I began writing Gratituesday posts when my blog was just a baby – I believe back in January of 2008. I loved the idea of focusing one post each week on God’s work in my life – plus it helped keep my thoughts focused on what I was thankful for.
A few months after I began writing my own Gratituesday posts, I opened it up for my readers to also participate in this weekly blog post theme. I added a “Mr. Linky” so that other bloggers could write a Gratituesday post and then link up here. Over time, more and more people began joining in, and soon, we were able to click over and read many Gratituesday blog posts which shared about God’s provision and care. I found it to be inspiring, and a huge dose of God-focused encouragement every Tuesday.
Hey, guess what? I still do. I LOVE reading your Gratituesday posts.
Except for when they aren’t really Gratituesday posts.
I have to say that I can find it a bit discouraging to click on your Gratituesday link and instead of reading about what God is doing for you and your family, I find a tip about how to clean purple sharpie marker ink out of my carpet. As wonderful as it would be to learn this information, this does nothing for my spiritual walk. Nor do your recipe tips or your ideas for decorating on a budget. Again, these are some great posts and wonderful tips, they just don’t really fit with the Gratituesday theme.
Somehow over the course of four years of Gratituesday linking, gratitude got lost. Don’t get me wrong – many of your posts do share what God is doing in your life. Many of you are writing specific posts about what you are grateful for – keep it up!! I love it!
But I’m finding it hard to find the grateful posts among all the posts that tell me how to organize my sock drawer.
I feel yucky writing this post today. I’m not trying to be the mean neighborhood lady who stands on her porch grouching at the kids who are just trying to have fun. I’ve not cracked down on this earlier because I don’t like to be the bad guy. Plus, enforcing that Gratituesday posts remain Gratituesday posts will take a lot of time that I really do not have each week. Do I really want to go in and analyze each post and then decide whether or not to go delete it? No ma’am. I sure don’t.
But enough already of the “how to avoid getting gassy when you eat a lot of beans” posts when Gratituesday is really about giving praise to our Father. (And for the record, I’m making up these non-Gratituesday related blog topics as I go. I don’t specifically remember anyone posting about gas or sock drawers or sharpie markers – just in case you did and you think I’m picking on you.)
The thought has occurred to my husband and me that it might be fun to add some sort of “Heavenly Homemaking Helpful Hints” link-up once a month, so that those of you who do want to link these other wonderful posts full of helpful hints have that opportunity here on our site. We’d love for you to share these homemaking type posts, when it is appropriate, and if we host a link-up for that purpose. What are your thoughts on us adding this feature to our site?? We’d appreciate your feedback on this.
In the meantime, I’m asking you to please join me in keeping the gratitude to God in Gratituesday. Write and share about what you are grateful for. And please thoughtfully link back to my blog on your post, saying something like Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers! – because that’s the kind bloggy thing to do when you link up with someone.
If I feel that a post is not in line with the Gratituesday theme that I know my readers are looking for, I will delete the link. I won’t enjoy myself, but I feel that I owe this to my readers. I’d be ever so, well…grateful…if you’d make this deleting job easier and not give me anything to delete. Simply write and link up a post about what God is doing in your life and we’re all good to go! Because I know that God is working all the time in all of our lives, I’m very sure you can think of something each week to share! And as always, for those of you who don’t have blogs, please continue to share what you are grateful for each Gratituesday in the comments section.
So there you go. Can we still be friends? I’ve been needing to, but not wanting to write this post for several months now. I love and appreciate you all and would like to hear your thoughts on this subject, and on the idea of beginning a new monthly feature/link-up allowing us to share homemaking tips.
Okay. Your thoughts? Questions?
Agree. I don’t have a blog or website, just enjoy reading yours. I’m gonna say it, though I’m afraid some won’t like it. I feel like some people use the comments section of yours and other popular blogs to drive traffic to their website. It may not technically be spam, but it sure feels like it. Thanks for saying this, and keeping the bar high!
Ditto ditto to what Emma said! I am so glad you wrote this. :)
And I think having a monthly or bi-weekly or whatever you choose for helpful tips would be fun and well, helpful :)
Ah, Laura, sorry you had to write that post! Linky parties are all the rage in the blogging world right now. I’m fairly certain you could run a “Heavenly Homemaking Tips” linky every week and get a ton of participation.
