The Blogger Recognition Award

Yestermonth, I was tagged for the Blogger Recognition Award, and this week seems like a good week for a blog tag—so here it is! =)

First off, I should thank Lili P. for nominating me on her blog, Good Story! You can find her Blogger Recognition Award post here with her tips for new bloggers.

I will start off with the rules ~

1. Thank the nominator, and publish a post on your blog about receiving the Blogger Recognition Award. Make sure to provide a link to the nominator’s blog in your post. (Check!)
2. Give a brief story of how your blog started.
3. Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.
4. Nominate 10-15 other bloggers for this award, and inform them of their nomination.

Ok, so how did my blog start? Well, this February, I joined the Young Writers Workshop and saw that Jaquelle Ferris, the co-founder, recommended that writers start blogs. They help you learn to write consistently, she said. I thought that sounded like a good idea, so I started my own. From there, I winged it. So far, I have enjoyed blogging a lot, and have become much more consistent, plus I discovered that I like writing Christian living. I do not regret my decision one bit!

Two pieces of advice for new bloggers… I guess I’ll say this:

#1: You’ll figure a lot of it out as you go, so don’t be afraid to wing it.

Sure, you can carefully plan four years-worth of blogging before you start, and try to become famous. But if you do that, I think you’re missing the point. You may not even start your blog in the first place! 

At least in my perspective, blogging is a learning experience. It is an excellent way to help writers figure out what they like to write, and experiment with their words a bit. They are also helpful for reaching readers, but at the heart of the blog’s purpose is to learn new things—mastering language, and also gaining experience with email lists and tech-y stuff. 

#2: Have fun with it! 

Be creative, try new things. Enjoy each step along the way. Don’t take it too seriously. Write what you want to write, what you are passionate about—not whatever you are supposed to do next on your blogging schedule. Savor the experience. Play with the fonts. Experiment. Learn.

If you aren’t having fun, there’s something wrong with your approach to blogging. ;)

What’s next? Nominations! 10-15 is a lot, so I’m just going to take the traditional blogger’s shortcut for blog tags ~

If YOU have a blog and want to do this blog tag, I nominate YOU!

By the way, this blog is going on hiatus for a little while. I am gearing up to switch over to Wordpress and planning some fun stuff like giveaways and guest posting to go with that, so I'll be taking a break from blogging here. To stay updated, be sure to sign up for my newsletter on the sidebar to the right if you haven't already.

The "Tell the Story" Challenge

Hello, folks! Allison Grace @ https://allisongracewrites.com tagged me for the Tell the Story Challenge, so today I am posting that! Here are its rules:

1. Pick an image out of the choices.
2. Write a short story, poem, or whatever applies to that image.
3. Choose other bloggers to do the challenge.
4. Give your nominees a few more images to choose from.

You can read Allison's post (and her cool poem!) here. When Allison tagged me, I picked this image out of the choices she gave me:

'Cause it's a pig. And pigs are cool. (Think Charlotte's Web.) And it is such an interesting image! So I wrote this pig's story for him. Without further ado, "A Hog's Log: Day #3":

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It is so good to be free, but the journey proceeding a pig’s escape is not always easy. Especially when it involves swimming.

I stepped into the ocean this morning with only the knowledge of where I had came from. I knew very well that I was fleeing the bacon farm, but little did I know what lay ahead.

Why am I swimming away from my old home? That is a simple question. You see, some pigs need to act for themselves. Not every pig can have a spider to spin webs with nice things about them. Not every pig can become too famous to be butchered. Some pigs have to escape death themselves.

I’m swimming because I realize I’m not the most important pig in the world, so I won’t survive if I stay at my farm. But it is tough for a pig to leave his farm, too. So I decided that, with a little courage, I could escape a horrible death. With a little courage, I could head toward something else instead.

In a way, everybody is a swimming pig.

Everyone’s swimming away from something, and everyone’s swimming toward the unknown.

Everyone feels as if they are far more suited for dry land, but they must swim, with just as many swimming fins as a pig has.

Everyone has to choose to “just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

If you take another angle, you’ll also notice that everyone has a seagull on their back. Sure, he’s your wingman, a loyal companion on a long journey. But he also weighs you down. And to be frank, some seagulls aren’t as helpful as spelling-bee-gold-medalist spiders.

