What you see is what you get!

When I first became the new list mom for Homeheartstrings@yahoogroups.com I was critisized for not doing it the right way. There were over 300 women on that site. Now there are under 100. I required everyone that was on that group to be real. Not just sit and watch the world go by but to participate. This list became REAL. REAL people, real life trials and real life lessons learned.

I shared who Shay was. (this is a nickname my twin brothers gave me when I was 16 and mom said I could have a phone but didn't want the "teenline" so perverts would call). I let other women share who they were. I don't know any other way. Offline I was critisized for not playing by email group rules. It hurt my feelings. I pondered what was sad. I prayed about my role as the "mom".

I can say almost 9 years later, it has only gotten better like a fine wine. These truly are my best friends. Ron lost his job in March and I had more online friends serve me. More than my own "ward family". That is okay. I truly have a testimony that God puts those in our lives for a purpose.

Now, that is not to say I didn't have service from my "ward family" I have a life lesson I wrote. Let me go search for it and post it in a different blog. Its called Truly Serving.

My point is, what I write and what I say in person are the same things. We all have days where we fake it til we make it. That is okay. There are times where I bite my tongue, grin and bear it and try to find the place God needs me to be. That is okay.

I am going to write things in here from my heart. I don't know who is going to be reading and enjoying or reading and cringing. (Because I will choose to be honest in my true feelings and they may hurt some people's feelings). This is my blog. This is my journey. I will welcome all comments whether it's positive or negative. I have been known to make lemons out of lemonade so I am welcoming everything. I just hope it can all be respectful and a learning experience.

Believe me I have been socked in the stomach many times over the last 40 years. I'm still here to tell the tale. I learned to roll with the punches and not hold a grudge.

I want my kids to know that I am who I am. I want you to be who you are. I want you to search deep into your souls, and find yourself on your knees pleading with God to guide you. Live your life so that the spirit can guide you. We don't have to be perfect to be righteous. We don't have to be perfect to have the Lord guide us, we just need to strive to be perfect.

What you see, is what you get with Shay