It’s funny to read this post tonight when just this Tuesday I clicked on some of the links and thought “Wow, this is really interesting but it has nothing to do with gratitude.” So for what it’s worth, I’ll say Good job, Laura! Hope you’re not feeling like the bad guy. :) I love your blog (and lots of others I’ve discovered thru yours too). Keep up the good work.
Exactly how I feel. Love reading the other posts as well since I like gettting
to know other bloggers, but would rather see the Gratitude ones on
that day. :)
Good for you for writing this post, Laura. It can be so hard to say things like this but it needs to be done sometimes to keep things rolling smoothly in the bloggy world! I think your new tips linky is a great idea and I bet a lot of people would join. I have only done a couple of Gratituesday posts but I am eager to participate again.. Thanks for all that you do, I don’t comment much but your blog is one of my favorites and you make me laugh so much!
Oh, I bet that was hard to write! (you did a great job with it)
I look forward to Gratituesday every week. I have linked up a few of my thankful posts in the past, but always felt guilty because I didn’t write them on a Tuesday! :) so I stopped. I’m such a stickler.
I would click on more linkys if I knew they were in fact gratitude posts, though. So I’m glad you addressed this. Thank you!
And I would love exploring the links connected to a handy/tip link-up if you decide to do that!
Ha! It definitely is okay for you to write your post on a day other than Tuesday and still link up – as long as you wrote about something you’re grateful for!
Thank you for doing that. I appreciate Gratituesday and enjoy reading the blogs posted on your site. As a new blogger I am trying to learn how to do this blogging thing. What an inspiration you are to all of us and shame on us for taking advantage of that.
I will admit that I had stopped checking out other blogs in the link up because they were random post. I would still click on them from the comments because they seemed more genuine. It is such an encouragement when you find a few spare minutes in your day to sit down and read other’s gratitude post. You inspired me to post a Gratituesday post every week. It is a great reminder to pause and be thankful. I’m looking forward to reading more!
Thank you for addressing this issue even though I’m sure it was very difficult.
Laura,
I would be grateful for a homemaking tips link up! :D Seriously!
Great post Laura! God is truth and we are made in His image. Being truthful, even when it’s hard, is part of being a light in a dark world.
If I have ever done what you have described I pray your forgiveness. I don’t remember ever not posting an actual gratituesday but I am old, so perhaps I did.
I too have clicked on links and have found no gratituesday button on the site so I just click out. I stopped clicking on links. I have my hands full like you do. I know this post must have been difficult but you did it with much grace. Love you
Jill, all of your posts fit into the Gratituesday theme, without a doubt!! I always love reading your blog and finding what you’re thankful for. Praying for you and love you bunches.
In agreement with you-very fair and written with love!! God is so merciful and loving so many ways to thank Him for showing us this side of Himself every day of our lives!!
I am sure this post took a lot of courage, so good for you! I think it would probably help a lot to do a Homemaking Tip post. Or at least we can hope :)
I really enjoy your Gratituesday posts every week and love that you give other people the opportunity to share.
This is one of the reasons I love your website, because you are not afraid to do or say what God is calling you to do, even when its hard. There are so many things, even “good” things that can distract us from being truly grateful for all God is doing in our lives and I’m so thankful you are adament about keeping the focus on Jesus and how awesome He is. That is what life is all about after all! :) Have a great weekend and thanks again for all the recipes and encouragement you give. I always enjoy coming to see whats new on your page. Don’t ever get discouraged or overwhelmed, but just focus on what God is calling you to do and relax and rest in His grace. Take care :)
This is one of the reasons I love your website, because you are not afraid to do or say what God is calling you to do, even when its hard. There are so many things, even “good” things that can distract us from being truly grateful for all God is doing in our lives and I’m so thankful you are adament about keeping the focus on Jesus and how awesome He is. That is what life is all about after all! :) Have a great weekend and thanks again for all the recipes and encouragement you give. I always enjoy coming to see whats new on your page. Don’t ever get discouraged or overwhelmed, but just focus on what God is calling you to do and relax and rest in His grace. Take care :)
This is one of the reasons I love your website, because you are not afraid to do or say what God is calling you to do, even when its hard. There are so many things, even “good” things that can distract us from being truly grateful for all God is doing in our lives and I’m so thankful you are adament about keeping the focus on Jesus and how awesome He is. That is what life is all about after all! :) Have a great weekend and thanks again for all the recipes and encouragement you give. I always enjoy coming to see whats new on your page. Don’t ever get discouraged or overwhelmed, but just focus on what God is calling you to do and relax and rest in His grace. Take care :)
sorry for the multiple duplicate comments, my browser got stuck!
