What is a Blog of Substance? Really?

Recently, Mitzi from ~Southern Style~  passed on to me the Blog of Substance award.   I have been considering this award since she gave it to me.  It was so kind of her to think of me and pass it along and I am so thankful to her for doing that....but, with that award, I started seriously thinking....

 What is a Blog of Substance?....and.....Do I have one? 

My initial reaction is NO.....I don't have a Blog of Substance. 

Mitzi definitely does and the other recipients that she honored definitely have blogs of substance....but mine?  No, I don't think I do.  She bestowed the honor on me for being a fan and I'm definitely that.  She writes a wonderful blog and I'm always excited and uplifted to read what she has to say on there. 

Are my readers excited and uplifted to read

what I have to say? 

Probably not.....  I can't even believe that I have readers.  

Am I passing on anything useful to those who

choose to stop by my little home on the web?   

No, I don't think so. 

I have a few nice pictures and some good recipes that I've enjoyed preparing and photographing; but...

Am I passing on anything of substance? 

Is there anyone that passes through my little home on the web that is inspired, encouraged or uplifted by anything that they have seen or read on my blog? 

Would I be inspired, encouraged or uplifted if I were a visitor to this blog? 

No, I don't think so

Answering those questions honestly leads me to question where I am going with this blog and what is my focus....

Why am I blogging in the first place? 

That seems to have been the question for the last year anyway.  I'm still not sure how to answer it.    My blog started because my son started blogging and encouraged me to give it a try.  I was feeling a little scattered in my thoughts and was reflecting on my life and thought...

Why not give this blogging thing a shot? 

I felt like there was something creative inside of me that was waiting to be birthed and thought this might be the outlet for that.  Once upon a time...many, many years ago.....I wrote a little bit.  I wrote some poetry and I kept a diary and wrote from my heart the things that mattered to me at the time. 

I could do that again, right? 

This blog was all about "discovering Candace", whatever that means.  I think I made one post and got really nervous.  This is so public......

Do I want to birth whatever this is in such a public forum? 

I don't even know what "this" is or how to even go about birthing it. 

What if someone sees me do it? 

What if I embarass myself ?

or worse....

What if I embarass my husband or my kids? 

and...

Who would want to read anything that I had to say anyway?   

So I didn't write anything again until this year.   At that time, I was feeling that I still had some discoveries about myself that I needed to make and I remembered my blog.  I remembered that I started it for me.....not for someone else to read.....but for me....as a way to find my way and organize my thoughts and tap into whatever creativity that I might have been gifted with.  This wasn't about someone else...it was about me and my journey.  With this came a new vision and new energy to get back on the road and try again and that led me to where I am today. 

I'm still not sure where I am going.  The final destination is so unclear; but I feel like I'm supposed to be on this journey. I believe that I am on the right road and I believe that if I persist in this journey, wherever it leads, someday soon along the way, I will find my voice.  When I find it, I will know where I'm going and my vision will be less cloudy.  I will be more comfortable and gain more confidence with each step that I make.

and my blog? 

It will be a Blog of Substance, if for no one else in the whole world except for me.

I never dreamed that when I started this that I would have almost 100 people potentially read what I write and take a small glimpse into my world.  Never in all my life would I have thought that was possible.  Had I known that when I began this journey, I might not have started it at all.  I'm pretty shy and prefer the one on one friendships and personal relationships rather than to be out in front of the crowd.  Perhaps that is part of the journey for me ~ to get me out of the shadows and into the light so that I have more confidence in myself and find more value in who I am and what I can contribute to this world.  I am excited about  the journey.  So far, it has been a blast!  I really enjoy meeting new friends so much when they stop in for the first time and when I see a familiar face stop in and take the time to say hello and respond to something that I've shared, it brings more joy to my life than you will ever know. 

So to get on with the acceptance of the Blog of Substance Award that Mitzi so graciously shared with me, there are a few rules, as always......

The first one is without a doubt not just a rule but something that I say from my heart..... 

Thank you, Mitzi.....for this award. 

I am honored and humbled that you thought of me along with the other wonderful ladies who truly have blogs of substance.  I, also, thank you for challenging me with this award.  You have caused me to seriously think about my blog and my life and to set some new goals for myself.  For all of those reasons, I truly thank you.

The next "rule" of acceptance was a hard one for me.....I am to sum up my sum up my blogging Philosophy, Motivation and Experience using five words.

journey

discovery

sharing

 community

 friendship

This is my journey of discovery in which I am sharing a little of myself with the community and enjoying friendship with those that I meet along the way.

 

Finally, I am to pass the award on to some other bloggers.  In this case, these are bloggers who, in my opinion,  are truly deserving of this award.  Their blogs are full of substance and they are all bloggers who continue to encourage me daily to blog whether they know it or not. 

They are...

Karen @ Karen's Journal

Judy @ Cranberry Morning

Eneida at More Faith Than Fear

Mary @ Life in a Small Town

Jennifer @ The Farris Wheel

Kayni @ Kayni's Corner Cafe

Jennifer @ Crazy Shenanigans

Raptor @ PaleoQuest

Diane Estrella

Thank you all so much!!