Saturday I worked on a video blog — for most of the day. Now why in the world would I do such a thing? I really don’t have a good answer for that question.
Here’s how it started. I’m speaking at the Free To Be Me Bloggers Retreat in October. Sweet Angie Knight is planning this event along with her sister and an incredible team. They asked that all the speakers to do a video…. oh my, when I first read that request I was filled with such dread. Me? On video? Oh no!
I have a huge problem with seeing myself in pictures or on the screen. Just don’t like it and I’m so very critical of me. And there was the whole ‘I don’t know how to do a video’ problem.
Somehow I thought doing a video blog would be a good thing. Apparently, I was either caffiene deficit or sleep deprived or possibly (and most likely) both.
I started out the video wearing only lipstick … well, and clothes, I don’t want you to think I was doing anything inappropriate. After about five takes sans makeup or fixed hair, I decided that was just a little more real than I needed to be.
I added some makeup and did a little hair fixin’. Let the video-ing commence. Over the next 19 takes, I found all kind of stuff I didn’t like.
- I don’t like how my shirt is pulling in that one
- Ooh, not a good idea to bend over in front of the camera
- I sound funny in that one
- What is up with my hair? Should it be up? or Down?
- The boa got caught in the wheel of my chair… not pretty
- My face looks crooked
At one point I got so tickled at myself. I was trying to make a video for the Free to Be Me Retreat and I wasn’t feeling so free to be me. I wanted to be someone else.
I wanted to be:
Comfortable on camera
cute & skinny on camera
eloquent and well spoken (kinda hard for a country girl from Alabama)
graceful on camera (which I ruined when I fell out of the chair trying to retrieve the boa)
After about 20 takes I decided to stop the madness which coincided with finding the ‘take a picture’ button on the webcam. This is when the crazy just ramped up to mach speeds. (Don’t ask what mach speed is, I don’t know. I just know it’s really, really fast. )
I decided I should try out different looks.
With glasses - hair down
Glasses - hair up
No glasses and so on and on and on. Did I mention I pulled out four pair of glasses. I know. I’m pathetic.
And all of this for video for the Free to Be Me Retreat. I was neither being me or feeling free to being me.
Finally, I just stopped. I landed on 24 and went with it.
I can’t do perfect and I don’t even come anywhere close to it. Ithink I either overcame my fear of video or just gave in to the crazies.
The video’s not perfect, but it is me. And there is a feather boa involved. That makes me smile. Enough said.
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I am just so excited about this event! It’s the Free to Be Me Bloggers’ Retreat.
This is one incredible retreat and it’s happening Oct 23 & 24. Sounds like a long way off, doesn’t it? Trust me, it will be here before you know it.
Can’t wait to share more details with you, but first check out this video. It’s my first attempt and considering it only took 24 takes I think I’m going to hold onto my day job. At least for now.
Now, many of you know how much I LOVE a roadtrip! But this is more than your run of the mill getaway, this is on amazing getaway — you’ll have workshops, fellowship and so much more.
God is all over me about this event. The message He has given me is so powerful! I’m just praying for His strength and wisdom as I prepare. It’s only through Him that I’ll stand before y’all and share what He’s given me.
So what do you think? Boas for all? Will you be there? Don’t forget, you can get the early bird discount until July 1st. That’s only $75 for the retreat, lodging, and some meals! Wow! That’s a great deal!
I’m so thrilled about the Free to Be Me Bloggers Retreat – go check it out.
I hope you’ll think about it. I would love to see your cute face at the Retreat.
I just can’t stand it when I lose something! It drives me nuts. The sad thing is I lose stuff all the time. Connection? I think not. My being nuts as nothing to do with all the lost things in my life…. well, maybe a little.
Back to my problem with losing things. If I misplace something I’ll tear the house down trying to find it. It doesn’t matter what if I’m looking for my favorite capris or a pack of breath mints. Value or usefulness is not in this equation, I just want to find it. Whatever it may be.
I wish I were this diligent about people who drift out of my life.
I don’t turn over every leaf looking for you. I don’t tear through drawers and search through closets. I may make a call or send a card, but I usually do nothing. It’s not that I don’t care. I do. It’s that I’m so caught up in my life that I just don’t take the time to invest in looking.
Maybe I should spend more time seeking out lost people and less time worried about where I put that pack of gum.