:)
I appreciate your integrity on this – none of us has time to waste, and if we are looking for inspiration and find homemaking tips instead, it IS a waste. I love the idea of allowing people a way to share those tips – and then I’ll know where to go looking for those when I need them, too. Thanks for the hard work that you do, and for saying the hard things as well.
See…..being grateful for strong, God loving women to inspire me daily….thanks!
There is nothing wrong with a gentle reminder to stay on topic, and you handled it beautifully. I really enjoy your Gratituesday posts. Thank you for posting, and please keep up the great work!
I would love to read and give tips, sorry I have not been grateful lately, and thus no comment, please pray for my two grandchildren taken from their parents by dhs and still gone (since Sept.) Please give them to us!!! I am thankful for my salvation, I could not have gone thru this without it!!
You did a great job writing about keeping Gratituesday posts on topic. I think having a time for people to post helpful household tips would be a great idea!
I keep meaning to write a Gratituesday post but I keep forgetting until Tuesday is past!! :( It is good to see in a previous comment that I can share a thankfulness post even if I don’t write it on a Tuesday.
So true, thanks for the link-up – haven’t participated in the past but will be thinking of something for next week and hopefully join you ;-)
I’ll 26th the motion that your linky be dedicated to gratitude. I find myself trying to guess by the titles linked whether they are on topic, and then I skip the others. Tuesday is always a very uplifting day of the week for me!
I *just* thought the same thing this week – that the links were a bit…spammy? YAY for a call to press reset! :-)
I agree :)
I had been thinking the same thing so do not feel bad at all about bringing it up! BTW-we DO have a mean neighborhood lady. She puts notes in our mailboxes when she wants to speak her mind! You certainly did not come across like she does!
I like that you want to keep Gratituesday a grateful to God day. I also like that maybe a monthly helpful tips section would be a good addition. Its always nice to be able to reference little tips when needed. But just to go to the other side for a minute. I don’t exactly have my own website with tips or mom things, it’s quite unrelated. (that aside) I wonder if those that maybe have lost the meaning of Gratituesday really realize it? Maybe they are grateful that they got that stain out and want to shout it from the rooftops but don’t feel comfortable saying it so freely “thanks be to God for giving me the strength and elbow grease to get that sharpie Mona Lisa off the hallway wall” You know where some folks feel great and comfortable giving Him all the praise and some aren’t quite there yet, maybe that could be the case? Just giving another perspective and I too have raised an eyebrow about how sometimes other things related to the theme. But I thought to myself “hey maybe I’ll be thankful for knowing that next week”
The integrity of your site should stay exactly the way you want it to always. It’s your gift to many and believe me I am grateful for you.
And I have to tell you that some Tuesdays, for some odd reason, leave me not feeling all that thankful for one reason or another and it is so nice to see your posts then because it makes me stop, breathe, and think, “hey I have a lot to be grateful for”
Sounds perfectly reasonable to me! I think it’s good to keep things focused. If it’s not on topic, it can be shared with some other link-up!
I’m one of the guilty party…sorry! I didn’t realize there was a specific kind of post you were looking for. I took it as these were things I was learning in the kitchen around the home, etc which is one way God is working in my life and I like to share the tips/posts with others. So,I misunderstood and apologize. It might help to have some very specific criteria for linking in Gratituesday listed in your link-instructions box to help clear up any other confused bloggers like myself. :)
No prob! I simply haven’t been as specific about it and decided to fix that. No worries at all!
