A moment with Mama Smith... Updates and moving forward

Hello, dear friends and readers!

Long time, no blog!

Much has happened since I last sat in front of a keyboard and composed an article for you. Asher dude is now almost nine months old (what!?!), I have been back at work for half a year, and the summer is almost over. I can hear the dulcet tones of fall in the distance, especially since the pumpkin spice latte comes back in less than three weeks! Honestly, the PSL is one of my prime indicators that autumnal delights are nigh...

But I'm sure you are wondering about the point of this post. Let me eliminate the suspense right off the bat. I am coming back to blogging after another (less intentional) hiatus, and I want to explain why I didn't write for awhile and what changes I will be implementing as I move forward.

If I were to have a #realtalk moment with you right now, I have been running blogging guilt for much of the last several months. I dropped the positive habits I had begun to cultivate, and then we hit some new phases with Asher's development and schedule. I allowed myself to make a lot of excuses instead of finding solutions. Because of my guilty feelings about inconsistent blogging, I just let it go altogether, which was not ultimately beneficial for anyone.

Then, as I was checking my email recently, I came across an automatic renewal notice for my domain name. I had forgotten that I was approaching my first blog anniversary! My original post on Mama Smith Writes was published on August 18, 2017. At that time, we were about to enter the third trimester with Asher, and I had finally gotten up the momentum to start blogging. After months of planning, brainstorming, and generous encouragement from my hubby, I took the plunge.

Thinking about connections I have made with readers over the last year and remembering how far my family has come since then encouraged my heart. I am grateful beyond expression for the life God has granted me. My husband and my son are truly a delight to live with and to serve. They brighten my days and provide comfort when I feel discouraged. And I have been overwhelmed with thankfulness for those who have read this blog and spoken to me -- whether in the comments or personally -- about it.

As I look back over the past year, so many things have changed. I have learned more than I ever thought possible about blogging, pregnancy, childbirth, caring for an infant, postpartum recovery, home management, and many other topics. God has truly stretched me and revealed my limitations, humbling me and leading me to worship him with a thankful heart.

In light of many things I've learned, I have several new goals as I move into the next few months of blogging.

1. When I tell you a post will be published at a specific time, it WILL be published at that time! No more excuses or wimping out.

Having a young baby and a part-time job, as well as keeping up with the house work, I realized that I had allowed myself to become an excuse factory! Of course, the excuse-making behavior did NOT have to follow naturally from my circumstances, but I know that I respect people more when they say they will do something and actually, um, do it. Yep. That's how that works...

2. I will not venture beyond my original statement for this blog's purpose: "Exploring the role of motherhood, engaging in cultural dialogue from a biblical perspective, and dishing out straight talk, this blog is by a new mom and for moms everywhere who want to live for Jesus in their world." When I do write a post that is outside my normal content -- but still within my purpose statement -- I will set it up with ample information and context, in order to make it more relatable to you, the reader.

When I attempted a series on feminism, for example, I quickly found that my attitude was not in the right place, and the voice in my writing reflected this reality. If I do try writing about cultural and philosophical trends we are seeing as moms, I plan on being more prepared to deal with them in an objective, thoroughly informed way, in addition to providing sufficient context.

3. I won't diversify my posting plans too much or too quickly.

While several of the directions I hoped to go with this blog certainly captured my interest (e.g. book reviews, Thankful Thursdays, development updates), I attempted to do too much too quickly. I will be focusing on one or two different formats for posts at a time, and I will certainly let you know when I am trying something new. But the pace I set for myself temporarily did NOT match my resources when it came to time and attention span. I intend to prioritize my family and our home life moving forward, so the blogosphere will not be quite as populated with my writing. And I am totally fine with that.

Just some final thoughts...

I have truly missed writing and sharing stories with you all, and I look forward to getting back into a rhythm of consistent blogging. Thank you for your readership and encouragement!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I am off to wipe some counters and vacuum. Have a fantastic weekend!

Soli Deo Gloria

- Mama Smith

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