allume

real light living

I Don’t “Do Pretend”

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I am tired.  I am a busy mom, a frazzled wife, and a delinquint blogger.

It seems as if I am overwhelmed with life today.  The whole month of August has seemed to be a little much.  Life doesn’t stop moving for me to take a break, and certainly doesn’t afford me the luxury of taking time off.

I am sure some of you are feeling the same way right now.  School supplies, new schedules, meal planning, deadlines, and  jobs adjustments can keep us feeling like we are skimming through life, and not even touching on what is really important in a day.

There is no room for pretending. 

I…do….not….have…it…all….together.

Women who gather at Allume are real. 

They have dirty dishes in their sink every night, clothes in the washing machine, jobs to attend to, and responsibilities outside of the blogging world.  They fight sickness, discouragement, and never have the right thing to wear.   We live real lives of hard work, play and nitty-gritty details.

As a veteran attendee of Allume, I am asked a lot of questions from those that are planning to go for the first time.  The most common concern and question that surfaces is – “I am not really any one special in the blogging world, and so how will all of “those women,” feel about me?

I don’t “do pretend.”   And neither do the women who attend Allume. 

You may be overwhelmed with life today.  Perhaps you are trying to figure out how to blog and live a balanced life?

This is what I have to keep reminding myself:

-My life is defined by Christ.  Not by what I do, where I live, who knows me, or how many followers I may have.

-Christ makes me complete.  Period.  Motherhood is my exclamation point, and writing (blogging) is a comma, the pause in my life – like a break in a sentence.  At just the right time, giving room for a breath, and making the sentence complete. 

-When I elevate my “need” to write or blog, or expect greater things from the blogging world than my life has room for, it becomes more of a question.

-What should I write about?  Rather than allowing inspiration to pen my words.

-When will  I find time to fit in a post, or a link-up?  Rather than it being my reprieve or a rewarding break.

-Wondering why other bloggers seem to have it all together.  The need to compare versus being complete.

Let’s be real.  Finding time to blog is a sacrifice.

Blogging is beautiful – expressions from the overflow of our lives. But, it doesn’t need to define you.  It is not your exclamation point.

 Or IS it?

Living IN the Light requires me to stay focused on the Lord first.  The more we know God, the more others know of Him –  through us.  Real….Life….Blogging.  When I am drawn in to a new blog, it is always because there is no pretense, but a genuine need for Christ and community.

Allume in October will bring you Real Life Bloggers….some armed with lap tops, some with diaper bags, and some with both. Excitement to attend should not be deterred with a fear of being less than another blogger, or not knowing any one “special.”

Will you be there this October?  Let’s “get real” today –  I would love to meet you!

Oh, please share your story with me.  I would love to introduce you to everyone. 

Comments

  1. September, I was reading in my email, where I can’t see who has written the post. There were lots of yeses, amens, and this is SO goods as I was reading:) I have to comment and let her know, I thought. It has so encouraged and blessed me. Then I clicked on the post title and saw your name. Of course! I knew I recognized that loving, gentle spirit. Thanks for helping me start my day off right. Can’t wait to meet you at Allume!

    • You have blessed my heart Mandy. I, too, am really looking forward to meeting all of the encouragers in blogging world while at Allume. Sarah Mae and Jessica do a great job making the whole weekend very special for everyone. See you soo soon! (p.s. thank you for such sweet words – made me teary.) 🙂

  2. This post has been such a blessing to me!! Praise God that He has given you these words to write because I (and I’m sure many others) needed to read them!! Thank you!

    I wish I was able to be with all of you in October, but, financially, it isn’t going to happen this year. Maybe one day… 🙂

    • Thank you Anna for saying hello here today. Isn’t it a challenge to be real and find real in a pretend society? Happy to meet you!

  3. Love this, September…these words are such a blessing. This will be my first year attending Allume, and I can’t lie – these thoughts have pummeled me! I appreciate your sensitivity to the Lord, to hearts, your continual encouragement, and the fact that you are REAL! So looking forward to meeting you 🙂

    • Oh Ashlie.. Doesn’t it seem as if we have known each other forever! That is how this blogging community is, and so your time at Allume will be that many more in-real life friends you will have for years. I cannot wait to chat with you in person. 🙂 You always bless me!

    • I ditto Ashlie! I have been struggling with a lot of apprehension about attending Allume. That apprehension is also mixed with great anticipation, so it’s kind of confusing to live in my head these days! I’m trying to come with no agenda but to hear from God and learn more about the blogging world. I’m looking forward to meeting so many bloggers that I’ve been reading!