I’m glad you’re doing this. I posted one or two Gratitude links…but then stopped reading this feature because there were so many links that were off topic.
I find this to be an issue on other blogs too – mom blogs, hobby blogs, and finance blogs that I read. Other bloggers DO list their rules. It doesn’t stop everyone for mis-posting, but it at least cuts down.
It’s YOUR blog – you don’t have to feel a bit bad about enforcing some rules. :)
You did a great job asking for your site to stay focused on what we are grateful for. I know it was hard to do, but you did it very well and with LOVE.
GOD BLESS!!!
I am not a blogger–just someone who enjoys reading all your posts. I have learned so much since I stumbled on this blog and I love it! Thank you for trying to keep your readers focused and thankful in your Gratituesday posts. We all need to focus on gratitude a little more! Keep up the great work–I know I have been greatly encouraged by it and you.
Good for you! I remember when I first found your Gratituesday posts, I would click on the other ones and then I would get confused because they weren’t gratitude posts. Thanks for being so kind and humble in your reinforcement of your rules!
Hi Laura,
I found your blog several months ago and saved it to my favorites list, but then I deleted it because I am not religious and didn’t feel comfortable reading about religion and God. I came back to your blog and saved it to my favorites list again because I find this blog very interesting and informative. Even though I’m not a religious person, I feel that I can still learn many things without focusing on the religious part. I’ve never felt like you discriminate against non-religious readers and I appreciate that. I’ve even saved some of your recipes and would like to try some of them in the future, especially the recipes for homemade butterscotch, chocolate, and white chocolate chips. This really is a great blog and I hope to learn a lot from you. I watched your video on how to grind whole wheat flour and I really want to get myself a grain mill. I’ve been eating more white whole wheat flour, but I want to grind my own. Thanks for all the great articles on your blog.
I’m grateful to God that he’s calling me back to himself. I had strayed from him for years and made half-hearted attempts to get back to Him. I’m disabled & it’s very difficult to make it to church or to sit for an hour or more for a sermon. I’ve been so blessed to find blogs like yours that encourage me in my walk with God and in keeping my home. Keep up the good work! You’re helping so many people in so many ways! God bless!
Thank you for saying it all with love!
Thank you. I find it discouraging to take part in link ups where some (sometimes many) don’t hold to the rules/topic at hand. I want to read related content, not try to help someone get more traffic.
Thank you for saying it so gently.
I have wondered about this as well.. sometimes when I am done reading the Gratitude’s Day post, I want to read more like it. Don’t get me wrong, I have read and even subscribed to several of the bloggers who link to your page and I really like them. I think that it is wonderfully gracious =) of you to allow other bloggers to link to your page. So I think that adding a different day to link up – like household tips (like you suggested) would be great!!
Now I realize that I’m not very technical because I have no idea what a link-up is and have never seen any of these or at least been aware of it at the time. I went to the “Links” tab to find but I don’t think that is is. Hmmm. . . . thank you for the great blogging and I am always grateful for “truth in love.” As Christians we need to be able to receive it always looking for ways to please our Lord and we also need to know how to share truth in love always looking for ways to help one another in our walks with the Lord. Good job and maybe one day I will figure out this linkie thing.
Hi Laura: I love your gradituesday blog. I dont write or read the blogs just yours, but I would not like to read about other things when it is supose to be about being Greatful for what God has done in your life. I would love to have a tips on keeping the house in order blog.
Thanks for all you do.
I think a lot of us missed the ‘point’ on answers on Gratituesday. I know I am one. Today I am grateful to be able to see to write this because I have high ocular pressure (kept in control by drops) isn’t glaucoma yet with blindness looming by God’s grace.
As gratituesdat was created simply to express your gratitude please don’t feel bad. As God has led you to address this concern not many folks will take offense.
Good for you for writing this though I know it was hard. I must say, all of the non-gratitude links have been a bit dis-heartening. Most people just get caught up in the blog-link craze, I think. I linked for the first time last week. :) You blog has been such a blessing for me and my family. You’re a gem!
