Saturday, June 11, 2011

Two mites...or putting my two cents in

Why write? Write what? Who cares?

These are just three questions that have had my blog at an absolute standstill for the past few weeks. And, somehow, these questions led me back to a familiar Bible story. You know it - the widow and the two mites. Jesus was at the temple with the disciples and in comes a woman to give her offering - a whopping two mites. Probably not even enough to buy a loaf of bread. In the midst of all the huge offerings - her small gift was noticed.

Why write? I'm not sure why I started writing, but in the process I find that I learn something. I am able for just a moment to step out of my ADD scatteredness and latch onto an idea long enough to process it - I make sense of the jigsaw puzzles that make up my thoughts. Occasionally I go back and read previous blogs and learn along with others the lesson God showed me that first day. (That's one of the blessings of being ADD - I learn new things all the time....sometimes it's the same lesson but I've forgotten so it's completely new to me!) In other words - I write to share whatever lesson I have received.

Write what? I try to look around each day to see the one thought that will become the seed of a blog. Some days they come in such abundance I feel like I could write a book if I could type fast enough. At other times I go days and only find a dried seed here or there. If I am honest with myself, I've allowed my mind to become cluttered too much with the trivial - the soil is just filled with rocks of insignificance and there is just no room for the seed to grow. (Sigh, I may actually have to stop playing games on facebook for a while!) I don't have to have some grand message...it may only be two mites, but I gladly share what I have.

Who cares? Ahhh - there's the problem. The writing often dries up when I worry about bothering others. I know they can just hit the delete button if they subscribe or not hit the link if they read through facebook....but I hate to be a bother. Who am I to think that I have anything worth reading? There are millions out there who have a better message or writing style than me. Insecurity stops me dead in my typing tracks and I stare at an empty screen....or find that I don't even try to log-in in the first place. I succumb to the enemy's whispers that my little bit isn't worth sharing. Gee - wonder if the widow who gave her last two "mites" had to deal with those whispers? Did she worry that what she had just wasn't important enough to share?

There it is....I write because I want to share. I want to share the lessons God teaches me. I want to share the joy He gives. I want to help others through my own foolish mistakes and somewhat fractured thought processes. I want to share the lessons learned in the midst of laughter. I want to give of what I have. It seems like so little in the light of what others can do, but still I share. Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I freely give to you. I may never say as Peter did, "...take up your mat and walk," but I can say lift up your eyes and run! Each day is a gift from God; find the joy and live! I may not be Peter, but I can be the widow.

How about you? Why do you "do what you do?" What motivates you? What is the gift you have been given? Share it! The widow did and we're still talking about her today!

Luke 21: 1-4 (Message translation) - "Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, "The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford—she gave her all!"


Acts 3:6-8 (Message translation) - "Peter said, "I don't have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!" He grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him up. In an instant his feet and ankles became firm. He jumped to his feet and walked."


I really would like to hear from those who read and to be very honest, I'd like to reach at least 100 followers by the end of June. Want to help me in my insanity? First - tell me why you read my blog - or why you don't! I promise not to take it personally....okay, I promise to TRY to not take it personally. Second - please tell a friend or two about the blog, maybe even recommend your favorite one of the past couple of months for them to read. Third - let me know what I can do to make this a place you'd like to visit. 

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Donna, I love your blog for its transparency. You're real with what you are thinking, learning, or struggling with. That encourages me, and often I gain new insight into something "familiar" by reading your blogs. I also struggle with the whispers; my following isn't nearly as big as yours is now ( can't even imagine 100 readers), and comments are very rare. Satan often tells me that I am just wasting space on the Internet - that what I share only matters to my parents. But like you, I feel compelled to use the gift for writing He gave me in the hope of encouraging someone else. Thank you for being obedient to the same calling. Keep writing!!

Ross Jones said...

Donna,

While I was reading your blog I was thinking of the times when you "shared" with Aaron and I. Whether it was @ Grace Temple, your living room, or at Camp...those times were special. The fact is I don't remember most of what you said...and as a youth pastor for eight years myself, I would'nt suspect that most of my kids remember anything I said. But it wasn't what you said...but that you were willing to "share!" Share your home, your life, your husband..Dale is the man! Because you were willing to share, you were so instrumental in our lives...SO KEEP SHARING!!! We are blessed to read your mites...
One thing you shared with me at Camp has always stuck with me...you gave me a word about always having a fight infront of me...that God made me a warrior, and that I was going to do a lot of fighting. That has always stuck with me...and it has bore out! Sometimes in the middle of the fight...I think on those words. It brings encouragement!

Kelli said...

I've been reading your blog via facebook for a while now, but to help you reach your goal, I am now officially a follower! I've enjoyed reading your blogs because it seems that whatever you write about generally hits home and reflects something I'm dealing with in my own life, and I'm always encouraged. So, please keep writing! Even if you don't feel it, you're making a big difference.

