Sunday, July 9, 2017

Ticking Time Bomb

I knew something was going to happen. It was just a matter of time.

Let me explain. Nearly seven years ago I stepped out of my comfort zone and started blogging. There were several reasons I chose to do it, and the things I've learned and been forced to do have been good for me. Among other things, it has pushed me to capture and recall more moments of this life I've been given. My blog became my journal and record book, pushing me to be more honest with myself and accepting of who I am created to be. Writing has helped me filter through issues that have come at me in life, and issues that have been stuffed away and hidden. I have found that merely thinking about how to communicate with both grace and truth has been therapeutic for me, even if those things are often never communicated and posted. I have enjoyed it, though I've found that the time I have to blog has been severely limited in comparison to my desire. Still, it has been my quiet place to gather some of the wonder of growing in grace as a wife and mother, and as an individual.

Another significant benefit to blogging has been the fact that it provided accountability for me in terms of learning my camera and pushing myself to grow as a photographer (a term I take extremely loosely), and learning how to navigate all the issues related to maintaining a website. I am severely handicapped when it comes to technology. Nothing is intuitive to me, and learning hasn't always been fun. I know, however, that this learning is important, so having my blog has been a motivator.

During the years here, I've lost copies of many pictures through the theft of one computer and as a result of a hard drive crash on another computer. I'm doing better at backing up my files now, but for some rather large chunks of time my only records have been my blog.

When I started blogging, I knew nothing about blog and image hosting. I chose Blogger because it was deemed the most user friendly, and Photobucket was recommended as a common and reliable place to host my Blogger images. For me, it was a marvel I could even figure how to do that much. I'm not geared towards understanding or easily navigating tech stuff of any sort! In fact, I'm not even sure I'm using the correct language at all in this paragraph! The point is, I was surprised and relieved I could post anything at all. However, through the years, I've become acutely aware that all these free services were bound to fail me.

Well, without notice, Photobucket no longer allows third party hosting for regular users. This has resulted in the disappearance of approximately 1500 images from Day Ordained. Poof! I can pay the $400 yearly fee to upgrade my account, but you know.. Oh, I can't say it in respectable words. It's like they are holding my pictures at ransom.

They have every right, I know. It was a free service and I'm not entitled to anything. I get that. But maybe a prior notice would have been more considerate. Or could it be they are trying to commit suicide as a business?! Fortunately, somewhere along the way, I began to upload images directly from my computer to Blogger. This means only the images from the first few years of blogging are gone, not everything.

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out what to do with Photobucket and with Blogger. My blog could just disappear one day and there's nothing I could do about it. It does happen, and more problems are inevitable for me. At the very least, if I do nothing, it will just gradually erode away. I don't know if I could possibly transfer everything to a different blog host or my own website; if so, I don't have the faintest clue how to do it. I'm welcoming advice...

Either way, I am now forced to think about whether or not to continue. Already, I have such a small sliver of time I can allow myself to blog. I'm reevaluating.

>:<


Life continues. If only the growing-in-grace part of life continues, than that will be enough for me.

I've been thinking about that a whole lot recently: Granting grace and compassion and understanding the way it has been shown to me. Or just doing a whole lot better than it has been extended to me in some instances!

Yes, we get to choose. When your kid screws up, for instance, or just acts like a kid, grant grace more than condemnation. Help them to see and understand and grow, yes, but remember you are more like them than not. If they act in a way that exposes their heart of sin or simple immaturity, be thankful for that exposure; a hypocrite is a much greater tragedy. And if they act in a way that brought embarrassment, think about whether or not you are upset mostly because your image has been affected. And respond to the situation and needs of your kids rather than react. Listen, because you are more likely able to understand than if you just speak.

These are words for me.


So yes, life will continue here just fine without a blog (though it is my desire to keep it if I can). We will continue to explore this life, going deep and reaching high in both literal and metaphorical ways. I'll just be happy to be doing that together.

Thursday, we did just a bit of that. We explored new territory, invested in relationships, grew in grace.

This is urban hiking at it's finest.


A goal for our summer has been to explore our city. This may not look too much like city, but San Diego has quite the array of things to do.


I love getting in the car with my kids and taking them to new and unexpected places. 


It seems that sandstone canyons have been calling our name this summer, and we're discovering some really cool places.


This place wasn't for those who tend to be scared, and it required serious muscular output.
My favorite kind of place.


20+ feet down. There was a point I only let Michael continue.


The green strip of growth by Olivia's feet in the picture below is actually the edge of the crevice where Michael was squeezing through deep below.





Extra points for me for standing precariously above the passage to take pictures!!



The final descent...


...right onto a nudist beach! 
I was relieved we didn't spot any.





This board crossing a small ravine featured prominently in all the descriptions I read about this trail, so Andrew snapped a picture of me making the bouncy walk across.


Next was a place much cooler in temp, deep under the Cave Store.
We had to try it because it seems to be such a tourist attraction, and it seems we ought to know about it firsthand.



I have a whole list of "secret places" (as we like to call them) to checkout this summer. We are still exploring our extended back yard, finding the best spots that make this place all the more home to us.

