For You, Netizen

netizen |ˈnetəzən|

noun

a user of the Internet, esp. a habitual or avid one.

The one that made me even more impressed with Donald Miller and want to rush out and buy his next book.

My understanding of the Church has radically changed. Since Blue Like Jazz came out, I’ve sat in many a green room and talked with many Christian leaders and I’ve discovered there’s a lot of competition and power struggle taking place in the church and it reminds me of the world. I’ve taken part in those struggles. I’ve contributed to them and I’ve made some of them happen.

But seeing that, feeling it, and wrongly participating in it has caused me to wonder if God’s view of “the church” is very different than ours. I now believe the church from man’s perspective is an earthly organization, and the church from God’s perspective extends into man’s organization of the church but is not defined by it.

-From Storyline Blog, How My Faith Has Changed Since Blue Like Jazz

The one that made me want to find more creative ways to love people through my spoken, interpersonal words & interactions.

Why don’t more of us Christians encourage and invite one another to speak boldly into our own lives and into each others’ lives. Why don’t we profess more God-expectant and mind-blowing conviction to one another.

“You, who can’t find a job, your talents and gifts will not go to waste.”

“You, who cry with loneliness, remember that God does not desire humans to be alone. You can and will have community.”

“You, who can’t get out of bed, there is strength in numbers and the people who love you out number those who don’t.”

Why don’t we encourage and help one another to profess words of gratitude?

-From Enuma Okoro, On Mouthing Off In Faith.

The one that gave me very practical, do-able suggestions for taking each day by the horns.

2. “What a heart knows by heart is what a heart knows”

Write your memory verses on a sticky note, on a chalkboard, for your pocket.

Because when you are memorizing Scripture, quiet time with the Lord — becomes all the time. (Who doesn’t want that?)

3. Flame first.

Light a candle first thing in the morning.

So you remember: You are the light that is put on a stand so that it gives light to everyone in the house.

4. Your work is art: it needs a soundtrack.

Find your music.

Play your music.

Sing your music. This is profound.

Vincent van Gogh said: “When sailors have to move a heavy load or raise an anchor, they all sing together to keep them up and give them vim. That’s just what artists lack.”

5. Step on the Snake Before Breakfast

Before breakfast, crush one hard thing that is tempting you to think there are impossible things.

Before breakfast, crush that one thing and prove that all things are possible with God.

-From Ann Voskamp, A 25 Point Manifesto for Sanity in 2013

The one that made me want to use Twitter more purposefully (like a boss, ahem, Jedi)

Don’t be a Me Monster. Be a You Jedi instead. Twitter is not for you to be that obnoxious person at the party using “I” and “Me” in overbearing abundance. Twitter isn’t about you. It’s about blessing the people who follow you. Treat them as you would first time guests to your home. Offer them something they need. Keep them comfortable. You wouldn’t hard sell a first time guest, would you?

From Mary DeMuth, 10 Ways to be a Twitter Jedi

The one that made me proud to be a black daughter raised by a white mother.

The Hebrew poetry here is a tour de force. She is black and radiant. She is black as the renowned tents that the Kedarites weave with only the wool of black goats. She is black as the mysterious curtains or tapestries in Solomon’s temple. She is like the shining blackness, pregnant with light, the moment before dawn breaks. These are all images of blackness as a deeply mysterious and luxurious kind of beauty. And as such, she embraces her full compliment of dark, sun-kissed, beauty. She is the IT girl for the ancient “Black is Beautiful” campaign.

But the Hebrew poetry is always a bit elusive, never conforming to only one reading. And so we also have this translation for verse six:

“Do not see me only as dark:

The sun has stared at me.” (translated by Ariel & Chana Bloch)

Hearing the Hebrew words in this manner, brings the Shulamite woman closer to my heart this week. She carries an awareness not only of her stunning beauty, but also of how her dark skin can sometimes be all that people see. Even for this woman, dark skin holds connotations of a lower social class. She knows that not everyone sees beyond her blackness–we can be thankful that Solomon possessed greater wisdom.

-From Kelley Nikondeha, She Ponders: Black & Beautiful

The one that made me want to fully, wholly, truthfully embrace the body I have with all the self-love I can possibly muster.

I started being more honest with the people closest to me about my body image issues. To my surprise, most people were utterly unaware of the existence of my self-hatred, let alone the intensity of it. Even more shocking — most people completely understood where I was coming from.

Michael and Paige started a campaign to alert me to when I would disparage myself, whether for my weight or my personality or my thoughts. I started reading about concepts like consent, agency, autonomy. I talked to people like Dianna, Sarah, and Grace about purity culture and modesty doctrine and this poisonous idea that there is something inherently sinful about a woman’s body that causes men to lose control of themselves. I started reading the Redefining Body Image blog. I started reading about plus-size fashion, and dressing the body you happen to have.

And yesterday, while shopping for this pair of size 20 skinny jeans that I am wearing right now, all of those conversations and blog posts and articles all came together and hit me like a ton of bricks. Two things became suddenly, inescapably, liberatingly and joyously clear to me.

-From Danilee Kelley, The Body I Have

The one that challenged me to think through how I’m connecting (or rather disconnecting) my faith from my motherhood.

Becoming a mother has been the most profound faith journey of my life. It teaches sacrifice and selflessness and breathes life into Jesus truths like nothing else I have ever encountered. I am convinced that encouraging people to become better parents goes hand in hand with encouraging people to genuinely and truly pursue God. They’re not in competition with one another, I think they’re designed to inform each other.

What pastor could possibly ask a mother to divorce her battle with temper and frustration from her daily challenge of raising a willful toddler. This is the heart of where Jesus meets us – through our kids. And I am convinced that the best way for any leader or influencer to connect with a population group who drives the Internet’s massive percentages of mommy blogs is to understand our heart cry. We are hungry for advice and encouragement on how to parent because we know how closely related it is to how we believe.

-From Lisa-Jo Baker, The Gospel According to Mommy Bloggers

The one that made me want to find a way to creatively document my boys rapid growth. A couple documents their little ones life each week and month with fabric back drops. So cute!

We weren’t sure if we could keep up with weekly pics for her entire first year, but it turned into something that we really looked forward to. From picking out each yard of fabric (usually on clearance from JoAnn or Hancock) to photoshopping the type on her plain white onesie (after we uploaded the pics) it was a fun little 52 week event here at Casa Petersik. Learn how we created each weekly photo here, and see each photo a lot larger by scrolling further down this page.

***Oh and you can peep a ton of other family photos of Clara (with a bit less production behind them) along with some videos right here on our family blog called Young House Life.

-From Young House Love, Clara’s Weekly Photo Project

Did I miss anything? What did you read & love this week?

Have a great weekend!