But we’ll get through this. Just keep swimming.

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Now to tag some bloggers! After some careful thinking, I choose...

Coralie @ https://gracebought.wordpress.com  

Jessis Bingham @ https://paperstrider.com 

Julia Nelson @ https://www.julianelsonauthor.com 

Here are their image choices:

(All of these are from Pixabay, so don't worry about copyright.) ;)

Two Blog Tags

I’ve been nominated for a couple blogger awards by two bloggers I met through the Young Writers Workshop. Since I have procrastinated a couple months already, I am going to post those both at once today instead of my usual article. Basically, I will answer their questions, and then nominate some more bloggers and ask them questions. So you can skim through and read what interests you. Sound fun?

Let’s start with the Sunshine Blogger Award!

The rules:

#1: Thank the blogger who nominated you and link to their blog.

#2: Answer the questions provided by the blogger who nominated you (11 maximum).

#3: Nominate new bloggers and make up 11 questions for them to answer.

#4: List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger logo in your post.

Thank you, Fe, for nominating me! You can find her blog, the Unshaken, here. If you are a Christian athlete (or even a non-athlete!) be sure to check it out! She just started a series on 1 Timothy.

Here are the questions she asked and my answers:

1. What’s your favorite book of all time? (Yes, I just went there.)

Hmmmmm… this one’s hard. I’m not much of a fan girl, I don’t reread a lot of books, and I prefer reading stand-alones, or just the first book of a series, to reading full ones. I’ve enjoyed a lot of books, but not many stand out as a favorite. Here are a few at the top of my mind in no particular order:

• I have to include the Harry Potter books, especially Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I started reading them just last year, and was hooked at my first taste. Unfortunately, I’m only allowed to read up to the fourth book, but I will get to read the fifth one after my next birthday!
• Keeper of the Lost Cities is one of the few series I’ve read through. It is very good, (Exile in particular,) and Harry Potter-like. I’m looking forward to Legacy, which is coming out in November!
• Also should put The Mysterious Benedict Society in here, though I have not reread it nor read the rest of the series. Super fun!
• Do Hard Things and This Changes Everything: How the Gospel Transforms the Teen Years are both very good nonfiction for teens!
• A few of my childhood favorites are The Black Stallion, Black Beauty, and Come Home, Candy. (Candy is the name of a puppy!)

2. Do you play sports? If so, which one?

Sorry, no. Not an athlete by any measure. No instruments either! I prefer creative exercises…

3. What’s your favorite type of music?

I am not a music nerd or anything, so I don’t know how popular my opinion is, but I like contemporary Christian music. Especially hip hop Christian music, and I really enjoy TobyMac. (I don't wanna be no backseat, don't wanna be no backseat driver!)

4. What is your favorite Bible Verse?

It’ll probably change, but right now I like 2 Corinthian 3-4.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Sorry, that’s two verses!

5. Do you have any siblings?

Do I! I am the oldest of ten. =)

6. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Invisibility would be fun! Would also help with the above mentioned distractions. ;) Flying would be cool too!

7. What is your favorite joke? (I hope you have one. I love jokes. Especially corny ones with puns.)

I’ve asked Siri about this a lot, and I really like this one: When someone tells me to stop acting like a flamingo, that’s when I put my foot down.

8. What’s your favorite quote?

As of very recently, I’ve liked this C. S. Lewis quote:

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it but because by it, I see everything else.

9. Do you have any advice for all of us Christian teens?

Remember your purpose. If you are saved, your eternal life has already started! So keep trusting God, and get to know Him on a deeper level through the Word and prayer. And then live like you know Him.

10. If you could go back in time, what would you change?

I’d go meet my past self and blow up the space-time continuum. =D

11. And now for the MOST PROFOUND QUESTION IN THE BOOK OF SUPER DUPER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS… Drum roll please… what is your favorite color? XD

PURPLE! I really like rich, dark, vibrant purples. And lavender is such a calming shade…

And since I couldn’t find anybody who hadn’t already been nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award, consider yourself nominated!