I just hope that the people this post is about (those posting non-gratitude related links to get traffic) actually do read it. From the looks of the comments, most people that responded are those that are considerate and did actually take the time to read this. I have a feeling that the people that usually put their links up when they’re unrelated are often the ones that don’t bother to check the guidelines.
I think you were 100% right to write this though, and I echo the comments of others saying I stopped clicking the links when I realised people weren’t playing along – which really isn’t fair to all the people who did take the time to write a lovely gratitude-related post!
This DID take courage and I think you said so with understanding and gentleness. Thank you for your blog. I thoroughly enjoy it.
I definitely think we should keep the Gratitude in Gratituesday and hopefully start a “tips” link up. You’re the best, Laura! Keep up the good work! God Bless!!
I don’t know, i’m pretty grateful to have less gas when eating beans…I kid, i kid! :) I’m actually glad you said something. I like recipe tips but when I look at Gratituesday I’m looking for more encouragement.
I’m glad you wrote this. :) I am new to Gratituesday and missed the original memo that the linked posts were to be the same theme- I always enjoyed your posts about Gratitude but didn’t notice the same theme in the other links and missed that detail- so sorry about that! :) I’ll do my best to link properly in the future!
I’m new here, but yes, I so agree. I love that this is Christ focused. There are other link parties (I even host some) that focus on homemaking, etc. Readers should find posts related to the link party theme when they click through. :)
I have quite a bit to be thankful for…but one in particular. A week ago from today…I was coming back from getting gas at the gas station to fill up my rotortiller. I had my Choc. Lab with me and two dogs from down the road were in our drive. So I thought I would walk our dog down there to scare them. DUMB ME to think I could walk a dog, an 80 lb dog towards other dogs. I did fall and was dragged across gravel but I do not have broken bones, a dislocated shoulder or anything serious. I had a hard time being thankful on Sat. when I was hurting but I do have so very much to be thankful for as I heal.
I think this is a great idea. I have a question about linking up on Tuesdays.
I post a simple list of God gifts each Monday. Would this be okay to link up? You can see what I’m talking about here?
http://a-heart4home.blogspot.com/search/label/Endless%20Gifts
Absolutely, that will be just fine!
Hi Laura, I am new to your blog and really enjoying it. I am digging your writing style! :) maybe a silly question but how do I link a post?? Thanks!
Not a silly question at all! Once you’ve written a Gratituesday post of your own and published it, click on the title of your post from your site, which will give you the URL. Under my Gratituesday post in the Mr. Linky box, type your name, your blog name, and or a short title for your post (like this: Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers – Grateful for Boys!). Next, paste your URL into the next spot. Hit enter and your link will show up on my site!
Hi Laura,
Thank you for your blog because it is such a blessing! I get a message that my URL needs to be less than or equal to 152. What should I do? So sorry for any trouble. Thank you for your time and assistance!
Your site has been such a blessing to me!!
Everyday I write five things God has done for me the day before. I am a 73 yr. old grandmother and I have
seen so many miracles and wonderful things God has done throughout my life.
My husband and I have been married 48 yr. this July. We have three wonderful, Christian sons.
Daily I list everything from seeing a butterfly to
wonderful news of something one of our nine grandchildren have done! God is good all the time!
I am in a Beth Moore Bible Study of James and it just continually shows me things I need to work on.
At 73 I’m still a work in progress! God bless you all!
Ann, this comment made my day! How beautiful that you realize that God is still working in you. May God bless you with many more years of happy marriage and several great-grandchildren. Blessings!
Thank you Stephanie! You made my day by responding.
Isn’t it wonderful how we can encourage each other
without even knowing each other. May God bless you and your family. Keep on encouraging others, it comes back ten fold!
I’ve been following your site for right around a year or so. Just recently (in March) decided to try this blogging adventure myself. So, since I’m a newbie, I don’t know a whole lot yet…but one thing I do know is that I am V E R Y grateful for is this blog site!! And I really want to try linking up here with some other things I’m grateful for.
Oh – and I hope you do that monthly tip thing. I would definitely be reading it, and Lord willing also participating.
Love your post Laura, but missed out on the one for gassy beans……..
