First, For His Glory and Praise nominated me for The Commentator Award.  Then a couple of hours later she nominated my for the Reader Appreciation Award (for people who are good about “liking” and commenting on a blog’s posts) and that same evening she also passed on the Mrs. Sparkly’s Ten Commandments Award!  I don’t know about the “sparkly” part (should I go put on my blingy headband while I write?) but the 10 Commandments seem to refer to writing based on the Bible and that sure fits!

Thank you very much, Bonita, you have been and are an encouragement to me.

Then yesterday, For God I Testify! nominated me for the One Lovely Blog Award!  Thank you very much, Michelle!

Whew, I’m glad I’d already decided to wait until Saturday before tackling the first award ’cause now I can do one big post and be done.

Since I have just as many if not more guys following this blog (I’m the weird one, being a mom passionate about science more than crafty/pretty/better life devo type stuff!), I won’t bore everyone with a bunch of mommy blogs.  But these I want to mention because they are ones I read regularly (and they aren’t fluffy).  I guess these would get the Mrs. Sparkly’s 10 Commandments and the One Lovely Blog Award

• Front line Moms by Lisa Cherry can turn pretty serious where it comes to protecting our children, but I really enjoy her take on life and godliness.  Yesterday she had a great post on what it means to be part of God’s Remnant.
• Refusing to Tiptoe is more likely to talk about what it means to follow Christ than frills.  That’s why I check in often!
• Where My Treasure Is I like to follow because she always has something lovely or inspiring to say about our roles as wives and mothers.  Right now she’s been doing a series of posts on marriage, but she also writes a lot about her children.  Her photos are beautiful and refreshing.
• Happy Home Fairy is the closest to a “fluffy” blog that I follow.  Her blog’s premise is presenting creative ideas for the different occasions in life.  We followed one of her suggestions for Father’s Day and made poster paper crowns for Daddy and Grandpa and had them wear them at the restaurant!  Daddy even took his boys in to the grocery store that afternoon and wore his.   Mostly though, I follow her so I will find out when her new baby can finally come home from the hospital.  Her newest post has pictures of big brother meeting baby Brother for the first time.  Can you say sunshine and rain?
• Blessed {with a nest} hasn’t written in a couple of weeks, but her premise of combining Bible lessons into our kids’ lives is just what I love to see!

Now for the Commentator’s Award (I suppose I’m doing this backwards and should honor those who comment on my blog, but I’ll get to that in a moment):

• One Love for Christ is a blog I just ran into. It seems to be a family/community effort of sharing all different aspects of Christian life. If you want to be encouraged by the quality of young people that Jesus can build, check this blog out. One of the first posts I read, Reach for the “Impossible!”, was written by a young lady of 14. Were you thinking on that level at that age?
• Ferlans is the written journey of a young lady as she wrestles her way through the Bible for the first time.  I’ve helped her out on a few things that seem troublesome at first glance as others helped me.  I enjoy her honesty and faith!
• Just a Cowboy for Christ I ran into because he had done a post on Creation vs Evolution, but that isn’t his typical post.  It’s much more a man’s discussion of following Christ and how that works its way out in our lives.
• Mere Inkling specializes in commenting on C S Lewis’ take on life.  I have a few problems with Lewis’ view of origins and ends, but how to live out Christianity doesn’t get any better.

And these get both the Commentator’s Award and Reader Appreciation Award for those who faithfully comment and “like” my posts and help make my day!

• forhisgloryandpraise holds the record for commenting.   I really missed her almost instantaneous “likes” when she wasn’t feeling well.  So, even though it’s just a bounce back, it’s only fair!
• Don Ruhl of The Bible Meditator is second on the comment list.  He has been very encouraging on my style and quality of content.
• Future Flying Saucers is another regular. We’ve been following each other since right after we started blogging. I know she’s already got these awards too, but that’s the way it is!

Turns out it’s not too easy to find who “likes” my posts regularly.  So if I leave you out it’s because I couldn’t remember your picture!

• Cleansed by God started clicking “like” a lot out of the blue.  Turns out his blog just started this month and he already has more posts than I do!
• Joe Quatrone, Jr. liked my giants post.  Looks like his blog answers theology/Christian living questions.
• Lees Bird Watching has been on my blog link posts several times since she writes about birds of the Bible.

I’m sorry to everyone else who has “liked” my posts, there doesn’t seem to be a way to pull up old stats on them.  I really do appreciate you all, although some of you click so soon after I’ve posted that I know you haven’t read the whole article!  Maybe you wouldn’t really have liked it all the way through.

PS while trying to find those stats I saw that my blog had been viewed exactly 3,333 times!  Pretty cool!  Thanks to all of you.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb 4:12

I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. Ps 119:162