Blogs I love...

I don't know about you, but I love reading blogs. I started writing my own blog back in 2005, as I prepared to head to South Korea to teach English for a year. That year turned to two, and then three... And my blog became a place for me to chronicle the ordinary events of my life as an expat in a foreign country. It became my journal, my refuge and my means of staying connected to those whom I loved back here in the States. Now that I have returned to America, my blog is still a means for staying connected to those whom I love, because now my friends are spread all over the globe. And I still need a journal. And a way to chronicle events in a manner that social media just does not allow or do justice. 

One aspect of blogs that I have come to appreciate is that they are now a means of valuable information - DIY projects, stories of people's experiences and recommendations in dealing with various issues. Two years ago, when my OB diagnosed me with PCOS and my general practitioner diagnosed me with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, my sister recommended a blog to me, called Keeper of the Home. I began to read everything the blog had to say on natural responses to dealing with hormonal imbalances. This lady's blog became for me a haven. A place to hear the other side. The side no doctor would tell me. The alternatives that are available for you and me out in the marketplace. Her blog became - for me - a beacon of hope along what had before felt like a really dark path. I am so thankful I found her blog... because not only have I learned so much from it, but it also opened up the door for me to read OTHER blogs, as well!

So now, as I happen upon quality sites in blogosphere that I thoroughly enjoy and feel like I can learn from, I bookmark them for future reference. And, when I have a spare moment or two, I'll go to "my" blogs and catch an update from them. I learn fun and thought-provoking new things like:

• A new recipe - especially tasty gluten-free recipes!

• A creative idea for some DIY project (like home-made soap or lotion).

• An alternate approach for dealing some current issue I'm facing. Or will face in the future.

• A godly perspective on issues that women face as wives, mothers and Christians.

These days, the blogs that I bookmark are most related to issues of the home - the place I would dearly love to spend more time one day. If you are - like me - looking for encouragement, inspiration and new ideas, I strongly recommend these blogs!

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home

Many contributing writers @ Visionary Womanhood

Brandy @ The Marathon Mom

Rebecca @ a daily something