Niche follow-up

After reviewing the idea of a niche for my blog, here is my conclusion.  I really just want to write about life for now.  Nothing specific, but the things that I am doing and facing.  There are several interests, or maybe hobbies, that I have and that is what I enjoy . . . what I chose to spend my time on -- my niche, my life. 


I really don't have "free" time as one might typically think of it, for everything I do is for some reason.  I plan and clean and organize so that our household functions well and we enjoy our surroundings.  I read, study, and work to expand my knowledge, be better at what I do, and kept what I do from being all about the baby's next feeding or the kid's homework or the housework.  My down time still has purpose: the cross stitch picture is for decoration in my bathroom, my blog reading is for learning and inspiration, the walk in the morning is for a mental break and the physical exercise, the craft with the kids is for developing creativity - mine and theirs,  even the movie I watch with my husband or the card game we play in the evening is an investment in him and our relationship.  


When I wrote about finding a niche, my wonderful mother sent me several definitions of the word: niche.  One particularly captured my attention, "

a comfortable or suitable position in life".  So, my niche is my life.  At least for now, that is my blogging niche.

Starting the week . . .

Well, this morning started out very slow around here . . . things were kind of a mess from a home management standpoint and physically I feel awful . . . I have a severe head cold, the worst in years, and it has really made my body feel terrible.  Usually Mondays are my cleaning days and I start the day with some time blogging, reading and writing.   This morning, knowing I wanted to post something and not being sure where to turn to start, I did a Google search for blogging basics.  (I am learning how to do this in the way I would like and definitely need some guidance.)  I found Melanie Nelson at Blogging Basics 101.  What a great resource she appears to be.  
One of the first things she says to do as you start blogging, find your niche.  OK. so . . .  niche, huh? Well,  . . . what is my niche?!?  This will be interesting!  Abby suggested several questions to get one thinking along the line of they could choose as their niche.  So this weeks assignment for myself:  find, better said, define my niche.  I am sure it will change and grow over the years, for I hope to be doing this for a long time to come, but for now what would I like to define my online writing as?  Well, next week, I hope to have a better idea - for now, on to my blogging "homework".  
Now, that I have spent my morning reading, writing, and drinking coffee (around playing with my son and putting him down for his nap - not an easy task this morning), it is off to clean and pick up, maybe squeeze a nap in too, my head is starting to feel a bit fuzzy . . .  

November's Habit

This month with Thanksgiving coming here in the US, this month's habit is sort of by default.   With our focus starting to turn to the Christmas Holidays, and not wanting to overshadow Thanksgiving, ideas of how to streamline our Thanksgiving focus are plentiful.  A simple online search will reveal more suggestions then one could ever hope to implement.  
For me, I have chosen to use the Gratitude Journal developed by Jason and Jennifer Bruce and found on Motherhood . . . Your Way.  (On a side note: Life . . . Your Way collection of sites is definitely worth checking out.  There is almost something for everyone there.)  
My dear husband printed the beautiful color cards for me, and they sit on my desk.  When I am working there, if there is something that I have been especially thankful for that day, I write it on a card.  Though, I may not think to write one each day (for there are days that are not "leisurely" enough to allow me to sit at my desk), I have already had a few days were more than one card was filled.  I plan to have them all filled by Thanksgiving.  At the end of month, I'll read them through and stash them way in my Holiday Journal to pull out and look at next year.  
In thinking of how I can help my family focus on being thankful each day, not just in this time of year, and it has been impressed on me that I need to be thankful!  I think of myself as a thankful person, but I more often than I want to admit I have found myself complaining or "sporting" a bad attitude.  That is harder to do when you are truly thankful.  So this year, rather than trying to drag my family into thankfulness mode, I am seeking to guide by example.  A wife and mom with a thankful attitude will most likely cultivate a family with a thankful attitude.  

Nancy Sure Didn't Waste Any Time!

These comments from the True Women Conference this weekend, are a wonderful reminder to all who work ministering to others. Whether your ministry is to those in your church, neighborhood, or your family these truths are wonderfully challenging: Nine Potential Pitfalls of Ministry

Revive '11 is a conference focused to those ladies who head up a ladies' ministry: "for women serving women". I look forward to seeing what other posts are done throughout the weekend and to be able to hear what messages and challenges come from those who are in attendance.

If you are not familiar with Nancy Leigh DeMoss or her ministry, check it out at Revive Our Hearts.

Over the last few months the idea of writing has been a recurring visitor in my days.  Over the last year, I have been regularly reading several different blog sites.

I enjoy writing when I do write and the idea of using a blog to exercise that habit and skill has appeal for me.

With the beginning of this current month, I am starting with some more intentional writing.  Obviously, not all of my scribbling will make it to posting, but the development of this habit and a plan of what I'll write hopefully will encourage and cement this developing area of my life.