Tammy Walters said...

I love your blog because you love us enough to share the truth. Sometimes it's fully truth, sometimes in hard truth, and sometimes it's yucky, messy truth, but it always truth and always encouraging!

Donna said...

Thanks to all who have commented...and thanks for becoming a "follower" Kelli!

Kathy Castor said...

Hi Donna! I enjoy stopping by your blog because I know I will usually find a challenge in it - intentional or not - and find something I relate to with regards to parenting, my faith journey, or just being a woman.

I totally get the moments of wondering "why write? write what? who cares?" They pop into my mind too. I trust that God will do what He wants to do with whatever I write and hopefully shape me to write more the way He wants me to along the way. While I know it's ultimately not about the approval of others, it is easy to get sucked into "needing" that. So, even if you don't get to 100 by your desired goal date, remember your audience - the most important audience - is an audience of One.

Keep writing truthfully from your heart and I will keep reading. :)
God bless!

Donna said...

Kathy, thank you so much for the reminder....I truly do want to remember I do it for the audience of One!

Kathryn said...

Donna,

I know exactly how you feel as I have felt (and still feel) that way many times! I don't write very often - just when God really puts something on my heart and then I have the tendency to think, "Why bother? No one even reads it anyway." But then He gently reminds me that maybe He doesn't have me writing it for anyone else to read - just for me to be obedient to the fact that He has asked me to write it - even if it is just for ME to see the "lesson" in "print" and maybe drive the point home to ME even more. I hope that made sense to you! LOL

I am so glad that I found you on facebook and, through that, found your blog - soooo many times you have written things that God has used to really speak to me, whether I actually have or take time to comment or not. I try my best to comment because I know comments are how you know someone is reading. However, sometimes, I am reading from my phone and it is too hard to comment from there! LOL

Please rest assured that as Kathy said earlier - whether one or 100 are reading - you are doing it for the ONE that has called and asked you to do it. Also - you can be sure that I read every entry you post, even if I don't get to comment.

What fun being able to get back in touch with a classmate and seeing that she is just as in love with the Father as I am!

Love you and I'm already waiting to see how your next post is going to inspire, touch and challenge me :)

Donna said...

Wow....I'm speechless. I am so appreciative of those who read and for those of you who shared. Your words mean more than you know.
Kathy, so glad facebook helped us reconnect and so glad you share your thoughts in your blog. Guess we got a pretty good foundation in that little podunk town.

KBass said...

I stumbled upon your blog and I can honestly say...WOW! I, too have a blog and haven't written one word in over three weeks because of those same whispers! Why, oh why do we listen to them? I just wrote a new blog post last night, but it is comforting to know that others struggle with the same things that I do. I only have 16 followers, but one of them started today and that gives me hope that people are reading. Keep writing and so will I! If you are interested, my blog is git2git@blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Wow. Let me see...I read your blog for several reasons:

I read because my daughter, who just loves you, subscribes to your blog. And I monitor her emails still. :-)

I read because I really have experienced God speaking through you.

I read because the first time I came to your classroom I could tell you were a strong believer and that God had placed you as a detail in my child's life.

I read because I am a runner and I, too, have many random thoughts from my randomly timed runs.

I read because you are a sister in Christ and I want to read what God has taught you and what He has placed on your heart.

Now...why am I commenting here? I am commenting anonymously, yes, but only because I really only want YOU to know who I am--and hope you've figured it out!

But, I am commenting to encourage you. You keep writing because you are obviously REACHING people for eternity. It's obvious to me because of the impact you have through your teaching (my daughter wants to be a teacher because of you), through your walk AND your talk (just TONIGHT I was telling a friend how much we appreciated your being a light in our daughter's life this year after a hard year last year -- and that friend couldn't say enough how much she thought of you!), and through your blog (my daughter reads I and I love that God has given her another woman, besides me, who is living and walking out her faith UNASHAMEDLY).

I TRULY thank my God each time I remember you! Keep writing...but most importantly, keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith!

Donna said...

Okay, I'm pretty sure I know who you are "Anonymous". LOL I am so thankful to have had to opportunity to play a small part in your daughter's life this year. She'll be an awesome teacher someday!
Thank you for being the kind of parent who "monitors" her daughter's emails. We need more parents who do this. And thank you for not only reading, but sharing why you read!
All comments are helping me to figure out why I write and how I can better communicate with those who read it.
You are a blessing - thank you!

rhiggasond6 said...

Girl, you know I'm your biggest fan!
Why do I read EVERY one of your blogs? Well because you say what I wish I could say, but have no idea how to say it! You inspire me to stop and see God in things that I would normally walk right by and not notice. You put into words a lesson, truth, or challenge that I quite honestly just don't think about on my own!

Sure love you and always look forward to reading what the Lord has placed on your heart!