Light and Dark

You might have noticed that since Easter I haven't really done any serious posts. After our Easter sickness, I have been tired and busy.

Not that I haven't been thinking seriously - or writing seriously - I have been thinking, writing and teaching for church. With small children, housework and working part time in a mind heavy job, as well as doing some distance teaching, by the time I come to my blog I'm relaxing.

Perhaps that's why I don't mention my work much on this blog. Another reason is that my work often needs to be confidential. As it involves people, I also must be very careful in what I say.

But I could upload sermons for instance. This would involve very little extra work for me! (might have to spellcheck them then...) I never have. Many men I know in ministry do. I'm a little afraid I would bore you all - I've built up a small audience of friends and use my blog to enrich my friendships - to suddenly start putting up teaching material doesn't seem right relationally. I do read blogs which are more serious and less domestic than mine, and I enjoy them. But I'm not sure I want to take my blog there. But I would like to have more energy to put in more thoughtful pieces.

Funnily enough a male friend of mine has been thinking in the opposite direction - wanting to go more domestic with his blog, but afraid to take that step. I suspect there are some gender factors at work here, about what face we feel confident to present to the world.

What do you most like about my blog? what would you like to see more of? And with your own blog, do you ever think about what direction to take it?

blog comment day this wednesday

A friend of mine, John, has instituted blog comment day for Wednesday 3rd December, and would love more people to get involved.

This is how it works:
On December 3, 2008 you will leave one comment on at least 5 different blogs.
Out of the 5 blogs you comment on, at least 2 of them will be blogs you haven't commented on previously.

If you want to partipate, you can let me or John know. There is also a facebook group for this.

This is your chance to comment where you have been lurking!!

How do they do it?

Also from Mim - a blog analyser to pick Myers Brigg from your blog.

Keen readers of my blog will know I am an INFP - well here they guessed me as an ISFP. Pretty close.

The analysis indicates that the author ofhttp://eventhesmallest.blogspot.comis of the type:
ISFP - The Artists
The gentle and compassionate type. They are especially attuned their inner values and what other people need. They are not friends of many words and tend to take the worries of the world on their shoulders. They tend to follow the path of least resistance and have to look out not to be taken advantage of. They often prefer working quietly, behind the scene as a part of a team. They tend to value their friends and family above what they do for a living.

(How can they tell? a vocab analysis?)

Yes, I am a woman (just)

Got this from Mim:

my blog has been analysed and:

Results:
We guess http://eventhesmallest.blogspot.com is written by a woman (51%), however it's quite gender neutral.


It doesn't seem that accurate - only about 55% from the web results so far....

Drumroll please..Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you

You may have read in previous posts that the blogs I link to on my sidebar are my friends. I currently don't link to any other blogs, although I do look at other blogs. For me blogging is about friendship, and I find that I do not sustain an interest in a blog unless the blogger is already a friend or becomes one. And because of that, the blogs I link to aren't necessarily anything like mine, just as your friends can be wonderfully different from you. Which may mean that you ignore my links, as you don't know what the blogs will be about. So I thought I would introduce you to my current crop of links. I also want to do this, because I have been reflecting lately on what an encouraging and inspiring lot they all are and wanted to sing their praises.


Andrew aka Jubilee Man: Andrew and my husband were in each other's bridal parties, and when they saw each other more often they were full of in jokes that only they understood! Bhaer misses him very much. Andrew is a minister, husband (see Cecily below) and father. Andrew's blog is full of different treasures: thoughtful theology, musings on life, ministry and family, and also loads of wonderful photography shot by himself.


Byron aka nothing new under the sun: Byron and I have only met online, but have since discovered so many connections we can't understand why we have never met. He is doing his PhD on the church at the moment, and I can't wait to see where it goes. His blog is my stop for a good theological think - but Byron is never just about the academy, so he also engages meaningfully with real world issues such as politics and the environment.

Cecily aka I love sunny day is married to Andrew, and is a friend from Uni days. She is one of those amazing inspiring women who is able to put her hand to almost anything. She is a published author, and she often shares what she is currently writing on her blog. She also tells you about her latest projects and passions, and about mothering her 3 kids (one of whom is in the autism spectrum). She does everything with flair and love.


John aka Smulospace is a friend of mine from college days. He has an enquiring mind, always willing to entertain the views of others and think things through. His blog is a meeting place for emerging church discussion. A refreshing change in a blogger, he tries to provoke discussion rather than hold forth on his own opinion all the time. A necessary voice of critique for the church today, he doesn't come across, as some do, as Mr Negativity, but rather still a lover of Jesus and his people.