  4. Love this post! I’ll be one of those Allume “newbies” this year and can’t wait to meet everyone, even though I’m pretty intimidated by the amazing bloggers who will be there (it’s true…I won’t even know what to do with myself!).

  6. I am really excited to be attending Allume for the first time. I registered originally to go with a friend of mine who is a much more serious blogger than I am. I am not anyone special in the blogging world, but I’m ok with that! My blog is sort of a random assortment of thoughts and photos, and it’s not as focused as I would like it to be. I have many questions – mostly for God – as I have grown more consistent in my blogging. What do I want this to be? or What does GOD want this to be? Why am I really doing this? How will a balance this with a full-time teaching career… or do you really want me to have a full time teaching career? (Serious questions here, aren’t they!)
    I think I was originally planning to come to support my friend and the blog/ministry we worked on previously, but as the months have gone by I am looking at it in a whole new way. I am so excited to meet all of you, garner bits of knowledge, and spend a lot of time with God to figure out what my role is going to be.

    • Jolene – Hugs to you as you walk the road of discovery. I understand your questions, and have found ONE thing to answer most of them – I write when He leads, I listen at all times, and I don’t put blogging first, He blesses and honors that each day in my blogging life. I stopped searching for what my blogging should be “about,” and began to let it be the overflow. I am thrilled to meet you! Your role in the blogging world today was to encourage me that we can all be real together! Hugs to you!

  7. Oh mercy! I needed this one today!!! I’m going to copy a few of those and put them on my desk…as a permanent reminder! Cannot wait to come to Allume!

    • Your comment made me sit back- realize again that my weaknesses are where His work takes place. Thank you for putting another smile on my face this morning. 🙂

  8. And THIS is why I am drawn to the blogging community! The real- the genuine- such a huge blessing! I started blogging last year (quite by accident!) and remember everyone talking about Relevant. It seemed like a place that I wanted to be. So this year, I am thrilled to be attending Allume. It has been an absolute JOY to meet so many godly women- I can’t wait to meet everyone in person. Can’t stop smiling… 🙂

    • Ahhh Becky! Isn’t the journey of blogging a beautiful thing?! What a great experience Allume will be for you. It is also a JOY for me to meet you here today. Thank you for saying hello – I am looking forward to meeting you very, very soon!

  9. Ha! Thanks September…I don’t have it all together either. But me and my crazy menopausal hormones (my poor husband got another dose of them this morning) will be there! This is my first time and I’m so so excited! 🙂

    • Oh I hear you Mindy! It will be great to meet you in “person!” Glad to hear I am not the only one who has real-life days!

  10. Oh my. You just ratcheted up the excitement a few notches! I can’t wait! I’m Mary Beth and I blog at newlifesteward (dot) com. (Disqus doesn’t like it when I leave links!) I classify myself as a new blogger (a/b four months). I generally blog about what the Lord is teaching me: the goal is to be a good steward of the gifts He has given me and I use the blog as a sort of accountability system to do the things I feel He’s called me to. It’s been amazing so far! The community is outstanding. I can’t wait to hug some necks in person!

    • Hi Mary Beth! I can’t wait to meet you! Allume in real life IS exciting! Your blog name is beautiful, and I am looking forward to reading what the Lord is teaching you. So glad you said hello today!

  11. The sheer fact that I can look down this list of comments and see so many names and faces I’ve come to know (and one I’ve known for years) because of Allume thrills me to the core of my extroverted heart!! This will be my first conference which I originally intended to attend in support of that dear friend. I’m a bit of a coerced blogger, it was never my plan. But, I have learned so much since April about technology, about me, about others, about God! Learning is my favorite – right after this amazing community.

    • Amy, Amy, Amy – It sounds to me that YOU will be the one other’s will be looking to for blogging how-to’s and techy info.
      Being a learner spurs other’s on to blogging better. I am thankful you left this comment, and look forward to meeting you soon!

  12. This is just what my heart needed to hear today. Some days there is just no balancing it all or getting it all done. Thank you. I’ll be at Allume. I’ve never been to any sort of blogging conference. I’m excited but also a bit nervous being a shy introvert.

    • There is even room for the shy at Allume. There will be so many real women sharing their hearts, you forget where you are. The balance will always be something to deal with – but it is certainly easier when blogging is the overflow and not the priority. 🙂 See you soon !!!

  13. Love what you say here!!! “[Blogging] is not your exclamation point.” Excitement building for the conference! 🙂

    • Yay Amanda! Be sure to say hello when you are at Allume! Thanks for saying hello! 🙂

  14. love it! We have too much we can learn from each other to pretend, looking forward to Allume.

