Day 23: The Joys of Blogging!

Why do people blog?

Why spend hours taking pictures, laboring over grammar and sentence structure
to complete one little post, only to do it all over again the next day?

We all have our reasons,
but most of them come down to this...
we enjoy it.

Have you ever wanted to start a blog?

Today I'm going let you in on a little secret...or two,
about why I enjoy blogging, and maybe you'll be encouraged to start your own.

1. I finish things

I have a habit of starting projects and not finished them, can I hear an amen?!

Blogging can be a great motivator to finish projects,

because it provides a place to share them and get feddback!

2. Expression
No secret here, I love writing,
and this little blog gives me an arena to practice my craft, and share my words.
Whatever it is that makes you tick, blogging is a means to express that.

3. A Challenge
Not only was it a challenge creating my blog, getting all of the technical
aspects to come together, but it continues to push me on to new challenges.
Whether it be with my projects, a particularly intimate post, or just blogging in general,
being involved in the world of blogging challenges you to step it up.

4. Growth Chart
Each time you do overcome a challenge, it is right there in your archives as proof.
Looking back on older blog posts is a great way to measure
the strides you have taken and see the progress of your efforts,
as well as shortcomings you may need to work on.

5. Get organized
Running a blog is a great way to teach you organization and time management skills!
I've learned to keep a journal of all my blogging and post ideas as well
as a calender just for my blog. This way I can see when I have posts
scheduled and when I need to spend a day preparing more.

6. Community!
Last but most important and rewarding,
is the community of blogging!

I get to meet wonderful new people,
who slowly over time, become my friends, and share more and more of their stories.
For me, blogging and the people I connect with through it, are inseparable...
they are one and the same.

So thank you each and every single one of your who stops by to 'see' me.
I read every comment and do my best to reply.
And to all of you 'shadow readers', the ones lurking unseen in cyber space, reading but holding your peace.
I understand.
I used to be just like you.
I look forward to the day when you decide to pop out of the wood work and say 'hi'.

Blogging connects people.
There are blogs that I follow who's writers I have never met,
but I feel as if they are my real friends because I have been
so drawn in by their stories and allowed their little life to become a part of mine.

It is impossible that we could ever meet all of the great people living in this world,
but through blogging, I think we can connect with some of those great people and know their beauty
through a small, glowing screen.


That is what I enjoy most.The greatness, the beauty, and the community of blogging.

~~~~
I'm linking up at Anchored in Love Divine
for the Blog Everyday in February Challenge!

Day #4: A Name With A Story

Have you ever wondered how this little blog got its name?
A name is an important thing.

So important that God even changed the names of several of His followers
in both the Old and New Testaments.
Apparently, it is something that requires some serious thought.

Truth be told,

there was no great lightbulb moment when I came up with 'Gladness of Heart',

but I do feel it was something the Lord inspired.

See, I'm a wanderer, a dreamer, a romantic.

If I had my way, I would travel the world sampling the cultures and hearts

of the people of many nations; see the beautiful handiwork of God and man displayed in nature and architect,
and soak in the music, colors, and rhythms of other nattionalities.

But, as life really is,

I live in a tiny Texas 'village', transplanted from my beautiful northern roots,
and far away from anything exciting and cultural.

Let's just say I often have to submit my adventurous heart to God and trust Him with the details of my life.

It was upon one such trusting lesson that I came across these verses...

"This is what I have observed to be good:

that it is appropriate for a person to eat, 

 to drink and to find satisfaction 

in their toilsome labor under the sun

during the few days of life God has given them

—for this is their lot.

Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions,

and the ability to enjoy them,

to accept their lot and be happy in their toil

—this is a gift of God.

They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because

God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart."

Ecclesiastes

5:18- 20

 The Lord really impressed upon me that last portion:

'God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.'

He gives us the occupation of our hands,

and He has given us what we need to have gladness in our hearts, 
but the choice remains ours to find joy in where we are.

So really, this blog became a way of submitting to where God has me right now.

In a little place, living a little life....choosing to find gladness in it all.

Since then, 

this blog really has become a source of gladness for me,

giving me a chance to travel through my thoughts and writings,
 even connecting me with people the world over, people like you, who come by to read!

They say we grow into our names...and I'm glad of that. 

~~~~
I'm linking up at Anchored in Love Divine
for the Blog Everyday in February Challenge!

A Blog is Born

Hola mi amigos! :)

Well, the other night, somewhere between 1:30 and 4 a.m. I couldn't sleep so I decided to make this blog.  Or maybe, I stayed up and made this blog and that's why I couldn't sleep??

Soooo, some of you know and follow (thank you!) my other blog Streams in the Wasteland, so you may be wondering, why another blog?

Well, Streams in the Wasteland was designed as a devotional blog, a more serious minded and spiritually based place for me to share my spiritual thoughts and verses the Lord has been teaching me on. A very good thing and I intend to keep it up.

BUT, for quite a while I have had other things which I have wanted to share in a blogging style that is more daily living, light, fun hearted and not-so-deep. And THAT is gonna be the purpose of THIS blog....a more lighthearted place to share the simple goings on of normal life, from recipes, family news, pictures, projects, funny stories, and other randomly wonderful stuff that I want to share with you.

I hope in the days and months to come Gladness of Heart will be...well...just what it says! A place of lighthearted joy and sharing. :)

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20-- Then I realized that is is good and proper for a man to eat and drink and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him-- for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work- this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keep him occupied with gladness of heart.

So, welcome, and thanks for coming by. As long as you are here, I wanted to share a little something with you that gave me some heart gladness today! Enjoy this song!

~*~