Confessions of a Seasoned Blogger

Technically, Frodo Seven was born on a whim.  I don't remember giving serious consideration to starting it or thinking much about what I would blog about.  At the time, I was on facebook and I think I considered it an extension of the connections I was making there.  In fact, I sent people from my facebook page to the blog several times before I left fb behind.  I do remember knowing with certainty what Frodo Seven would not be.  When my SIL Martina showed me around the world of blogging, she took me to some of the blogs she follows.  One of them is Emily's Little World and I still follow that one today.  I knew looking at Emily's blog that I could not follow her model.  Her blog is heavy on art and beauty and her photography is, well, professional.  I knew that my blog would be about the words and as it has turned out, that's exactly what it is.  325 posts later, I am still more focused on the story than the picture though one of the delightful things about the blog has been the photos that I have arranged to accompany particular stories.  My favorite is the one Mia took of me and Chris to go with my post "Lucky".  

In case you were wondering, no--we did not just happen to be sitting like that when one of the girls walked by and snapped a picture.  It was staged.  I do not consider the picture a fake in any way though because, more than any other we've taken over our 17 years together, it portrays exactly how I feel about Chris and our marriage.  There are several photos like that, snapshots of our lives that we owe completely to Frodo Seven.  What a surprising blessing that has been.

Perhaps the question I get most often about the blog is: "How do you find the time?"  It's pretty simple really.  Chris and I only watch one television show a week so other than Monday nights and the night I teach, my evenings are free.  Most posts take fifteen to twenty minutes.  Posts with more photos or intellectual themes take longer but I do most of my composing in my head so by the time I sit down at the computer, the words flow easily.  I have not had time to add fancy gadgets or other bells and whistles and although I have considered using a counter, I have consistently decided not to.  I prefer to remain blissfully ignorant about the number of readers because, many or few, it won't change what I do.  I have left it up to the Lord to invite whoever He wants to visit Frodo Seven.  I truly consider this a work I do unto Him. 

 There have been a couple of times over the year that I have considered closing the blog.  Any time I have felt like I am deriving too much of my personal gratification from other's feedback, I have heard warning bells reminding me that none of that is real.  Fortunately, comments have always been few and far between--a fact that keeps me honest and, hopefully, humble.

And speaking of humble, I'll tell you about one of the birthday gifts I am giving to Frodo Seven.  Ta Da...For the next year or maybe longer, I am officially dedicating it to my dad, Lawrence Paul Kreitzer.  I have never forgotten the day when he told my pre-teen, angst-filled, journaling self that I should write about the happy things in life.  I think I looked at him like he had two heads.  Didn't he know that journals should be filled with the deepest of deep innermost thoughts?  Like many teens, mine were filled with feelings of being misunderstood, mistreated and miserable.  Fortunately, I carried Dad's advice with me over the years like a pair of Ruby Slippers and from the beginning, Frodo Seven has been about joy, gratitude and love.  What I now understand is that my words shape my reality.  Like a magic trick, as I write about how lucky I am, I feel lucky.  As I write about how thankful I am, I feel grateful and as I write about how in love I am with my husband, I am so very in love.  So thank you, Dad for your good advice.  And to you readers out there--one or one hundred--I encourage you to write your story--on a blog, in a notebook or on a napkin.  Whether you consider yourself a writer or not, you are the only one who can record your hopes, joys and philosophy of life.  There is only one you and you are an amazing gift from God.  Share it with those who love you.  

Next up--another gift for FS.