A title-less post (which actually gives it a title, I suppose...)

This chick (I never know if I should use real names...) tagged me for a meme. Memes are not my strong suit but this one says I can break the rules if I want to...sounds like my kind of game! So here we go!

The rules:
1. Write about 5 specific ways blogging has affected you, either positively or negatively.
2. link back to the person who tagged you
3. link back to this parent post
4. tag a few friends or five, or none at all
5. post these rules— or just have fun breaking them.

1. Blogging has helped inspire me to be the woman God created me to be. (It's hard to keep saying that it's impossible to be that woman when I see so many living examples here in blogdom.)
2. Blogging has helped hold me accountable in different areas of my life. When I blog about doing something, you'd better believe that somebody asks me if I have.
3. Oh my, how I have been challenged as I have read others blogs. I like to think that this has been reflected in the kind of blogger that I have become. You make me think. And when I think, I write about it. (I know it doesn't always seem like I am thinking, but trust me...I am. )
4. Blogging sucks time out of the air. I always think that I can finish up a post in just a few minutes. I blink, look at the clock, and a half an hour or more has passed. I have had to be more careful with time.

I actually received this tag the same day I received an email that demonstrates the most important way blogging has affected me.

I began my serious blog reading sometime in December. In January or February, a blog that I was reading led me to the blog of a woman whose young daughter had just drowned in a swimming pool. The woman has such a beautiful spirit, even during such a difficult time. I referenced her blog one time some months ago. Then, early this summer, I met a lady through a blog that led to her asking me to join her in a bible study over the summer. Unbeknownst to me, she had been reading my blog for a few months. For "some" reason, she saw the one reference to Sumi's blog. My new friend, Cheri, just "happens" to be a part of a bible study with a lady in our church whose daughter(who was also three years old) drowned several years earlier. Cheri mentioned Sumi to Debi and Debi contacted her. Now they have corresponded and as Cheri says, there is a "friendship blossoming between two grieving mothers." This is what blogging does for me. It sometimes shows me how the Hand of God works behind the scenes to orchestrate things for His Glory. I cannot tell you how many times one of your blogs has touched my heart in just the right way at just the right moment. And I know that's the Hand of God. What a beautiful thing.

Now to the tagging part. I'm not very good at this part either. I know I have read this particular meme on some of your blogs already but my memory for meme is not so good. So, if I tag you and you've already done this, please feel free to ignore it. If I tag you and you don't want to play, please feel free to ignore it as well. If I don't tag you and you still don't want to play, well, you may also ignore it. But if you do want to play and I don't tag you, don't think it's because I don't want you to play. That's not true! Play! Have fun! (and let me know that you decided to join in!)

Annette & Annette (because they are both number one to me! And you can never have too many Annettes.) Oh, and please pray for both of them because Ike is picking on them today.
Ang-who has the sweetest heart....
Jessi-my baby...I'm so proud...
Lori-because she's making me do homework...no, really because she is a wonderful writer and I think she mentioned something about this months ago.

Have fun!