Peace

Luke 1:67-80: Zechariah’s Song.

Poetic Reading: “Trust” and “Cookie Days”

Family Reading: Bartholomew’s Passage –Week Two: Tuesday

Did you notice I am two days late with this post? For those who did, I apologize. For those who did not, I suspect you had a day like mine! On “Cookie Days,” making peace can be difficult. Maybe you realize you do not have all the right ingredients for the perfect day. Worse, you did not discover that absent ingredient until you were well on your way to trouble.

For example, I left the house with plenty of time to get my son to his Tuesday morning appointment. The trek takes us from our home in one of the Twin Cities’ northwest suburbs to just shy of Wisconsin’s border. I know the route by heart. I anticipated the construction zones. I figured Sunday’s snow-covered roads were managed Monday. Afterall, I live in the land of snowplows. Imagine my surprise when the road felt like driving on rumble bumps, and rush hour–when no ones gets anywhere fast–extended well past 9:00 am. Apparently, MNDOT has a new recipe for snow removal. But, since this post is about making peace, I will do what I did on the near-impassable roads. I moved on. I called the doctor’s office to make sure a twenty-minute delay would not ruin everyone else’s schedule. With their willingness to adjust, I persevered. After a pleasant visit with my son’s doctor, we braved the roads home.

Later, we prepared to leave for guitar lessons. Now we understood how bad the roads would be. Imagine my concern with the tire pressure light illuminated. We turned around, and my husband did an expert pit crew job filling the tire. Then the fuel light turned on. A quick stop at the gas station delayed yet another on-time arrival.

When it was time for our Advent reading, I was exhausted. I anticipated the scripture passage, the first poem, the page for our story. But, even though I wrote the poetry book, I forgot the order. When “Cookie Days” appeared after “Trust,” I smiled. God used my own words to remind me He substituted all the non-peaceful ingredients of my day with His provision. He remade my day.

After our Advent reading, my sons and I finished reading Twice Freed, an excellent book from our family reading list. I thought about writing this blog post. But,making peace for Wednesday seemed a better idea, so I blissfully drifted off to sleep.

Post A Day, Uncategorized

Daily Prompt: Hobson’s Choice

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If you had to choose between being able to write a blog (but not read others’) and being able to read others’ blogs (but not write your own), which would you pick? Why?

My initial reaction is WRITE! Yet, this prompt was posted a few days ago, and I have yet to WRITE about it. I have been READING posts, so in all honesty, I must answer READ for this question. Even so, I am reminded of my first college books by Donald Murray Read to Write and Write to Learn. These primers confirmed how reading and writing collaborate in the creative process. Reading is essential to improve writing. But, it is important not to ignore the writing with all the reading. Reading blogs does inspire me to write my own, but I need to make sure I get my thoughts on the screen as well. I do enjoy the inclusion of both in my daily life and am thrilled I do not have to choose between the two.