Show Me How: To Comment on a Blog

Do you sometimes read a stimulating or controversial blog post and find yourself feeling passionate about it and wanting to join the conversation?  If you are like many, you may read exciting posts and want to add your two cents but simply don’t know how to go about doing it.

Today things will change for you!  It’s very simple and straight forward…let me show you how.

On the picture below you will see a blog post from my blog.  Near the bottom in red letters it says ‘0 Comments CLICK HERE TO VIEW OR LEAVE A COMMENT’.  Blogs like this make it easy to know where to go to leave a comment.  Simply click on the link and follow the directions.

Other blogs might not tell you where to click.  There may simply be the words ‘Post a Comment’ hidden somewhere near the bottom of the post or even at the bottom of all the other comments, like this:

In this case, simply click on the words ‘Post a Comment’ and then follow the directions.

Blogs that are hosted by WordPress (like Mentoring Moments) often have a section that will say something like Speak your Mind or Leave a Reply, making it very easy to know where to write your comment.

You may need to fill in your name and email address.  This is okay and nothing to worry about.  You may also be asked to copy random letters and numbers that may looked scrambled into a blank that looks something like this:

Those random letters and numbers are called a ‘Captcha’.  They help to make sure that it is a person and not a computer posting the comment.  Sometimes the Captcha spells a word, sometimes it doesn’t.

Once you have filled in the Captcha, hit the ‘Post Comment’ or ‘Submit’ button and you’re done!

Now it’s practice time!  Leave a comment below to tell us if you comment on blogs regularly or it today is your first time.  We’d love to meet you all in person, but the comment section will have to do for now.

Finding Direction in 2011

Every fall a flurry of emails go out amongst MMCW staff. We begin praying and talking about a theme to run throughout our posts for the upcoming year. In 2010 our theme was Walking in Wisdom: Shoes Optional. You may have noticed our button on the blog:

What does the Lord want us to focus on in 2011? This one question eluded us for months as we sought the Lord’s direction. What I’m about to share isn’t pretty, just transparent.

During this time I became sidetracked searching the Internet for theme ideas instead of praying for the Lord’s direction. I wanted a theme and I wanted it now!  Looking across the web I found blogs of all description–devotional, decorating, cooking, and all with plenty of thing-a-majigs MMCW needed.

In one word I was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by what I read–there was so much to do, create, and be. If I didn’t follow all the advice and create all the must-have projects, MMCW could not possibly live up to the Lord’s standards. Oh, and I needed a new camera and classes to earn a degree because there is no possible way blogging can be done by someone like me without ABC letters after my name. Then…after all of this MMCW would be doing the Lord’s will.

Smack dab in the middle of my discontented rabbit trail, the Holy Spirit pricked my heart with one word.

Jesus.

Have you ever traveled the same rabbit trail? Go ahead, admit it–we all have.

Satan says we must have it all. Jesus says He is all we need.

Being real in a world where we are supposed to do and be everything is exhausting. The stark reality is I do not know how to sew or make gourmet meals, my bathrooms stay perpetually dirty with four kids. Today I scrubbed the name of a child from a closet wall because he thought no one would know who did it. My laundry pile is taller than I am and my garage is in need of an intervention. I do not need a new camera or a degree to share the Gospel. I blog late at night in my pjs while drinking Coke.  Hello, my name is Kellie.

After really praying and sharing how overwhelmed and discouraged I had become because I could not do, be, or create it all Vicki Huffman shared three words:

Grace-Full Living. And my dear sisters, this is our theme for 2011.

Living a life filled with the grace of God is not a fairy tale of perfection. As Page Hughes once told me, “I have a real house with a real family that gets really dirty.” All of us do. We are real women with real problems, needing the grace and mercy of Christ daily. The one thing MMCW does not want to do, by the grace of God, is place unrealistic burdens or expectations on our readers with anything we share. Whether a recipe or devotion, it was lived out first in our own lives.

John MacArthur says,”Grace does not grant permission to live in the flesh; it supplies power to live in the Spirit.” This year, let’s learn together how to lead  Spirit-filled lives overflowing with the grace of God. Our photos may not be perfect and our recipes more suited for kitchen tables than gourmet dinner parties. While our articles may step on toes at times–they will challenge us to dig deep into the Bible for God’s direction.  Most of all, let’s draw closer to Jesus in 2011 because He truly is all we need.

If you would like to put a Grace-Full Living button on your blog:
<a href=”http://s801.photobucket.com/albums/yy296/mmcw/Grace-Full/?action=view&amp;current=woman12-2.gif” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy296/mmcw/Grace-Full/woman12-2.gif” border=”0″ alt=”Photobucket”></a>

Dissed on Facebook

I was asked recently, “What do you do when people write horrible things about you on Facebook?”  That is a question that seems to come up more and more frequently.  There is no quick and easy way to find resolution to this problem.

The gospel writer Paul instructed his son in the faith to “Live a life above reproach.”  What he was saying is live a godly life following Christlike principles in all you do so that when someone does speak evil against you, the world around you will know it is not true because of your godly character.

Many people who write hateful slurs against others have a consistent pattern of doing so.  My mom would say, “consider the source.”  There are some who are unkind and even evil by their consistent choices and there is not much you can do about that, but others can see that as well.

