Rambling

I'm in the mood to write a blog post today, but I don't have a specific topic in mind, so if you'll tolerate a bit of rambling, I'll proceed to spill out my thoughts.

That's the thing about liking to write (ahem...loving to write); you get the urge to do it, and can't feel satisfied until you do it.

I'm not a big fan of just "rambling." I'm always sure that I'll later regret something I wrote on the spur of the moment. "In the multitude of words there wanteth not wisdom." (Sorry, I can't give the reference for that Proverb 'cause I don't remember it.) But now and then a bit of chattering is a nice way to make people you care about know you care about them, because you want to talk to them and let them know you are glad they are there. :) :) And I'm certainly very glad you take the time to visit my blog.

I was thinking about that this morning...about why I started this blog. I confess I originally started it with the idea of gathering thousands of readers and selling advertisement space on the side bars as an extra income.

...Now I'm shaking in my seat with suppressed laughter. I couldn't care less about that "goal" today. Instead, this blog has been a wonderful way to meet new friends, a venting place for my writing urges, and a useful place to store photos and stories of my various projects.

But I did love the fact that my blog came up on the first page when I randomly searched for "fruit of her hands blog" this morning. I was just curious to see how many pages of search results I'd have to wade through to find my blog. ...And there it was on the first page! Maybe that was just a one-time happening. :)

Or maybe it was my search engine. OH - by the way, I love the "swagbuck" search engine. I have had it for several months, and have earned over $40 in amazon gift cards. All you do is use the swagbuck search bar instead of your google or yahoo search bar, and you'll be awarded points every few searches you do. (I guess they make their money from the advertising on the search results page.) Those points can be traded for things like gift cards!

If you get people to sign up with swagbucks because you recommended it, you'll make a point for every point they make, for their first 100 points. It's great. I've had 2 people sign up under me, and I made 200 points from them. (That's about $20 in amazon gift cards right there.) ...Of course, now they are past the 100-point mark, and I am back to earning points all by my lonesome self. Sniff, snifff.

At this point Amber shifts a little in her seat, and shyly points to her "swagbucks" button on the sidebar of her blog. She whispers "if you want to sign up under me, just click there. I really would love to earn some more points!" Then she blushes and shakes her head at herself.

Ah, yes. I'm a great self-promoter.

Not.

I am involved in 4 different entrepreneurial things here at home, and I KNOW that all of them would be flops if I didn't have my family to help me advertise. I tell very few people that I've written a book, that I teach sewing lessons, that I do custom sewing, or that they should visit the website my sister and I run. My family is so sweet to "brag" on me occasionally. It's the main way I get customers. :) (Not that they really brag, but you get the picture.)

Now I feel like I've done way too much talking, so I'm going to switch formats and just give you a list of things I've been thinking about or wishing for this month. Let me know if you feel the same way about any of these things!

~ The amount of junk email you get in December is awful.

~ I am looking forward to spring weather.

~ Christmas time is waaaaaaaaaay too stressful! (the first half of this month)

~ I'm so in the mood for Christmas! (The last half of this week. :)

~ I'm so glad to have my shopping almost done!

~ I want to make Christmas cookies, and wish I didn't have to wait until our lingering colds leave the house.

~ I've been planning things for a date with my two younger sisters sometime before Christmas. I tell them I'm gonna kidnap them and run off with them some time. We need more time together!

~ I have been thinking of goals for the New Year. One is definitely to wake up earlier every morning. The past two months I've become shamefully lazy about that!

~ Another goal is to help my family more.

~ I'm excited that my older sister, Heather, found a camera for sale for $30 this week. Yay! It's a nice camera. (And I get to borrow it. :) We needed one for our online store.

~ I'm determined to do a better job at running our store.

~ I want to write more this coming year.

~ I'm excited that a package with my name on it arrived today. It's the first of my gifts to arrive. This one is for my brother. I haven't done much Christmas shopping online before, and I'm amazed at how much fun (and how easy!) it is to have stuff delivered to your doorstep.

~ I'm dreading the pile of dishes waiting for me in the kitchen.

~ I have a BUNCH of sewing to do.

~ Today I'm going to start training my younger sister, Tiffany, to help in my sewing business. It will mean a lot less stress on my part, and a little pocket money for her. I'm SO excited to have help! ...And my "little" sister, of all people. :)

~ I got up earlier than usual today, and I'm thinking about how nice that feels.

~ I'm thinking how thankful I am for "little" blessings, like warm woolen blankets and hot rice bags at night, and the good smells of a Christmas kitchen, and the sound of laughter. I'm thinking how nice it is when the family is all together.

~ I'm thinking of friends I pray for, wishing they all knew how much I care....and more importantly, how much God thinks about them, and how involved He is with their lives, and how He plans every detail. I wish they knew how often God and I talk about them.

~ I'm thinking how glad I am that lack of spirituality on my part doesn't change God. Lack of faith on my part doesn't change Him either. I read that today; 2 Tim. ....but I can't remember which chapter and verse. But it said that God cannot deny Himself. He will be Who He will be, no matter who I am.

...Yet He responds to me. He responds differently depending on me. Some days He is the firm Instructor, rebuking my sin with a voice so firm I weep, yet I cannot be angry because I know He is right. Other days He is the mighty Comforter, holding my heart together when it is in pieces. Other days I am dull and spiritually asleep, and He nudges me and bumps me until I wake up. Other days I am so happy I can't help singing and bouncing....and He seems to soar along with me.

But yet He's always the same. His voice is the same, even when the tone and words are different. He doesn't depend on my mood at all. The way I feel doesn't change Him. He's just so big - I can get lost in Him. I wish I could find the right words to praise Him properly.

Boy; now I've got my thoughts spinning so much I can't think of what else to write. I guess I've chattered on long enough anyway. I hope you are all doing well, and enjoying your week so far. Remember to give Jesus praise today, because where Jesus is glorified, that's where the Spirit is, and we are to walk and live in the Spirit.

Tell me how you are doing. I love to hear from you!