Two Years of Blogging!!!

This Friday marks two years of blogging, for me. I was pretty clueless and beyond nervous back then! The day I wrote my very first post, here at "Christ in the Clouds", this is what I wrote...
(Tuesday, November 8, 2011)
"There are several reasons I decided to start a blog. First and foremost I like writing, especially about how God is working in my life. I also love to read. I've been reading and following other bloggers for a while and decided it would be fun to be a part of that community.  I have read how others have been encouraged and built friendships from all over the world through blogging. I also know that I have more recently had more time on my hands and God has been working in my heart to do this. I held off doing it, more out of not knowing how to get it started or what I would even write about, than anything else. I also know that I’m not a professional writer and would hate to bore anyone who would read what I wrote. Even if I get very few(if any) followers, I hope that someone may find my blogs helpful in their lives, as so many have done for me in sharing theirs.  Maybe, I’ll even learn a little about how to become a better writer.  No matter what, I want to give God the glory and grow in Him, and have fun doing it!!!! I’ll do my very best to keep this blog updated, at least every week. There’s nothing more frustrating than for me to follow someone’s blog and all of a sudden they stop blogging for several months!!! So, here I go..."

Little did I know where blogging would take me! I HAVE kept it going, with very few breaks between posts.  I've learned SO much over the years, started a second blog about lake/cottage living, called "Cairn Cottage", and most of all, I made some awesome bloggy friends! 

Here are my 5 most viewed posts in the last 2 years:
What a Beautiful Name
Nov 29, 2011
 (This has been my top read post for nearly the full 2 years I've been blogging!) There's one Name that has many titles, the Name of Jesus. Now, that's a beautiful Name!  (More)
multi color
Barking Spiders and Other Funny Poems
Feb 4, 2012
Sometimes it's just fun (and good for us) to laugh a little bit! (More)
A joyful heart is good medicine...

(Proverbs 17:22a)

 multi color 

Guarded and Protected 

Aug 11, 2012  (Sometimes all it takes is just a few words. This was one of my shorter posts, but one of the most viewed!) (More)

 multi color

The Greatest Gift, Multiplied
Oct 9, 2012 
 This post was a special occasion for me.....I listed my one-thousandth gift!!! It still is the greatest Gift of all....(More)
 
(How appropriate, with Christmas just around the corner, too!)

 multi color

How to Become an Adventurer
Jan 25, 2012,  
 "Adventure" is defined in the dictionary as "an undertaking or enterprise of a hazardous nature; an unusual or exciting experience; participation in hazardous or exciting experiences. (More)
  
After re-reading this post, I was also led to go over to my post called, "My Adventures", where I listed 
My Adventures for 2012: *The ones striked through, I actually accomplished.  
  • Moving from a large home to a small lake house (very soon!)
  • Losing 40 pounds in 6 months! Winning a local “biggest loser contest.”
  • Reading "Made to Crave" and learning to crave a daily relationship with God!
  • Reading the Bible in 90 days.(an internet blog challenge group) starting in February. 
  • Renewing my wedding vows with my hubby on a tropical beach! 
  • Relaxing! 
  • Getting involved with other couples in my church 
  • Getting involved with more blog parties and making lots of bloggy friends. 
  • Restarting an awesome garden on our new property! 
  • Lots of fishing! 
  •  Make a healthy eating plan for myself.
I did do most of them...need to work on healthy eating, still! :( Maybe I'll accomplish that and reading the Bible through in 2014! :)

I am so grateful that I listened to God's prompting me 2 years ago to start writing my own blog and listing the gifts He has for me each day! It has literally changed my life!

And finally, I want to say a great big 'thanks' to all my readers/followers!!! I have been SO BLESSED, getting to know and making so many new friends here!!! You have made blogging so much more fun and interesting!!! (I hope and pray you have been blessed, as well!!)


Comments

  1. Laurie CollettNovember 3, 2013 at 7:11 PM

    Congratulations on your 2-year anniversary! May God continue to bless you and your ministry. Jesus truly is the greatest Gift, and His Name to be lifted up with praise and adoration!
    Laurie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. cairncottageNovember 4, 2013 at 6:37 AM

      Thanks, Laurie! It's been such a blessing and adventure!

      Delete
  2. jviola79November 4, 2013 at 4:21 AM

    Congratulations on your blogging anniversary! May God continue to inspire you & give you creativity & bring you opportunities to bless others!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Joan Davis (Jo)November 4, 2013 at 5:23 AM

    Congratulations on your 2 year blogging anniversary!! I love both of your blogs...I think one of the reasons is because I feel so comfortable with you. You write like a "real person" and I can connect and relate to what you share. Thank you for listening to God's inner prompting and starting to blog - you are a great encouragement to those who stop by here! Blessings to you, Ann, as you continue to blog! I'm so glad you joined the Blogging World!

    Blessings, Joan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. cairncottageNovember 4, 2013 at 6:45 AM

      Thanks, Joan. You are so sweet and kind! I feel the same way about your blog! Of all the bloggers I've met over the years, you are one I would LOVE to have the opportunity to meet in person someday! I think we would bond a close friendship the minute we did! Definitely wish we didn't live so far apart from each other! I don't have any idea where the time has gone, but it's been an absolute blessing!

      Delete
    2. Joan Davis (Jo)November 4, 2013 at 8:36 PM

      I agree! I'd love to meet you some day...and who knows? God has a way of making things happen when we least expect it!

      Blessings!!

      Delete
  4. UnknownNovember 4, 2013 at 8:11 AM

    Congratulations! What a great idea to post something like this and add your most viewed posts. I may use this idea for my next blogging anniversary (February 14th) So glad you linked to my blog today and that I was able to view your page. Way to go!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. cairncottageNovember 4, 2013 at 10:38 AM

      I love looking back like this, Salina! It reminds me how far God has brought me! Feel free to use this idea. Blogging anniversaries are pretty awesome! Thanks for stopping by today!

      Delete
  5. AnonymousNovember 4, 2013 at 10:45 AM

    Happy Happy Blogaversary! I especially loved your collage:) Wishing you another year full of blessing and sweet surprises!

    ReplyDelete
  6. a joyful noiseNovember 4, 2013 at 6:05 PM

    Thank you for sharing with us here at "tell Me a Story." My blog was began to post my memories and then to catalogue them into a book, however there were too many stories for one book, so again I separaged them hopefully into time zones, (not always accurate) but anyway I have three books self published. Many have been given away and the message of Jesus is in most every story.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Lori HatcherNovember 5, 2013 at 6:50 PM

    I'm fast approaching my third anniversary of blogging, and I agree, the benefits have been super -- an increased ministry reach, improved writing skills, an online community, and just plain fun (and hard work.) Wonder where we'll both be a year from now? Hopefully still blogging away :) Congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  8. CherylNovember 6, 2013 at 8:47 PM

    Congratulations on passing that two-year milestone! I just passed mine, also, on October 1st. It has been a therapeutic journey for me, birthed in anguish, and so many times I have considered stopping. But, each time I get serious about quitting, God gives new and fresh inspiration. Anyhow, I appreciate you and your faithfulness to God and what He is calling you to do. May His peace continually be with you, my friend. Love, Cheryl

    ReplyDelete

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