    • Feel the same way my friend! Some of my best blogging friends I have met at Allume! So soon!

  16. I’m very excited about allume, but yes I am one of those “nobodies” who’s wondering (in spite of myself) what all these fancy bloggers are going to think about little old me! lol. I just have to remind myself that God has a very specific purpose for ME, just as He has a very specific purpose for everyone else. We are all parts of the body. We can’t all be big bloggers in the limelight…some of us were meant to be something else, and I’m okay with that…usually. lol

    • Crystal, your comment tugs at my heart – and I have to say – You go girl! So glad you are going to Allume. So glad you recognize that God has that special plan for YOU! But most importantly – what we write is what matters. Not fancy or plain. I can’t wait to meet YOU, just like you are! Keep writing – and stay true the first calling God has given you. See you soo soon!

  17. Oh, I am so excited and nervous about Allume… I’ve been blogging for YEARS, but still haven’t found my niche, my brand! Hoping to do that at Allume! already looking forward to meeting my roomies. I know no-one really (although I have met Kristina once)… I so appreciate real… and have been feeling quite overwhelmed lately!!

    • 1st – Going to Allume will really help you concrete your blog “identity” There are amazing speakers and a great panel to ask questions that you might have, Very inspiring. 🙂
      2nd – Did you find you roomies through blogs you read?
      3rd-Kristina is the BEST! As “real as they come!” 🙂
      Last – Overwhelmed is “going around!” Hang onto your anchor!
      Hugs!

      • I actually found my roomies through twitter… We may have connected on the Better Writer Facebook group, too. I really should go read their blogs more often! Monica did a killer Allume post yesterday! 🙂
        Thanks for the encouragement

  18. Loved this September♥ My favorite line: “When I elevate my “need” to write or blog, or expect greater things from
    the blogging world than my life has room for, it becomes more of a
    question.” Just so so good.

  19. I needed this bit of honesty today! Funny how being open and honest can go so much further in encouraging a mom (me!) than a well polished “put together” post that just seems to make you feel like everyone has it together but you!! Thanks for your candidness. I feel like I try to live my life the same way…an open book…what you see is what you get!

    I am going to Allume…second time…and I feel like even more of a delinquint blogger this year (since there are no more naps in my house and no school aged kids til this year!) than last!!!

    • Hugs to you Lisa. There is “no pretend,” in the presence of the Lord, and so I am always so prompted to be the real me. So thankful you also shared your heart here today. I try and remember that although Allume is a blogging conference, sometimes it has a larger purpose. The branding and niche comes AFTER we have an identity in our writing. Thus – the overflow. Looking forward to seeing you this year.

  21. I will be at Allume this year for the first time…(is it ok to say I’m terrified and excited all at the same time?) Taking off the masks and being honest with our stories is the best place to be. I think it’s the place that grace loves to fill. I can relate to all of the things on your list, and have struggled with many this past year. In the end, I want Him to define me, His created life in me! I can’t wait to meet you in October… I may be the one with the mismatched socks… but I’ll be there!

    • Katharine – You made me chuckle – about your socks. Mismatched – very “normal” in my home. “The place that grace loves to fill in.” I love this! So excited you will be at Allume this year. Your words are beautiful, and I can tell that you write with love and inspiration from the Lord. See you so soon!

  22. So what to say? I’m going to Allume, first time! I retired from full-time work two years ago and I’ve been blogging since the end of last September. I look at what you girls (for that is what you are to me- most of you are my daughter’s age) have been writing for the past few months and I know that my generation is watching yours and I know that you are committed ladies who will bring up another generation to love the Lord and who will seek Him. How do I know? I’ve seen your heart as you write it out there on that blog page, I see in you the real and not pretend face of one whose heart Loves God and lives to please Him. Thank you for that! I’m so looking forward to meeting everyone! Nancy

    • So great to meet you Nancy! Your words are a blessing. It is wonderful that you are writing/blogging too! Hope to meet you in October!

  23. Thank you for such a warm welcome to Allume! Your story on your blog was such an encouragement today as I read of your losses. WIth tears in my eyes, I am sending your link to a friend who needed hope after losing her son. Your warmth, grace and glory to God shine through your words. Thank you!

    • Michele,
      Hugs my friend. I hope that I can meet your friend. God’s mercy and grace should be shared through such trials. Thank you for saying hello and sharing your friend with me.

    • Aww Jess.. I left my kiddos for the 1st time when I went to Allume two years ago. I surely know how you feel. We will keep you busy – laughing and learning! Can’t wait to catch up with you there. 🙂

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