Share Four Somethings—August 2022
—Grace & Truth Linkup
Near the end of each month, I share four somethings at Heather’s.
Plus my latest One Second Everyday monthly video . . .
[click here if you can’t see the video]
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Something Loved
- MY 14TH BLOGGING ANNIVERSARY!
This month I celebrated my 14th Blogaversary! When I started blogging 14 years ago, I had no idea of all the wonderful people I would meet along the way.
I share here 14 reasons why you might keep blogging, too. The book giveaway remains open through August 28.
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Something Gleaned
- MAKE IT EASIER
Have you found this to be true, too? If you want to schedule a meeting or lunch, etc., instead of saying, “I’m free anytime so let me know what works for you,” you get better results if you narrow it down to suggesting just two or three options, and working from there.
Research backs it up, too.
In this fascinating (but also a little laborious) book, Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions, authors Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths say this:
“In the case of interviews, it seems that people preferred receiving a constrained problem, even if the constraints were plucked out of thin air, than a wide-open one. It was seemingly less difficult for them to accommodate our preferences and constraints than to compute a better option based on their own.”
Jeff and I do this all the time when deciding on where to eat dinner. One person chooses three options, and the other decides between the three. It’s easier than this 30 minute process: “Where do you want to eat?” “I don’t care. Where do you want to eat?”
Nobody wants to have to think TOO much.
[Bonus: If you have Kindle Unlimited, Algorithms to Live By is free. I recommend it, even if you only skim it, like I did.]
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Something Saved
- MOMS DEMAND ACTION
After the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in 2018 in Parkland, Florida, I attended my first Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense meeting with my friend Kay. We stayed involved for a bit. But when the pandemic hit, meetings stopped.
This year, after the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, my daughter Jenna invited me to attend another Moms Demand Action meeting with her.
Jenna has since agreed to lead our Huntsville/Madison group. I signed up to help work on data. My volunteer position doesn’t take as much courage as hers does, but I still feel a bit intimidated by it anyway.
Do you know the #1 cause of death for children in the United States? Guns. It recently surpassed car accidents.
Everybody agrees we don’t want that.
So if you’re like me and have guns in your home, let’s make sure we keep them stored securely. It’s an easy thing we all can do and potentially save the life of a child.
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Something Achieved
- JOINED A WRITING GROUP
I count first steps as achievements because sometimes first steps are the hardest.
I took a first step this month and joined an online Mastermind Writing group with a few blogging friends I already know and a few new writers I didn’t know.
We’ve met twice already. It’s been exciting to talk about writing things in person (well, through Zoom) with others who enjoy it as much as I do.
Featured Post for Grace & Truth Linkup
We’ve all been inconvenienced in small, if not huge, ways because of the pandemic.
But Jan is making the choice to intentionally “inconvenience” herself by becoming more available to others. It’s part of her plan to finish well.
Read all of Jan’s inspiring post at her blog, then add your own links below.
“Inconvenienced”
Share your thoughts in the comments.
I’m linking at these blog parties
Review the rules here about adding your most recent Christian Living posts and how to be the Featured Post. Visit all four hosts social media here or websites here: Maree Dee, Lisa notes, Lauren Sparks, Tammy Kennington.
Now Let’s Link Up!
You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter
I’ve been intrigued with the idea of joining a writers’ group. Maybe I’ll get to that. I know it must be a wonderful blessing.
If I didn’t tell you earlier, HAPPY BLOGIVERSERY!
Look for my Four Somethings post tomorrow morning.
I always love your 1-second-a-day videos. I bet your grandson is a hit with the meal delivery recipients.
I so agree about decisions. It’s much easier to choose from a few options rather than having the choices wide open.
Good for you and Jenna for getting involved in the gun group. Being responsible for the ones in our own homes is the first and best step.
I am so enjoying the writing group, too. I’ve learned so much and been inspired already.
You’ve had a brave and busy month!
Lisa, first of all, congratulations on 14 years! I love reading your posts and as I always say, I learn so much here.