What else is there to do except take BEANO ?????Is there a special way to cook beans ??? Just sayin……….I’d really like to know….love beans, anyway they are fixed….. :)
Don’t worry, I did NOT post this on a Gratituesday link. I was actually reading the guidelines to make sure my (non-bean-related) post qualified.
Anyway, here’s a link to how I make our beans that makes them much easier to digest: http://feminineadventures.com/2012/10/11/recipe-mexican-beans-and-bean-dip/
Hi Laura: really enjoy your blogs and your recipes. I am blessed today to have awakened without pain and with energy. I am in my sixties. I have a Tuesday morning women’s bible study and I am blessed that almost everyone showed up including the birthday celebrant who almost did not make it. So God is good and I am eternally grateful for his Grace and Mercy in my life.
Stephanie
Hi Laura; you are funny and I enjoy reading your adventures. Today I am grateful for the Lord. My husband is in a health crisis and the crop still needs to be combined. I am grateful that I can go to Him with praise and thanksgiving, I literally feel His peace. Life can change in a split second. I am grateful for my husband, who has withstood many of my storms in life. I’m grateful for my children, who want me to pray over them. Wow!
(funny how our society tells us we’re useless:>)
I don’t have a blog and am new to your site, but love it. God has blessed me this year and opened my eyes and find many wonderful uplifting connections outside church. Folks that are pointing toward Him. I have never looked before, satisified with my church family. Thank you Lord for showing me all the wonderful people around me who are also on your path that I have never met before.
Hey Laura,
I was trying to post a Gratituesday post, but actually all I did was link to my webpage as #26 and #27 on your website. That isn’t what I was trying to do so now I need to go back and figure out how to link to a certain post and not my webpage. I apologize and just want to let you know that this isn’t what I was trying to do. I’ll try again later though.
Thanks
Debra
how about gratitu—-everyday ? (:
i’m just plain happy that GOD woke me up this morning and every morning ! (:
How do you find a Godly mentor for your children?
I believe that you are the best mentor for your kids. In addition, I’ve found that being very involved with our church family has been a great way to provide additional godly mentors for our kids.
Laura, I am so sorry. I posted a link that I now realize does not fit your theme. I tried to remove it but I can’t figure out how. I just got all excited about the link up idea and didn’t read your criteria!
I’m am greatful for how God has used all things, both good and bad, in my life to teach me how to be more like Christ. I am greatful he has blessed me with two beautiful daughters and a loving husband.
Silly me, should have read this before linking up…sorry! Feel free to delete my post (I tried, but couldn’t)and I will resubmit another appropriate one that fits with the Gratituesday theme.
I have been feeling so blessed lately. I am a wife and mother to two energetic and funny boys. When I got married I knew I wanted about 3 kids. My husband said he wanted 1. We kind of agreed (reluctantly on my part) to have 2. Over the past several months he’s commented about “if we were to get pregnant…” or “if we have another…” I feel very excited that God’s worked on my husband’s heart. I know he wasn’t close to his siblings. That being the reason he was fine having one child. We’re trying to get pregnant and it is such a blessing to me. I am honored to be a child of the most high King. Thank you Jesus! Even when things don’t go my way I still feel blessed to call you Abba Father.
My lord Christ has blessed me with 3 wonderful boys. My oldest is a mechanic for a truck company. My middle son is going to community college for animation. My youngest son started his 1st year at university. I am so thankful they are good boys.
My husband is a firefighter/sargent still working for 26 years. We have ben blessed to be married for 23 years. We have had some hard times but we love each other so much.God keep blessing us, I pray.
I am a homemaker an am taking a free on line college course through “corsea.” Anyone can take these class”s. Its good to keep learning. God is good.
I don”t socialize much an have no friends. I am with the lord jesus Christ in my soul. He is my best an only friend. He guided me to write on this blog. God helps us in many ways. Just keep your hart mind an soul on him and he will guide you.Loving bless’s to all.
This is one of the reasons I love your website, because you are not afraid to do or say what God is calling you to do, even when its hard. There are so many things, even “good” things that can distract us from being truly grateful for all God is doing in our lives and I’m so thankful you are adament about keeping the focus on Jesus and how awesome He is. That is what life is all about after all! :)