I’ve battled back & forth over this blog post. Normally, I just smack some words together and post. Yes, I know I’m a true wordsmith. But there are the occasional posts that are more thoughtful and prayerful. Today we have the second kind.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure I should write it — Lord, I don’t really think I have anything to say on the matter. Of course, God knew that wasn’t the truth. There isn’t a subject on the planet that I won’t discuss. Okay, Lord, I don’t think I’m the one to say it. We’ve been talking this out all morning.
As I typed words and deleted them over and over and over, God brought something to mind. Tomorrow I’m speaking on the topic Online Friendships at Ministry:Online and as I prepared for this message God kept pointing me to study beyond the fun and spend some time on the dangers of online deception and toxic relationships. I was certain that I wouldn’t use it in my message, but God still had me prepare. I assured God that I am much better at a message about the fun & blessing of online friends, God assured me that He is the one who called me and He would be the one to tell me the message. Ouch. Okay, Lord, I’ll study that part too. Today I see His hand and I praise Him for preparing my heart to walk through this with you.
Now to my story:
I’ve followed a certain blogger who calls herself “B.” I’ve faithfully read her blog (and that says a lot, I don’t even faithfully read my own blog). I followed along as she traveled a path of pain & sorrow.
“B” was pregnant & unmarried when she learned her baby girl would not live. Little April Rose was diagnosed with Trisomy 13. I don’t know much about this diagnosis other than what I read on her blog — her baby would not live outside the womb.
I read the pain filled posts of doctors predictions that sweet baby girl would not survive through the pregnancy, much less make it to birth. I prayed for a miracle. Thousands and possible tens of thousands approached the throne on B’s behalf and asked for that miracle. This community that came up around B and baby April Rose was one of great prayer warriors, sisters in the faith who’d walked this path before, and Internet friends with a heat to help. We are young and not so young; we are mothers and single ladies; we are home schooling moms and working moms; we are all sisters in the belief that God does bring miracles. We cried out for that miracle.
And we rejoiced when we heard the heartbeat of a strong growing baby girl. A heart beat that had been slowing at each visit, a heart that we’d prayed for God to save, we heard that heartbeat on a YouTube video and we cried.
I talked of B and April Rose to my Bible study girls and I asked for prayer.
We rejoiced when she passed 30 weeks and then 35 weeks.
And then things started happening. Little things that didn’t make sense. Red flags that God brought to my attention. And I paid attention. God has taken me down this path before and when He opens my eyes to something I pay attention.
Today,the blogoshpere is talking about B & April Rose – it was deception. Why did she do it? I don’t know. It doesn’t really matter. That’s for B to deal with, not me. I approached the throne of grace and boldly asked for a miracle just as Hebrews 4:16 teaches we are to do.
As each of us tries to figure out this deception, don’t let this make you bitter or untrusting. Let God use this experience to grow you and to teach you. For each of you who prayed for this mother and child, keep praying. This woman, mother or not, needs our prayers. Can you imagine the sadness that she must live in? The desire for attention? The desire of money? No matter what her reasons, she needs more Jesus. No matter how any of us feel, we all need more Jesus. Grab onto Him.
Approach the throne of grace with confidence. You are God’s chosen one. (Col 3:12); Walk in the knowledge that you are His masterpiece (Eph2:10) and know that you walk in His strength, not your own, and that it is in this strenghth you will find compassion and joy. (Col 1:9-11)
I hold to that. More Hope. More Joy. More Jesus.
I’m home from vacation. That was just a sad statement. What is it about vacation that makes my heart soar? I want to figure it out and try to duplicate here at home.
Vacation – no responsibilities like paying bills, feeding dogs, housework & yardwork. Wait. I don’t really do that last one and not a whole lot of that housework one either.
Home - responsibilities. Maybe I could just skip them. The dog would die, our lives would be repossessed and the house & yard would look about the same.
Vacation — eat at different restaurants every day and pretend that calories don’t count since I’m on vacation.
Home — cook. Vaughn does a lot of the cooking. I may sling something in a pot once or twice a week. As for the calorie thing, I eat like I’m on vacation.
Vacation - do fun stuff all day long or do nothing all day long.
Home - go to work which I do love (most of the time) and some days I do nothing all day long.
Okay, I’m the first to admit that my life is very blessed. But there’s something about being away with j my people, just us. It’s a precious time and I do love it.
What is your favorite part of vacation?
Until next time.