Kaylene aka my life as a (not so) yummy mummy is another old Uni friend. Like me, she is a mum of 2 small boys - incredibly only about 13 months apart - so I take my hat off to her! A very smart woman, she has a high powered career but her heart is with her 2 boys. She blogs about the intersection of her work and children, and shares about the joys and challenges of mothering in a genuine, frank and heartfelt manner.


Kristen aka the babies stole my brain and I were in the bridal parties of each other's weddings and we are often spending time on Facebook or the phone together when we should be doing other things - Kris is a lifeline for me. Kristen is in ministry with her husband. Kris's eclectic blog showcases her wideranging interests, as she fills it with her engaging thoughts on parenthood, ministry, the church, the world and pop culture. And if the Babies did steal her brain, then they must have given her an even better one back (don't play her at word games!)

Mark aka Honest approach and I were in a Bible study group together for a few years. We were 2 of the most outspoken members of the group, and we derived much enjoyment from debating things together. Mark is one of those people who is never happy just to take something as read, he always wants to ask why first - we really need people like him in the world! His blog focusses on faith and spiritual growth in a serious minded and thoughtful way.

Mim aka Mim's muddle is married to a school friend of my husband and pretty quickly became my friend too. Mim is a mother of 3 kids and has just gone back to the workforce - she is a person who take an active interest in many many things, and this makes her blog very interesting - read about wildlife, jewellery making, sci fi, historic re-enactment, feminism, food... and her family, all written about with honesty, humour and heart.

Nicole aka 168 hours is the wife of a college friend. We have only recently met in person, but because of her open and caring online presence, I feel like I know her well! She is a mother to 3 young kids. Her blog encourages and challenges other Christian women, especially mothers, to live lives that every day transcend the everyday in serving God and others. She also is a poet and shares great poetry written by herself and others.

Prue aka My life as the good twin is a friend from uni days (and a playgroup friend now). Prue is a mother of 2, botanist, botanical artist and crafter. She is an incredibly multitalented person, and shares her always accomplished art, craft, sewing and breadmaking, as well as opening up about her life as a mum. She also shares her wry, funny and insightful observations about life and the world.

So, go visit them, be kind to them, and maybe become friends too.

No blogging

Sorry for lack of blogging. My family continues sick - 2.5 weeks now! We are just managing to get everything done, but no time for the fripperies of life! If you pray, please pray - Sparky, Bhaer and I still have a coldy/flu thing. The good thing is Owl (haven't had time to decide on new name, thanks for suggestions) is well.

What should I call him?

Still looking for a new blogging nickname for this fella. Take a look at that face - this is pretty much what he is like! Any suggestions?

archive meme aka who's that blogger?

Prue tagged me for a meme. It is an archive one to share 5 old posts. I have decided to use it as a handy dandy introduction to me and my blog. The 5 posts are to be about family, friends, me, something I love, and anything I like. So here goes:

Family: I am surrounded by men in my family. One of the most important men in my life.
Friends: Here is the purpose of my blog
Me: Why did I call my blog even the smallest?
Something I love: So many options. Here are 2 little examples - and this helps you with knowing who is who in my blog. I am still looking for a new nickname for Owl. He has turned into an adventurous intrepid toddler - any ideas?
Anything I like: here is one of the posts where I talk about my faith and my friends - love for God and love for others - pretty much sums it up for me.

And a note to my husband (Bhaer) - you haven't made it into one of these posts, but you are a very important man in my life who I love very much.

A lot of my regular readers who are bloggers have already been tagged, so that leaves Andrew, John, Les, Mim and Nicole.

book club Kite Runner blogging this week

Go see our book club blog this week - we have been posting about the Kite Runner. So far, Prue discusses Afghanistan and new learning from the book, Kris discusses at first disliking and then warming to the book, and I talk about parenting and redemption.

Link to left side of this page.

updated blog reading level

Hmmmmmm
just out of curiousity did the blog readability test on my blog again.........only 2 posts since I last did it (see 2 posts back!). And this time came out as postgrad level - 2 posts can make that much difference???? would be interesting to see the code for this...

Blog reading level

I found this interesting little test on a blogger friend's blog - who came out as postgrad level! I'm not sure what to feel about this..... as I am contemplating going back to postgrad study, but was wondering whether I knew how to write like that anymore, this is worrying that I don't make postgrad..........on the other hand, as this is just a little personal blog in which I write about my days, perhaps the level is too high???

