confessions of a blogger

i have a confession to make. a real one. things like this are hard to write, but sometimes necessary {and let’s be honest : you might not care so much, but i feel better airing out my laundry so bear with me.}

guess what?

i’m selfish.

there. i said it.

in this crazy world of blogs that we blog in, there are some truly amazing blogs out there. some awesome, awesome blogs, posts, pictures and people. everyone’s out there trying to promote their own blog in the hopes of making it *big time* {maybe not everyone, i’m generalizing here}

in blog-land, everyone, EVERYONE knows that the way to spread the word about your own blog is by promoting other blogs. to share the common bond we have between bloggers and link up to like minded people. people who write things that have meaning to you, that inspire you, people you look up to, who create something wonderful that you would have NEVER thought of in a million years, people who are just plain awesome, or creative, or real, or faith-filled, or funny, or whatever.

you spread the love, you get the love.

it’s kind of a blog land fact.

heck, it’s a life fact.

here’s where selfish, fearful me comes crashing in to the picture.

i have so many awesome blogs i follow. products i like. posts i read. projects i see. that i simply adore. and…

…I. DON’T. SHARE. THEM. WITH. ANYONE.

wanna know why?

it’s because i’m selfish {and scared}.

i’m afraid that if i point my readers to these wonderful, awesome blogs and bloggers my readers will slowly vanish and disappear to these *better blogs.* …and i LIKE my readers. no…i LOVE my readers.

{reality check}

people read LOTS of blogs. my readers read lots of blogs.

{earth to stacey}

you are not the only blogger out there.

{shocker}

i know. it’s sad and pathetic and kind of feels like a relationship gone bad. where i take and don’t give because i’m living on fear.

{right now, i am SO hoping there is another blogger out there reading this who as felt the same way…please tell me i’m not alone in feeling like this?}

this goes against the grain of who i try so hard to be as a person. i like to give. i love to spread love. in fact, the bible itself encourages us to live in such a way,

*do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. let each of you look not only to his own interest, but also to the interests of others* {phil 2:3-4}

but no matter how hard i try, i always fall short, especially when it comes down to blogging. i don’t want to lose my readers, so i selfishly don’t link up, don’t share, don’t spread the love despite the fact that my deepest desire is to grow this blog. and not to mention the fact that i adore comments from other bloggers {who are ironically, spreading the love…thank you SO much for not being selfish like me!!}

at this point, you’re probably wondering where on God’s green earth is she going with this? {i’m glad you asked} i’m going where no *life as you blog it* blogger has gone before {that’s me}, i’m dropping my selfish, fearful agenda, and embracing the *share the love* philosophy that i hope will now be woven into a deeper part of my personality.

starting today and in the weeks and months to come, you’ll see more link ups to blogs and bloggers that i love, that i cherish either for their words or their images, that i look to for inspriation, or that i find amusing.

i don’t want to be that person any more.

i don’t want to be selfish and fearful any more.

i want to spread the love.

the only way i can begin to do that, is to acknowledge where i’ve been wrong :

• i’ve been insanely selfish and unnecessarily fearful

and ask for your forgiveness :

• bloggers : will you forgive me for not passing along your beautifully written posts, your awesome images and your witty words for my readers to enjoy along with me?
• readers : will you forgive me for not sharing the above posts/images/witty words with you?

i know it may sound silly and over dramatic to some of you, but believe it or not, i feel better. my laundry has been aired, and i feel so fresh and so clean, clean! because the best reward? well, it’s right here,

*each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.* {2 cor 9:7}

sweet nectar. let me be cheerful!

i look forward to spreading the love to you all! links of love will start up next week. please feel free to share any links with me in a comment or via email and if i, too, enjoy it, you can bet your butt you’ll see it here on *life as you blog it*

cheers my friends and as always, thank you, THANK YOU for listening to my somewhat always lengthy ramblings!

love *