following

following. just the word makes me nervous. there seems to be some pressure in the title alone. mostly, it implies that i know where i am going --  i don't. i might as well tell you that right off the bat; you'd figure that out on your own rather quickly. what's more, i already have a tribe of five children following me around. i am not sure i want to solicit any one else. just yet. you understand.

BUT, i've been told in the publishing world, the number of followers on a blog just might be important. they throw words out like readership... stats... and platform building. that sort of thing. words which make my stomach hurt just a bit -- this is not in my comfort level. i haven't thought about a resume or marketing myself in quite a long time. my kids and husband and friends take me as i am. they don't care about my credentials or my number of readers...or my platform. 

so let's rename that little section, shall we? 

we could change it from followers to girlfriends...but that would be a bit exclusive and possibly offend the male faces posted in that corner of my blog.

we could change it from followers to fans ... but that's not quite right either. i don't want fans, i only want to do my small part in growing for fans for Jesus. i want my blog and my blogging to point people to Him.

we could change it from followers to bench sitters ... hmmm ... bench sitters. yes, that works. that just might work. i don't want followers but i do want people to stop by my blog and sit for a while. i want us to sit together. i'd like us to leave thoughts on one another's hour or day. i want face to face exchange out in the sunshine of a park or in the soft light of a coffee shop. it's not about following, it's about connecting. 

don't follow me. connect with me. sit for awhile on a bench by my side.

ANYWAY, if you're a regular reader of my blog, or if you just want to be kind, would you consider adding your name to the Follower's List (remember in our minds it says: Bench Sitters). the "join this site" button is on the right side of the blog.  click on it.  it will take you through a few steps -- an email and password....that kind of thing. you're not signing up for anything more than a few minutes of us sitting together on a bench.

i would be grateful. i have no goal in sight. no number. but it is fun to see who is reading. there's absolutely no pressure. i won't send you requests for money or advertisements. i won't even send you my children. nothing.  i promise.

it's your way of telling me, "hey jody, i sat for awhile."

on another note, thank you for your public comments and for your private messages. i can't tell you enough how encouraged i am by your words. i love that we connect -- not on everything, but on something. as a story teller, i love hearing your stories. 

thank you for sharing ... thank you for following ... and thank you for sitting.

xoxo ~ jody