Well, I’m beginning to wonder these days if my blog is like that. The last 4-6 weeks have been so chaotic, that I’ve not had the time or emotional energy to put together two words, much less share from the heart. So much has happened that I can’t move forward without at least bringing you up to speed, but then doing so feels like moving backwards.

Nevertheless, I need to do a brain dump. If you’re short on time, skip the bullets and just go to the final paragraph. Who knows? Maybe the list is just for me, so I can see that I really have accomplished something.

In no particular order, over the last month or two I:

• Spent two nights in the hospital for a painful bacterial infection in my uterus.
• Attended end of year band and orchestra concerts.
• Went on an overnight field trip to Virginia Beach with Michaela, my step daughter, and a group of incredible fifth graders.
• Watched as a group of fifth graders saw and played in the ocean for the first time.
• Beat a couple of fifth grade boys in bowling, when I successfully broke a hundred. Barely.
• Along with Peter, Jake, Morgan and Michaela and thousands of other people, saw the Blue Angels in the Lynchburg Air Show.
• Watched people drop like flies from the heat, tried to calm our three hot, cranky children and fought off a first-time panic attack myself as we tried to leave the Lynchburg Air Show.
• Went to a Bowling Banquet with Peter. He subs on a team for league bowling. (You’d think I’d bowl better, by osmosis.)
• Drove to JMU and back to watch Hannah, my 15-year old, perform in the top orchestra for Spring String Thing.
• Prepped for and had the final call with my Leadership Huddle.
• Sat through what appeared to be the never ending elementary talent show.
• Sat through what appeared to be the never ending elementary honors program (different day).
• Watched as Michaela received the top honor: Spirit of Paul Munro Award, awarded to only 6 or 8 kids in the entire school.
• Started taking a low dose of the pill to control bleeding, despite having a Nova Sure procedure done two years ago.
• Experienced bleeding for the better part of a month. Still.
• Scheduled a combined surgery (7/22/11) for hysterectomy, hernia repair and several lipoma removals.
• Helped plan an Aglow meeting on disaster preparedness.
• Took Morgan, my 13 year old son, out of school for a day and we attended an incredible Apple seminar on how to develop apps for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Way cool!
• Packed up my two children to visit their dad in Indiana for eight weeks. This is the longest they’ve ever been away, and I know they’ll enjoy their time but I’m really missing them already.
• Primed and painted our *almost finished* Family Room.
• Watched Peter, Jake & Michaela move the furniture out of the Living Room into the Family Room and have helped rearrange said furniture and Family Room.
• Primed and painted the Laundry Room, except the trim (which steady hand Peter thankfully does).
• Scrubbed and mopped paint splatters and drywall dust from the Laundry Room floor.
• Gotten back into the routine of walking the dog (wogging: combination of walking and jogging). This is making a huge difference in my ability to remain slightly sane. Turns out L. L. is right about exercise.
• Written four blog posts (five counting this one) since the beginning of May.
• Experienced guilt about not blogging more.
• Taken kids to swim practice and to the pool.
• Celebrated Michaela’s 11th birthday.
• Attended Interfaith Outreach Associations annual luncheon, where I was inspired by so many people doing great kingdom work. People like Roger Paul (the mailman who delivered God’s invitation to me) and Diva (I’ll tell you about her soon).
• Had a great date night with Peter, one of many to come in the days ahead as we make the best of our time without children.
• Launched my CultureSmith Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/engagingpeople
• Have all but abandoned guitar lessons until things settle down a bit.
• Struggled with consistently reading my Bible, journaling and praying in the way I’ve been accustomed to.
• Welcomed new blog members to The High Calling network.
• Have lost my temper with children more times than I care to admit.
• Cried and yelled, thumped and cursed.
• Sang and praised.
• Have felt overwhelmed, out of touch and frustrated.

I’m sure there’s more, but really, I think I’m finished. If I think of something important, maybe I’ll blog about it.

A Prayer
Father, sometimes life can be so overwhelming, chaotic and complicated. The view is too obstructed, the to-do list never ending. We are in desperate need of Your Peace. Help us open ourselves up to Your Presence, in the midst of our chaos. Your Light in the midst of darkness. Joy in the midst of sorrow and pain. Courage in the midst of fear.

