 |
My day to be featured
was October 28, 2010 |
Are you curious how I was picked for Blogs of Note?
or why the Blogs of Note picked me for the day? I noticed by doing a Google search that there are people who do searches, ask questions and generally want to know “How do they pick? How can I get picked?” What you’re going to read in this posting is a mixture of ‘guessing’ and ‘knowing’.
I’ve been having serious issues with a spammer who somehow was able to make their malicious code pass around. It caused me to have my recent postings show up as someone else’s recent postings. It changed my websites ‘Popular Posts’ (widget) to kick off mine and show every posting by the other blogger. I deleted that feature. Anywhere I went online, if there was Comment Luv checked, it showed the other blogger’s postings, not mine. It also took over my widget box that was for Blog Archive, checked ‘hierarchy’, and ‘order of posts’ to put in all their posts from 2005 to now 2010. I didn’t start blogging until 2009. It showed up every time even if I deleted it from the box, until I changed it to ‘drop down’.
I went to the
Blogger Help Forum and connected with a few people, but no one knew
how to fix it. At this time I had no idea how to get help from Google’s Blogger people. Then the person whose blog postings had been showing up on mine found me on the
Blogger Help Forum explaining Google had been working on it. We had a little conversation, but still no help as to how to fix my problem. I was losing subscribers who thought I’d switched to a new profession because of all the other postings showing up as
my ‘recent posting’. Even my RSS feed showed their postings, not mine. The worst part was, I’m a children’s book author that had four children’s books coming out
within the next two weeks with a book launch, giveaways, free downloads, etc. on my blog. I was basically losing all the work I’d put into my blog for one year!
Could this be the reason I had been picked for the
Blogs of Note award? Did they have mercy on me and try to help me out? I have no concrete evidence to that fact, but what I know is they were instrumental in my blog subscribers and visitors soaring since last Friday, October 28 2010. I say
‘instrumental’ because:
Knowing
During the time period of having all the issues with my blog and subscribers/readers, a few people knew about it. They can tell you that it looked hopeless. What you can see for yourself, by looking at my blog stats going from 5,000 to 11,000 (at this time) is subscribers by email having doubled and the comments sections are going from one comment to 30-something in 4 days.
There is a real change at my blog! I just saw my stats report from
my Facebook Page and visitors to the page went up by the thousands because of visits to the blog and connecting with FB from there.
My friends and I prayed, with a specific goal in mind….”
God, only You can turn this around and I give this problem to You”. I absolutely believe He is the One Who turned a bad situation to my good. The Blogger Team was
‘instrumental in bringing it to pass’. Each member of the team picks a blog they believe is ‘Note-worthy’ and then the team votes on the choices.
I hadn’t been looking for ‘how to get nominated and picked’ by Blogs of Note. I hadn’t been jumping up and down in the blogosphere to get the attention that came my way from being picked, I just wanted my problem fixed. I’d just been minding my own business when Bam!, my stats were going up before my eyes….my map of visitors was lighting up and Kapow-ing all over the world….comments were being left on numerous postings….pages were being read on my blog thousands of times….people were asking about my children’s books and being directed to the purchase site (Amazon until my Author Website is online); my Facebook Page was being liked and visited!
You might say that ‘Google’s team stays on top of problems and ‘salves the open wounds’ of bloggers having issues’. If that were true for everyone, the Blogs of Note would be overflowing with ‘picks’ because out of millions of blogs, you will find a percentage of people have problems they need fixed (not to disparage Google’s repair team).
How can you know what God wants for you? To be able to pray with confidence knowing that He answers your request, check out His Word. I know what He wanted in my life and I would settle for nothing less! In His Word He’s says that He has come to bring life and life more abundantly….above and beyond, more than I can even ask or think.
Here I am making friends from other cultures, different lifestyles, other religious beliefs. I believe it all came about because of Who I trust. One of the translations of the bible says I am , “to lean my entire human personality on Him”. I’m not there, but that’s the direction I’m heading. Along the way, He doesn’t ask for perfection, just an open heart and a close relationship with Him.
My goal is not to get rich, to get fame or to try to get God to love me. He already loves me without my earning it; He supplies the riches which are so diverse; and as for any fame or notoriety I give all the praise back to Him.
I’ll end with this: “As a man thinks in his heart, so he is.” You’ve heard my heart today!
What are your thoughts on Blogs of Note or a relationship with God? Leave your intelligent thoughts here!
You want to get FREE updates by email or RSS.
What an amazing testimony! It reminds me of something someone said to me when I was college that has stuck with me: "Trials are an opportunity for God to demonstrate His faithfulness!"
Just when things seem like they couldn't get any worse or be more difficult, God does something amazing to renew our faith!
Donna, thank you for sharing your testimony and for shining the light of Christ.
God is Good! I enjoyed discovering your blog and will buy Orville for my youngest!
How reassuring it is that the Lord opens doors in his own time; how rewarding it is when we have set our own goals aside and can rejoice in His perfect will being carried out through us!
Rachel,
I want people to know I recently met you through the Blogs of Note. You came by my blog and have been an encouragement to my faith!