Book club blogging has started

Yes, we now have some posts in our book club blog.......so far we have discussed the intro and the first chapter (on Deborah, the judge and prophet) from our first book Women, Ministry and the gospel. Don't worry, if not your cuppa, the fiction book should be decided on soon.

the book club takes on a life of its own

literally!
it now has its own blog
see http://goinonabookhunt.blogspot.com/
the fiction book will be up soon.

More bloggy book club - a new development

After some discussion, a new development. There will be at the ONE AND THE SAME TIME - can we do it?? a fiction and non fiction book going. So, this means if you are reading both, if you get bored with one, you can read the other for a while (sometimes i feel like fiction sometimes non fiction - dont know about you). It also means if you only want to read one that's fine too - and now you have a choice regarding which one. I am thinking, as it is excellent timing, that maybe (unless it looks bad) the winner of 2007 Man Booker Prize - which is announced Monday - so will let you know then. Meanwhile, take a look at the shortlist, and take a guess which will win:
http://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/thisyear/shortlist

Bloggy Book club

Dear readers,
A blogger friend, the babies stole my brain, is committed to regaining said brain. In pursuit of which, she has just started a blog book club to help us to read and discuss.

I was on the verge of starting something similar, so i was thrilled to read her post on this - see here.

Who would like to join us? A variety of views and opinions are welcome as long as respect is shown. I haven't consulted her on this, but I assume that it is Ok to go in and out depending on your interest in the book under discussion at the time.

As initiating blogger, tbsmb has chosen our inaugural book - The book is called Women, Ministry and the Gospel: Exploring New Paradigms. It's a collection of essays presented at the 2005 Wheaton College Theology conference. As fas as I understand it, on my brief research on the net, this was a conference which tried to bridge the gap between those on opposing sides of the women in ministry debate. (see here for a view on the upshot of this by one egalitarian) - so this then, I think, is a book by people on both sides of the debate who have a desire for christian unity and reconciliation. We would read a chapter or 2 a week and discuss via our blogs on a set day. In the spirit of the book, I welcome those on both sides of the debate to come read it with us.

I have made a plea for fiction to be on the menu as well, so maybe next time!

If you are interested, please let either me or tbsmb know. See her post for online places to buy the book.

friends not links

If you are in the group who read my blog regularly (as far as I am aware a very select group indeed lol), you might have noticed I recently changed my section links to be titled friends. That is because I had a think about who I should link to and why. Which led me to thinking about the purpose of my blog. There are lots of different types of blogs out there (based around businesses, philosophies, interests etc) and so there are lots of different reasons for who is included in links. No one way is the best, it depends on what your blog is for. This blog I have decided is, and always has been, about friendship - in the sense not that I talk about that necessarily, but that I use it to maintain and enrich my friendships. So I have a single criterion for my links section: I link to genuine friends. So a link doesnt mean I agree or disagree, or that I am similar or dissimilar to those blog writers. I impose no such limits on my friends that we must agree or be like each other! Since those linked to are my friends though, if you visit them, please treat them kindly and gently - I love them.

myers brigg and blogging type

2 months ago I blogged about personality -i asked readers to volunteer their myers brigg type - alas no takers. then today finally andrew says he is ENTJ - which so fits his blog style - informative, thoughtful, external focus - see http://www.jubileeman.blogspot.com/. so I ask - can you assess personality from blog?

nicknames for my boys

Felt I should stop calling my kids by numbers. So we will call eldest son Sparky (he's bright and bubbly, chatty and charming, very adorable and very tiring) and for my baby, as an interim name, as he is still really to reveal himself - Owl ( he stays up late but mostly because he has a really wise little solemn face) though he has also been called Clancy (of the overflow) and Wellington (windy).

My husband has just commented he should have a nickname too. Have to think about that.

personality and first impressions

Here I am responding again to the same friend's blog! (see my post below on christians and culture - this shows that stuck at home with kids, reading blogs is now my community!) - she is reading about friendship at the moment and the effect that conversational style has on our judgment of each other. This really made me think back over past relationships. I thought this also related into personality - say for instance introversion/extraversion. Introverts such as myself often show a different public face to private one. I know for myself I tend to not show my serious side until I know someone well - as I keep what really matters to me private. I also tend to show this serious heart more in what I write than in what I say. I wonder how many people have not become friends because I do this? Do I miss out then on becoming friends with those people who would share my most deeply held views and ideals?
this is related also to my mysers brigg type - INFP see http://users.knoware.nl/users/veldman/frans/dutch/infp.htm or http://www.personalitypage.com/INFP.html
what are you?