May we be open to all those around us in need of encouragement, for the journey is often hard and lonely. Bless those who bless us. Help us respond likewise, in obedience – even in the seemingly small things.

Creative Commons photo on Flickr by peyri.

We’ll divide most of the other work and get the kids to help as well. Shouldn’t we all participate in Thanksgiving? Aren’t we all in need of more grateful hearts?

Typically each Thanksgiving we ask the children to be ready to share one thing for which they are thankful. I’ve been thinking of how we might encourage them to dig deeper this year, so I’m going to challenge them to come up with three things, but there’s a catch. Their list can’t include people nor anything that can be bought.

Without letting him in on what I had in mind, I ran my idea past Peter earlier this week to see if he could do it. He succeeded, even faster than I thought he might. What can I say? I married a smart guy. :)

So here’s my Thanksgiving list (not including people or anything that can be bought):

• The beauty of creation. As I type this, I’m looking out my dining room window seeing the last burst of yellow leaves clinging fiercely to the tree closest to the house. The other trees in the woods below are mostly barren, baring white bark or shades of brown, some covered with moss. The cloud-filled sky keeps the sun at bay. Quiet beauty beckons busy hearts to breath. And give thanks.
• Rest. For several months now we’ve been attending lcf, a faith community primarily made up of college students. With so many students away for the holidays, we have two weeks off from church. It seems foreign in traditional church settings, but there’s a certain appeal that gives me freedom to rest and enjoy the holiday.
• Music. Specifically music that points my heart to God. Whether I’m listening to music on the radio, on YouTube or making up a song based on the events of the day or a verse from the Bible, music draws my heart upward and helps me shift focus away from myself.
• Laughter. I grew up with a mom who loved a good joke, and I do as well. Too often, however, I find that the circumstances of life crowd out laughter and it’s much easier to be stressed. When I give myself freedom to laugh, I’m a much healthier person, both emotionally and spiritually. I think there’s even a proverb about laughter being good medicine, right? So when I saw the graphic above in an email greeting, it was just too good not to share.

I’ll have to admit, this was a little harder than I thought. But certainly do-able. Won’t you join our family in the challenge?

What about you?
What are three things you’re thankful for? (Remember, it can’t be people or anything that can be bought.) Please share your answers by leaving a comment.

Thanksgiving greeting from The Addison Group.

There are so many things I could tell you, yet most of it is too trivial to comprise a complete post. And other things I could tell you would comprise far more than a post. So, how about this? For today, let me just tell you about some things that have my attention.

Today was a Great Day To:

• Enjoy the beauty of frost in the front yard this morning when I took Morgan to school before 8AM.
• Have a 7th grader initiate a conversation that would unknowingly confirm things God is placing on my heart.
• Go for a wog (a combination of walking and jogging, coined by my friend and pastor Philip Watkins) on the Blackwater Creek Bike Path after taking a 7th grader to school. In 32 degree weather! (Note: For someone who hates cold weather, I’m surprised to admit that I actually liked it. A lot. Even though I didn’t get much wogging done because I left the house in my comfortable Easy Spirit summer shoe, fully intending to take my tennis shoes and change in the car. But I forgot.)
• Bump into Roger and his beautiful puppy Lucy on the Blackwater Creek Bike Path. Roger is a great guy serving God in the jail system. By the way, please be in prayer for one young lady who will be released from jail this Sunday morning, with no place to go and no resources, and a baby due within a week.

There are more things I could tell you about my day, like how a coffee meeting today confirmed some things God is placing on my heart.

About finally getting new contact lenses, so I can see. Really see. And wondering what it’s like to be in a country so devastated by natural disasters and poverty that I’m guessing access to eyeglasses and contact lenses isn’t even considered a necessity. And being thankful.