I would caution you to be selective as to who you accept as a Facebook friend.  If a friend shows signs of anger or violence, quietly remove them from your friend list.  I have only done this once, but the person I removed showed signs of anger, quick temper, and posted things I was concerned about.  That will protect you and your friends unless they are connected to that same person.

If you are not able to head off hurtful comments, try looking below the surface.  Have you offended this person?  If so, go make it right.  Are they hurting and just lashing out?  Pray for them and, if it is appropriate, help them.  Sometimes it is not appropirate nor advisable.  Just let it go and ask God to give you peace.  The best advice of all is to pray, pray, pray and ask God for wisdom. Remember, there are times that you can’t “solve the problem.”  In those times stay quiet and steer clear.  Proverbs tells us that without wood a fire goes out, and the same can be true of flammable relationships.

To leave a comment:

• If you are reading this post in email form, click the article headline. This will take you to the article on MMCW’s website.
• Scroll down until you see the box entitled ‘Speak Your Mind’.
• Enter your name, email (it will not be published) and your website or blogsite if you have one (you do not have to have one).
• Click on the big empty space and then begin typing your comments.
• When you are done, click ‘submit comment’.  That’s it!  We look forward to hearing from YOU!

Healing Conflict in Church

In 1995, Bob wrote a book called Love in Action:  Healing Conflict in Your Church (Multnomah Publishing Company). The book encourages us to become agents of reconciliation in our churches and relationships.

One chapter was satirically named, “Ten Ways to Split Your Church.”
Step One: Focus exclusively on your own desires.

Step Two: Listen to every criticism.

Step Three: Focus on your pastor’s weaknesses, not his strengths.

Step Four: Speak the truth or practice love, but never combine the two.

Step Five: Store grievances for future use.

Step Six: Forgive only those who ask you to do so and only if they deserve it.

Step Seven:  Hide your own sin behind harsh attitudes.

Step Eight: Use prayer to unite discontented individuals
(and spread inappropriate information.)

Step Nine: Do whatever you have to in order to win.

Step Ten: Remember, you are on a mission from God.

Parents, not doing these “ten” is important to your child loving God and wanting to serve in the church someday.  Teach your children to respect their spiritual authorities by respecting your spiritual elders yourself.   Do nothing that would lead to a split in your church,. Your children are watching. And so is God.

“Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time.  After that, having nothing to do with him.  You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”  Titus 3:10-11

Remember, marriage is for better for worse for keeps.

To leave a comment:

• If you are reading this post in email form, click the article headline. This will take you to the article on MMCW’s website.
• Scroll down until you see the box entitled ‘Speak Your Mind’.
• Enter your name, email (it will not be published) and your website or blogsite if you have one (you do not have to have one).
• Click on the big empty space and then begin typing your comments.

When you are done, click ‘submit comment’.  That’s it!  We look forward to hearing from YOU!

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. I want to encourage you with a bit of history.

Valentine’s Day is not a celebration that started with a little naked boy with wings flying around with arrows shooting passion into the hearts of young people. No, the cupid you see on Valentine’s cards in stores everywhere has nothing to do with the real deal.

Although no one is absolutely certain how the celebration actually started many point to a certain priest living under the rule of Claudius in ancient Rome.
The ruler was having trouble with his army. Men were leaving their families behind to fight but would become homesick and lonely while away from their wives. In order to strengthen his armies, Claudius outlawed all engagements and marriages. This did not go over well with his people, especially the Christians who wanted to reserve their expressions of love for each other to the bonds of marriage.

St. Valentine, a priest, continued to secretly break the law and marry young couples in love. He made a stand for biblical marriage. Eventually he was caught and arrested. He was sentenced to beatings and death.

While he was in prison the jailer’s daughter befriended him. She was healed of her blindness when he prayed for her. They fell in love but knew that with the ban on marriages and Valentine’s impending death there would be no future for their relationship.

On the day of his execution, Valentine left her a note and signed it ‘From Your Valentine’.

From then until today Valentine’s Day has been a celebration of love. But it is more than that. It’s a celebration of marriage itself. St. Valentine risked his life so that men and women could be married and follow God’s prescribed plan for relationships.

Today many of us are turning our backs on marriage because it’s not making us happy, or because it’s too hard. Shame on us! When men and women have died to give us the freedom we have in our country to be married according to God’s beautiful plan, we should celebrate that in our homes. The rings we wear on our fingers are not just another piece of jewelry but a sign to the world that we are celebrating marriage.

This Valentine’s Day, plan to celebrate your marriage, not just the fleeting feeling of romance. Feelings of love and romance waver from day to day, month to month and year to year. But your commitment to marriage should be life-long. No matter what your feelings are this season, celebrate the truth in your marriage, God’s blessing of marriage as a whole and the privilege of being a part of such a magnificent institution.

God bless you as you prepare to celebrate your marriage this Valentine’s Day!

To leave a comment:

• If you are reading this post in email form, click the article headline. This will take you to the article on MMCW’s website.
• Scroll down until you see the box entitled ‘Speak Your Mind’.
• Enter your name, email (it will not be published) and your website or blogsite if you have one (you do not have to have one).
• Click on the big empty space and then begin typing your comments.
• When you are done, click ‘submit comment’.  That’s it!  We look forward to hearing from YOU!

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