Here are my questions for any bloggers who take this tag:

#1: What are your top two favorite book series?

#2: What is the yummiest ice cream flavor in your opinion? Best brand?

#3: Have you traveled the US much? What is your favorite state and why?

#4: If you could instantly learn one new skill, what would it be?

#5: What is your Myer-Briggs type? (If you haven’t yet, go take the test!)

#6: What do you like writing about the most?

#7: What is your favorite insect?

#8: Do you have a dream dog? What breed?

#9: What is your biggest accomplishment?

#10: What is your favorite season and why?

#11: Any plans for the summer?

Now for the Liebster Award!

The rules:

#1: Acknowledge the blogger who gave it to you and display the award.

#2: Answer 11 questions that the blogger gave you.

#3: Give 11 random thoughts about yourself.

#4: Nominate 11 other bloggers and notify them of their nominations.

#5: Ask your nominees 11 questions.

Thanks for the tag, Mary Grace! Mary Grace blogs lovely encouragement for ladies at Hopes and Joys. She has written many letters to women of the Bible!

Now I will answer her questions:

What’s your favorite flower?

Dahlias and tulips are very pretty!

Have you ever written a novel (or are in the process of writing one)?

No, in order for something to be a novel it has to be over 50,000 words. I have written a 19,000 word novella, and am working on the second draft now.

If you could time travel, when would you go?

I would go listen to one of Jesus’ sermons.

What personality trait has gotten you into the worst trouble?

I am an INFJ-T, and the combination of F (Feeling) and J (Judging) and T (Turbulent) can sometimes not be very fun. I am thrown off my guard when things don’t go according to plan.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

The first thing that comes to mind is “be a [insert alien word starting with ‘g’ and meaning jellyfish, as I don’t remember what it was].” My Bible study was watching Galaxy Buck: Mission to Sector 9 and that point stood out to us. We need to be like jellyfish: float in the current of God’s love and go where he takes us.

If you had to pick a new name for yourself, what would you pick?

I like my name! If I had to, maybe Josephine? It would be just as hard to spell though!

Do you feel like a leader or a follower?

It depends! I am definitely a leader at home, but if there are other more qualified people who can lead, I’m a follower. I think that when there is a choice, and the team in question is made up of younger/less-knowledged-when-it

-comes-to-what-we’re-working-on people rather than older/more-knowledged people, I’m a leader.

Which movie sequel do you wish you could erase from history?

I can’t think of any! What can I say? Bad sequels are unmemorable!

What’s your favorite book?

See other blog award answer.

What fictional character do you wish you could meet?

Hermione, maybe?

If your life was a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

As I said in the other blog award, I like TobyMac music!

My 11 thoughts:

#1: Homeschooled. =)

#2: Will be 15 relatively soon.

#4: Rats make great pets.

#5: May have been bitten by a black widow before.

#6: My bed sheets are purple.

#7: My pillow cases are purple.

#8: My bedroom walls are purple.

#9: One wall has stripes.

#10: I say “my” bedroom, but I share with an 11-year-old, 4-year-old, and 3-year-old

#11: My baby brother just turned one!

Whom I am nominating for the Liebster Award: (These are all other young Christian writers who are a part of the Young Writer’s Workshop.)

Allison Grace @Allison Grace (a fabulous writer’s blog!)

Julia Nelson @Julia Nelson (another lovely blog for writers!)

Bekah B. @The Narrow Road for Teens (so much wisdom for Christian teens!)

And whoever else would like to do it, feel free!

My questions for them:

#1: What are your top two favorite book characters?

#2: What is the yummiest candy in your opinion?

#3: Have you looked at clouds much? What is your type (e.g. nimbocumuli)?

#4: Do you wear hats much? Why or why not? And what kind of hat?

#5: Is your head in the clouds a lot or are you sensitive to the real world around you?

#6: How do you get photos for your blog (if you do)?

#7: What is your favorite bird?

#8: What is your favorite number?

#9: What did you want to be “when you grow up” when you were younger?

#10: What do you now want to be “when you grow up” now?

#11: Favorite school subject?

DISCLAIMER: I came up with most of my answers on the spot, so they are very liable to change!

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