About shopping with a 7th grader and being reminded that sometimes I need to press in close to the one who is plucking my nerves! And going to the Cross Country banquet with said 7th grader

But at the moment, what’s really on my mind is this:

Is it me, or is it hot in here?
Why are the tops of my ears getting hot with increasing frequency? Is it normal to change shirts from long sleeve to short sleeve and back again several times in a day and/or night? And why is my face feeling flushed? What’s up with that???

What about you?
How was your day/week? Please leave me a comment.

Creative Commons photo on Flickr by fishyfish_arcade.

“I’m feeling anxious about so many things to do and finding my rhythm.”

Then the Holy Spirit reminded me of Paul’s words to the Philippians. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses our understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

A quick word study of “anxious” took me to Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:25 and following. The word for anxious in Philippians is the same word Jesus used for worry. “Merimnao” means to divide into parts. Study notes in my Bible tell me that the word suggests a distraction, a preoccupation with things causing anxiety, stress and pressure.

Distraction? OK God, you’ve got my attention.

With Thanksgiving
I began to ponder what “with thanksgiving” might mean for me today and turned each of my stressors into prayers of thanksgiving.

1. Laundry – Lord, thank you for your provision of clothing for our family. For water, electricity and washer and dryer. Thank you for family that fills the laundry room floor with dirty clothes, and for time to do laundry. Thank you for my laundry room and for Peter, who lovingly created the space.
2. Aglow - Lord, thank you for the ministry of Aglow and how it has blessed me. Thank you for the opportunity to lead worship with John Bullock at this week’s meeting.
3. Exercise – Thank you Father, for my health, and for a flexible schedule. Thank you for Archie and for all you’re teaching me about discipline through wogging (jogging/walking) with that dog.
4. Huddle – Father, thank you for my Huddle group and for what you’re doing in our lives. Thank you for Mike Breen, Steve Cockram, John Chandler and Laura McDaniel. Thank you for all I’m learning about discipleship. And thank you for using me, in spite of myself.

Guess What Happened
I experienced a supernatural exchange. I didn’t miraculously gain more time to get my “to do list” done, nor did the laundry fairy pay me a visit. I still had clothes to wash, dry, iron and fold. But after writing my prayers of gratitude, I felt a great sense of peace, the very kind Paul mentions in Ephesians.

By the way, I also wrote prayers of gratitude about: High Calling Blogs, Writing, Time, Dinner, Budget, Christmas, lcf and Future and included them in earlier drafts of this post. But then I couldn’t get something to work, and accidentally deleted the whole bottom half of my post. Argh! However, instead of re-writing each of them, I’ll just use the four examples above, and trust that you get the idea.

And say a prayer of gratitude for mistakes, hoping that God will use my mistake as a much needed edit, and a lesson in perfectionism.

By the way, it’s now 3:15, I still haven’t exercised and thus haven’t showered, laundry isn’t finished, nor have I been to the grocery store to get some grub for dinner. But I’ve written a blog post. And peace remains. I’m thankful.

What about you?
How do you handle stressors? What’s your strategy for gratitude?

I was pleasantly surprised to be included for my Five Signals post.

Here’s David’s post, complete with plenty of links for your perusing.

Happy Thursday!

Here’s what I’ve read so far:

1. Rich People Shop Here by Dennis Welch. I thoroughly enjoyed this honest and charming story of Dennis’ family. The stories he shares about his mom and dad are like bits and pieces of spiritual artifacts, the kind of legacy we’d be privileged to leave  behind for others to uncover. Dennis reminded me of God’s redemptive work in life, in spite of my circumstances. After reading the book, I shared it with my friend Kitty, a retired librarian and voracious reader. She loved it too! I’ve had the privilege to talk with Dennis on the phone a few times since I read the book, and have found him to be incredibly gracious. You can follow Dennis on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
2. Thin Places: A Memoir, by Mary DeMuth. I could not put this book down! Thankfully, it arrived just before one of the snow storms of 2010 so I read it from cover to cover in less than 24 hours. I’ve since donated the book to our church library, and I don’t have it at my fingertips to share specifics. Here’s what I’ll tell you – the book was transparent in a way that left me breathless. And thankful for God’s presence during my own thin places. You can watch the book trailer here.
3. Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places, by L. L. Barkat. To say that L. L. is a good writer is an understatement. She captured me in the first chapter with, “Yet with the purchase of a new home, we suddenly had three pianos. And nobody needs more pianos than bathrooms, even if they are easier to clean.” Successive chapters delivered equal amounts of depth and beauty. I’m challenged to be a better writer by reading the likes of L. L.
4. The Sweet By and By, by Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck. While I typically read non-fiction, every once in a while I treat myself to a carefree novel. Thanks to Twitter, I’ve been able to connect with Rachel and have come to appreciate her heart for Jesus, which shines through her writing. This book, written with country singer Sara Evans, did not disappoint. Just before Christmas my 14 year old daughter absconded with it, so I didn’t actually get to read it until 2010. She liked it so well, it’s now in the hands of another middle school girl.