Be sure to visit Rachel's blog. She's beginning an Etsy shop and you will love what she's offering!
Linda-wahm with a plan,
I'll be visiting your blog, Linda.
Thanks for Subscribing by Email. Your youngest will enjoy the songs (which are a free download) written for the books. And don't forget the free coloring page downloads!
Pastor Greg Smith,
I only know you're a pastor because I went to your blog for the English and/or the Spanish speaking.
Reassuring and Rewarding..I like that! It really is about 'His perfect will being carried out through us'.
The Lord works in mysterious ways. I am glad that all finally worked out and with a result beyond what we were working toward when we first tackled the hijack problem.
Hi, Katney,
You were a help and calming force on the Blogger Help Forum. It was great to have someone try to help the way you did.
I can't say the problem is fixed completely yet, I've just devised ways to get around it. If anyone has a 'show you last posting' on their comment form, I try to avoid it.
What really helped above and beyond what I could even imagine was getting all the traffic pointed toward me due to Blogs of Note.
I want to thank you for personally caring about my blogger problem. You're awesome!
WOW Donna, what an awesome God wink! I'm so happy for you! I hope that you make a lot of sales. I think that I need to let Santa know to bring Adaline some of your books for Christmas!
Keep up the great work!
Hi, Jenn coolestfamilyontheblock,
Thanks for your encouragement. It would be super to convert the traffice through the blog to book sales…I'm believing for the best!
Have you subscribed by email on the blog to get the FREE songs that were written and performed for two of the books? It's a music with illustrations DVD link that you can download for your children. And don't forget the coloring pages! I'm also having giveaways in November, so by subscribing you'll be sure to get notified of the Giveaways.
To My Readers: Jenn is one of my Tribe on the SITs network. SITs is a group of thousands of women who support each other online. Our Tribe is Goose and I also belong to Giraffe Tribe. We've been learning a lot about blogging, SEO, etc. Thanks to all my SITs sisters that stop by and leave a comment!
Wow! What an insightful post! God definitely had a hand in why you were named one of the blogs of note. That's how I discovered your blog and I'm so glad I did.
M.H.Wesley,
Thank you for your thoughts on the posting. I thought it was obvious too that 'God definitely had a hand in why I was named one of the Blogs of Note!
I appreciate having discovered your blog too!
well i'm certainly glad you're a blog of note because this site is very fun and interesting. glad to have found it.
Mike:
Thanks for your thoughts on the blog. I went to yours and love it! The guitar playing is great to listen to. And what a variety of guitarists you've placed on your blog.
I'd recommend your blog for interest, guitarists and then there's that FREE guitar giveaway that is going on. :O)
God is Good! I enjoyed discovering your blog
http://go2aceh.blogspot.com/
Hello! Stumbled across your blog in the "Blogs of Note" tab. First of all, sorry for the trouble you have gone through with your blog. I am glad that you were chosen for the "noteworthy" award — because your testimony is of great encouragement. I am a follower of Jesus Christ myself and I am living abroad in South Korea right now teaching and sharing my faith as opportunities are presented. I just want to say that your willingness to faithfully radiate His name in your blog is an inspiration. Keep following hard after him.
"Reading Children’s Books about nature is the best tools to construct knowledge to our toddlers.
in this generation, in our generation it is our responsibility to encourage our children about nature. One of the most relevant way is to encourage them to read Reading Children’s Books about nature. make them a nature lovers be able them to digest the importance of nature to mankind.. "
"Reading Children’s Books about nature is the best tools to construct knowledge to our toddlers.
in this generation, in our generation it is our responsibility to encourage our children about nature. One of the most relevant way is to encourage them to read Reading Children’s Books about nature. make them a nature lovers be able them to digest the importance of nature to mankind.. "
Bucek,
Yes, God is good! And I'm glad you discovered by blog. Keep leaving your excellent comments and thanks for coming.
Fancy Nancy,
You are wonderful! I just went to your blog and read about your friends and students. Well, you've made me love them too.
Send your email address to: donnaperugini at gmail dot com and I'll send the songs written for my children's books. It's actually a movie with the illustrations of the books being shown. You can use it as entertainment for the teaching English to your students. They would have fun learning English songs. Make a recording and send me the link…I'd love to hear them! You also could use the Sneak-a-Peek books for them to read some of each book (on my blog at the top as a tab). Then they might understand the two links I'd send for The Flight of Orville Wright Caterpillar and The Adventure of Amelia Airheart Butterfly in bye! bye! Dragonfly!
Thank you for talking about your faith and our good God! I will 'keep following hard after Him'!
So sorry you had to go through that but I am glad that God showed Himself to you in a unique way! I love your blog!
Sarita,
There's a lot of experiences that are not pleasant, but with God they can turn around.
The way it turned around was so unique and unexpected!
Thanks for stopping by today!
Why didn’t I think about this? I hear exactly what your saying and I’m so happy that I came across your blog. You really know what your talking about, and you made me feel like I should learn more about this. Thanks for this; I’m officially a huge fan of your blog.
I’m a huge fan of your link! I’m glad you heard me in this posting!