I have to share this, when you said you had been blogging 14 years, I started thinking, when did I start blogging? I started in May of 2008, so guess we are the same age in blogging years.
I would love to find a writer’s group because I want to take my writing to the next level. Good for you on finding one!
Happy blogging Anniversary Lisa. Heatherdalzell777@gmail.com thankyou for allowing me to link with you. It’s all new to me at bogging for the last 18 months. I enjoy your blogs and l am looking forward to reading
more. You can put me down for your competition. H.D.
Congratulations and Celebrations Dear Lisa! Your writing is a delight to read I am so glad you are here!
A “mastermind” writing group sounds intriguing. Do you have specific goals or challenges? (You don’t have to answer that of course;)
I do have a specific writing project in mind. It will be a small devotional targeted to a specific parenting subset. So I’m testing myself to see if I’ll be self-motivated enough to start writing it during this Mastermind season. 🙂
Cool! I’ll pray for your success!
Somehow I missed your 1 Second/Day video yesterday. I’m glad I decided to stop by after adding my August Four Somethings post to Heather’s Linkup.
Congratulations on 14 years of Blogging! Yes, we have found it to be true – stating several specific times to meet or several restaurant styles brings parameters of choice versus paralyzation. Wow! I didn’t know firearms surpassed accidents in childhood deaths. I’m glad you and your daughter are teaming up and working together. I am so glad you were able to join a Mastermind Writing group and it is going well, Lisa.
So fun to read and congrats on your blogging anniversary. I was in a Mastermind writing group last year and connected with so much neat people and discover some great friendships. Love this in-depth Four Somthings!
Congratulations on 14 years of blogging, that is exciting! Kuddos for reading the algorithms book, it sounds a bit tedious, although the information you shared is beneficial.
Great month Lisa! THe algorithms book sounds interesting! Congratulations on joining the mastermind Group, I know I benefitted from my time there too!
Happy Blogiversary, Lisa! I enjoyed your One Second video–is that made on an app or does your photo storage service make them? I’d love to learn how to do one. Your writing group sounds very interesting. I agree about guns– gun violence and accidents are on the rise and more needs to be done to ensure children’s safety
Thanks, Pat. I use an app for the video! It’s super easy. It’s called the 1 Second Everyday app. I take a short video every day with my phone (sometimes just 2-3 seconds, lol). Then the app lets me pick one second for the video reel. At the end of the month, it compiles all the days for me.
Congrats on joining not one – but two – new groups this month! That is definitely something achieved. Those first steps are often the hardest to achieve! I hope you will benefit and be encouraged working in both of them. Love your video this month (including one more snake gone!), especially that little guy’s laugh!! Happy Blogiversary (is that a word?!) 🙂
Oh I am totally going to do that 3 choices thing from now on! My husband and I have that same discussion all the time and it’s so annoying… yet I can never think of where I want to eat but as he suggest places I do tend to shoot them down. LOL.
Congratulations! That is a long time blogging. I’ve only been around 10 years but the changes in the blogging landscape is massive. I guess you saw the rise AND decline….I came in on the boom but it’s really trailed off here as everyone moves to podcasts and video. #ShareFourSomethings
I’m glad you’ve found a group of writers to gather regularly. It’s so wonderful to fellowship with people who know what you’re going through.
That book sounds interesting. I’ll try the “three options” with my family the next time we’re struggling to make a decision.
Happy Blogoversary!! I agree that limiting the number of choices is helpful for decision making – how interesting that there’s a whole book about that!
Love your 1 second a day videos. I enjoy traveling with you as you recap your month too
Lisa,
Happy Blogaversary! Fourteen years — Wow! That’s a reason to celebrate. I’ve been at it for ten, but I’ve taken a few “sabbaticals” during that time. I liked your idea about making it easier — the one person picks three restaurants and the other chooses one of the three is simple but brilliant. Going to put that to work right away! Enjoyed your one second a day video.
Blessings,
Bev xx
Congratulations on 14 years of blogging. I’m about 6 years in. I enjoy your video monthly review. I have the app, but can’t seem to remember to do it everyday. Maybe in October. Pray your enjoy your new writing group!