I’m more than half finished with:

• On Writing, by Stephen King. Admittedly, King scares me. His writing, that is. After watching “Cujo” as a kid, I’m pretty sure I’ve never read any of his books. Until now. I actually LOVE this book about writing, and how his life unfolds with each turn of the page. This isn’t the kind of book I can read in a 24-hour span. Instead, I read a bit at a time and then ponder it as I go about my day. If you’re a writer or interested in writing, I’d highly recommend it. Interestingly, God is using the book to speak truth to me about myself and about writing. (Note: It does have a bit of profanity, which doesn’t offend me. If it does you, skip it and consider Don Miller’s book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life. It’s on my wish list.)
• The Unquenchable Worshipper: Coming Back to the Heart of Worship (Worship Series, by Matt Redman. This is the second time I’ve read this book, in part because I’m facilitating a study for our Adult Sunday School class.

These are next on my list:

1. Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation* by Sally Hogshead. If the packaging is any indication of the content, I’m in for a real treat! I also love what Sally has done on her website. It’s one of the best I’ve seen!
2. Should We Fire God*, by Jim Pace. You can watch the book trailer here. The foreward is by Rick Warren. (Good luck Jim!)
3. Forgotten God, by Frances Chan. I heard Chan speak at Catalyst in October and really liked him. Funny and spiritually relevant without being all preacher-ish.
4. Living Beyond the Limits by Franklin Graham (this was a Christmas gift from my previously mentioned friend Kitty)

What About You?

• What have you read so far this year?
• What are you currently reading?
• What’s next on your list?

By the way, my inspiration for this post came from Callapidder Days, though I decided not to post on 3/20 because I hit the reset button that day.

Disclosure: he Amazon links used above are affiliate links (my first time trying this). If I did everything correctly and a few folks buy books, I may buy that Vera Bradley lamp for my office.

*These books I received at no charge, from the author or an agent for the author, in hopes that I would write about them on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

“DIE STINK BUGS! DIE!”

I know. That’s a little harsh, especially since it’s Friday and we’re about to be snow bound for the weekend. But c’mon. I hate bugs!

This morning I found a stink bug on the inside of my coffee cup. That wouldn’t be so bad, except my cup was still about a third of the way full. I went into the kitchen, turned on the water, dumped said stink bug (by the way, is that one word or two?) along with said coffee down the drain and turned on the garbage disposal.

And then I mentioned it in my Facebook status and learned a few things along the way.

6 Social Media Lessons I Learned from Killing A Stink Bug

1. Be human. Even if you are using social media for business, let your audience know you’re a real person, with stories and experiences that quite possibly, can translate to them.
2. Be relevant. In this part of the country, people know what stink bugs are. While they aren’t necessarily harmful, they’re incredibly annoying. I struck a nerve. Within an hour, I had 14 comments.
3. A little humor goes a long way. At least sometimes. Know your audience and don’t overdo it. I borrowed George Costanza’s now famous line, “Is that wrong?”
   
4. Invite Participation. I ended my status with, “You’d do it too, wouldn’t you?” because I wanted to hear what other people had to say. And yes, I wanted to know I wasn’t the only soul out there who, might possibly spend eternity in outer darkness for my cruel deed.
5. Don’t measure yourself against others. There are bloggers out there who generate a gazillion comments with every post. Bloggers like Michael Hyatt, Chris Brogan, or Carlos Whitaker. Don’t stress about how your results compare to others’.
6. (Do) Measure yourself. I must measure my actions to make sure I am using my time and resources most effectively. My measurements will be based on my objectives and goals, rather than the  goals and objectives of others.