>:<

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17


~Katherine



8 comments:

  1. Dear Katherine,
    I came upon your blog ultimately through some common "connections" at GCC. We attended there when Jonathan was at Mainstream, and heading up Resolved. We have since left CA, and settled in the Midwest. I am a wife and mother of young children, and came to Christ when I was almost 30. I am struggling through motherhood, desperately seeking to find beauty and encouragement, as I battle my flesh (or, honestly, sometimes just give in to it). Almost every night I sit up when the house is quiet, and feel discouraged by my day, my response to trials, and my immaturity. I am not a strong woman, nor am I very mature mother. I am humbled every day by how much I must rely upon the Lord, and His goodness. Motherhood has revealed the very wickedest nooks and crannies of my soul. I have to fight my discouragement valiantly. I don't pretend to know you. I never even saw you, though we both attended GCC at the same time. But I would like to thank you for sharing what God has taught you through your years of motherhood. Thank you for recording your thoughts, and your battles, and even some details of what your life looks like. I have been richly blessed by your blog. Your words are an encouragement. You point your readers to Christ in all things, and you share real life struggles, and the realities of living in our frail bodies. Although I am biologically a few years older, I can look to you as my older, wiser sister in Christ, and thank God for who He has made you to be. If you aren't able to blog anymore, that would be a great loss to many of us. But I trust if you are this encouraging to a stranger, via the internet, then God surely has a rich ministry for you with those directly in your life! Be encouraged. Your words regularly build up this sometimes-weary Mama. Thank you, and may the peace of Christ be with you always!

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    Replies
    1. Dear sister,

      Thank you for your comment. Thank you for your encouragement, and especially for your honesty. I feel like I know you in a way because I am all too familiar with the struggles and discouragements you described. Press on. Cling to the Lord who spilled his blood to bring you into his family, who loves you beyond comprehension, and desires to fill you with joy and peace in this life of difficulty. Keep your eyes fixed on Him knowing that your sins (past, present, and future) are washed away. Entrust your weary soul to Him, over and over again, because He cares for you!

      I appreciate your kind words regarding my blog.

      ~K

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  2. Hi Katherine
    I've been very happy with Squarespace for my website, and blog. It's $12/month for the basic version. I need more than 20 pages so I pay for the business version. They have several options to choose for layout. It may be more than you want, and it takes a little time to set up, but I've liked using it. It's been a while but I think I imported my entire blog from blogspot into the new one once I had the website set up. Maybe that's a way you could preserve the old posts and photos. Then I left a new link on my old blog to redirect folks to the new website. It worked well and I don't think I lost anyone. OLD BLOG is http://ihavebeenyoung.blogspot.com/ CURRENT WEBSITE WITH BLOG is www.colorsbylaurie.com

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Laurie. It good to know someone who made the change from Blogger, and did it successfully! Thank you for giving me hope! Your site is lovely and your work even more so, by the way. I am looking into website options, but I first have to resolve the Photobucket issue. Once I get my pictures back and uploaded directly to my blog, I will be in a better position to make the change. I don't like the fact that Google owns my blog anymore!

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  3. Katherine,
    There are many people like you who are being held ransom by Photobucket. Please stay on top of the news because they may allow you to move your photos or download them. Do your best to contact them. This article on the Denver Post made it sound like someone had the opportunity to get their photos back. Please don't give up your blog. It is a blessing to me and so many others! Here's the link to the article - http://www.denverpost.com/2017/07/06/photobucket-complaints-over-charging/

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your comment! Yes, I had read that article and it's evident many people are in a pickle! Just to clarify, I DO have access to my pictures, although I think the files have been compressed/altered in quality unless I pay. The problem is that I could not possibly sort through that many pictures and know where they fit into my blog to upload them directly from my computer. Even if the expenditure of time wasn't an issue, I think this would be a nightmare! I need to be able to see what needs to go where and then make the change. Does that make sense? The good news is that there is a solution. The bad news is that it costs in time, labor, and money!

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  4. Katherine,
    I remember the first day I read your blog. I could not get enough. I clicked on all of the "you might also like" options at the bottom of your page. All I could see with each post was a woman passionately in love with her Savior, her husband, her children, and making the most of this life that God has given her. So... I "followed" you, and each time I would get a notification of new post, I would wait to have a moment to really read and savor what you had to say, and even grow by your wisdom. I admire you so much. You are strong and beautiful on the outside, but even more so on the inside! So, I am here to selfishly beg and plead... please don't stop blogging. :-)
    I did find this http://www.blurb.com/blog-book - You can make a book from your blog posts. (There are other options too if you do a simple Bing search) It would be a way to have it all preserved. Just an idea.
    Thank you for sharing your heart on the raw things of life and being transparent and real!

    Blessings,
    Carol

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    1. Thank you! You have been such an encouragement to me, even though we have never met. Yes, I've looked at Blurb and like that idea. Every few month I back up my content from Blogger, but it doesn't include pictures. Once I get my Photobucket back and re-posted, I want to make whatever changes necessary to own my material. It's crazy to think we (Blogger users) don't even own our material!

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