What am I missing?
And more importantly, what have you learned from killing a stink bug?

1. It’s more about putting other people ahead of you.
2. Showing hugs and smiling children (or how your customers’ help is changing anyone’s life) is a good thing.
3. People want to be a part of something that is good.
4. Video captures emotion. “This is the greatest thing ever.” (even in the rain)
5. In the last 6 months, we just gave away 8,000 pair of shoes. Numbers are good (especially when accompanied with emotion).
6. Starting a company? Incorporate giving in what you do.
7. Since May 2006, TOMS has given away more (not “over”) than 130,000 (big numbers are even better) pair of shoes (it gets better) to children in need (here’s the clincher) through the purchase of caring customers. (Someone in TOMS marketing gets it.)

What do you think?
Would you be their fan on Facebook or follow TOMS Shoes on Twitter? How could your business, your chamber, your ministry incorporate doing good and showing changed lives? What feelings and thoughts did this video stir in you? Please share them in the comments section, and if you like this post, please share it with your friends using the icon below.

“I’ve just been told by another Facebook user that Facebook has agreed to let third party advertisers use your posted pics without your permission. Here’s how to counter this: 1. Click on SETTINGS up at the top where you see the log out link, and select PRIVACY. 2. Select NEWS FEED & WALL, and then the tab that reads FACEBOOK ADS. 3. There is a drop down box, select NO ONE. 4. Save your changes. 5. Pass it on.”

On a side note, this note appears to be inaccurate for a couple of reasons:
First, the Terms of Service section is for third party application developers, not third party advertisers.
Secondly, the note mentions “posted pictures” (the ones you post of your family vacations, sorority dances, or hike to the mountains), which are different than “profile pictures” (the ones you see in your friend list).

And again, changing the settings as noted above, only applies to Facebook ads, not third party developers.

As I’ve thought about this craziness over the last week, I’ve come up with four components of why I think stories go viral. Here’s my list.

4 Reasons Stories Go Viral

1. It’s a story. “Once upon a time there was a happily married husband and wife…” We all love a good story.
2. The twist. “Then one day this man was on Facebook…” the plot thickens. What will happen?
3. People can relate. “Hey, I’m on Facebook too.” (So are 249,999,999 other people.) “This happened to me the other day.”
4. People like to do good. “Hey, let me send this note to my friends. I’d hate for this to happen to Jeromy or Grant or Glenda or Kawania.”

And there you have it. Of course, most times these things are very organic. I had no idea my post would generate the Digg Effect. I wonder if anyone ever does.

What are your favorite stories/posts? You can leave a comment here. And of course, if you like this story, click on the “Share This” button below.

On the busiest day, I had more than 18,000 visitors on my site. Here is a snippet of my Google Analytics from 7/13-7/22.

Traffic would have been even higher had I not experienced a lot of downtime as noted here and here.

A week and a lot of downtime and frustration later, I’m digesting what I’ve learned from the whole experience. Here are my initial thoughts.

4 Things You Should Know About the Digg Effect:

• It takes a toll on your server. The traffic spike can be huge. Can you current host handle it? Mine couldn’t. I spent a lot of time on the phone with support.
• It generates comments. I generally send an email to each person who leaves a comment on my site. Are you ready to respond? I was out of town on a mini-vacation so I had to squeeze in work in the midst of play time.
• It creates pingbacks. I try to leave comments on sites that pingback to my own. I’m still catching up on this. How do you respond when others link to your site? Are you prepared?
• It just might force silence. When my site was down, I used Twitter and Posterous. Do you have an additional outlet?

If you’re a blogger, marketing professional or a business owner, are you ready for the Digg Effect? Recognizing that I’m not an expert in this topic, what else have I missed?

Related posts:
Digg Effect: Top 10 Things Webmasters Should Know
Surviving the Digg Effect: from Creativebits and Digg