When you visit my blog, you have crossed under the rainbow and entered “Tonya-land” where the weather is mostly sunny, the birds are always singing, lemons most often come in the form of lemonade and we all throw our arms around each others shoulders and sing “Kumbaya” at that end of each day.
Now Tonya-land has its bumpy roads, don’t get me wrong, but when you try to keep your glass half full, you usually can just keep on trucking, despite a pot-hole or two. But, every once in a while, my journey through Tonya-land comes to a screeching halt.
Recently, my rainbow tipped over, my lemonade tasted a bit more like straight lemons and a series of pot holes made me trip and fall. The birds are still singing though, and the sun will come out tomorrow, right Annie?
Apparently, this blog is a little too sunshine-y for some folks, a little too “fake” I believe was the word. And to them I say this:
When I blog, I pour out my heart. I write to you like I used to write in my journal. I put my soul into it.
There are times the Lord asks me to share something, or gets me up in the middle of the night to come write and I obey…..begrudgingly at times, yawning and rubbing my eyes. Really Lord, 4 am? Do you know how early my kids wake up?
There are a series of posts coming up the end of the month, that I have been adding to in bits and pieces since December. Posts that I postponed scheduling for weeks and weeks, months and months, because I didn’t want to share them. Because I am totally embarrassed to share it with you all.
But guess what?
They are scheduled and they are coming. I know better than to tell the Lord no. I have learned the hard way what my disobedience brings.
Sure, I have my bad days and dark times, we all do! And I have gladly shared them with you. From our struggle to stay pregnant, to screaming babies & screeching smoke alarms, silly near face wash catastrophes and a trashed house. If you read blogs regularly, happy sunshiny people who love staying home, cooking and doing arts and crafts with their kids are out there. Check out Rachel’s blog, No. 17 Cherry Tree Lane. Happy sunshine, right?!
If I don’t feel lead to write about anything in particular, I try to share a funny story about the kids, my plan being to print this blog in book form for my kids each year. What a great scrapbook of their lives!
But what I don’t do, is fake it.
Why would I? How exhausting!!!!!!!!!!!
Why would I waste precious moments of the day faking it in a blog post to faceless people I’ve not been privileged to meet? People I don’t have to answer to.
I’m writing to an anonymous audience full of mommy’s, fellow sunshine lovers, foodies, prosecutors, judge and jury, apparently even a lynch man or two….all sitting in front of their computer screens watching my every thought, judging my every move. Do I need to dress to impress?
Nope. You came to me, you’re in my house now.
You willingly came to Tonya-land.
Isn’t this blog supposed to be a peek into my world, the good, the bad AND the ugly? Don’t I state that time and time again?
My job on this earth is to shine for Jesus. To be the best wife I know to be to Dale, to uplift him, to support him, to be his cheerleader. To love my kids and teach them about Jesus. My job is to teach them that they need to obey me, not because I say so, but because God says so….that their obedience to me is directly connected to their obedience to God. My job is to seek to honor God in ALL I say and do, blogging and Facebook included. My job is to be His hands and feet.
Period.
I have a folder in my email account, jam-packed full of lovely, beautiful, uplifting things written by woman (and men) who read my blog. To you I say, thank you. Thank you for encouraging and uplifting, thank you for taking the time to comment and read the things I put out there, for not faulting me for focusing on the good rather than wallowing in the bad.
This blog is me. Tonya.
Put out there for all to see, the good, the bad and the ugly.
And really, who else can I be, but ME?
And to you nay-sayers???????
What can I say but welcome to the sunshine, would you like a glass of lemonade?
Thinking happy thoughts!
~T
4 little Fergusons 
Tonya. I would love to share some of your lemonade! Your posts inspire me and make me feel good. There are too many negative things and people out there. You have to look at what you are given as a gift and opportunity from God. I have alot of things weighing on my mind, but I look forward. I appreciate you taking the time to share your life. It makes me want to be better.
Shannon
Good on you! It’s hard to put yourself out there and share your feelings/life with the internet world and it’s especially hard when you receive negative comments from others. I really enjoy reading your blog and being a new stay at home mom, it helps me balance and see how other moms do things with a happy heart for the betterment of their kids & husband/family to read about your life. Thank you for a great blog and for putting yourself out there. Keep on goin’ girl, you’re doing great! =)
~Lisa (The Penny Wise Chick)
Fake? Hah, I say. If you were fake would you have described 3 hours of #2s and yucky baths while trying to make pizza? No. Your posts are more honest and open than any others out there. Since when is focusing on the positive a negative trait? That doesn’t even make logical sense! I, for one, look forward to your posts every day and find a piece of myself in every single one!
YOU GO GIRL!!!!! 🙂
keep it up! There are lots of us that love reading your blog. You are inspiring to me! 🙂
Hi Tonya! You don’t know me, and I’m not even sure how I came across your blog but I do know it was divinely directed by God. Time after time I will read your daily post and you will share on something that God is also speaking to me about. Sometimes it is HUGE and sometimes it is just a small sentence that speaks straight to my heart. For me it is like receiving tangible confirmation straight from heaven. Thank you so much for sharing your life and experiences. Please know that God is using you in a mighty way (even all the way up here in Minnesota)!! Here is a scripture to encourage you through this bump in the road: John 15:18-20.
In this world, there will always be people who are unhappy and negative, and some of those people expressing by taking a giant dump on someone else. Nothing you say or do will change that about them. So, as my mother always said, “living well is the best revenge.” Be yourself. Speak from your heart. Ignore those who seek to tear you down because they are a mess. Let them find somewhere else to pick a fight. You have a beautiful family, strong faith, and an honest voice with which to share it all. For all of that, I say AMEN!
Oh my, why would someone bash on you? I am shocked, I enjoy reading your posts and recipes!!
Keep your chin up, some people just don’t have anything better to do. They must be miserable people themself.
I LOVE your blog and look forward to reading it daily. Its helped me through some bad days and made me look forward to good days. I’ve laughed and cried at times while reading and you should be so proud of everything you have accomplished. We need more people like you out in this world, maybe then it wouldn’t seem so dark and terrifying at times. Thank you so much for writing everything, I too have strugged with infertility for 2 years now and after reading your post about your struggles you give me HOPE and LOTS OF IT!! I look at where you have been and where you are now. So thanks for the lemonade and being a half glass full kind of gal! 🙂
I love your blog, I look forward to it. I can’t wait for the email to come in on my phone and then I read it without the pictures and then I come to your page and read it with the pictures.
I used to read the comments to a local online news site and I found that these people are like the bullies in school. They say mean things just to get a reaction. Well I would like to join you for a nice glass of lemonade and we can talk about…..something else!
I hope you know what a blessing you are to this world! I pray my boys find a woman just like you to share their life in God’s plans for them. I mean it!
Keep shining, my blog friend! Ignore the naysayers. You are an inspiration to many of us!
I love sunshine ,Lemonade and your blog!
It’s kind of like watching tv if someone does not like what you write well they can just change the channel 🙂
You know the old saying say something nice or nothing at all but maybe the nay-sayer needs our prayers.
So, many blessings to them so they can enjoy some sunshine and lemonade as well !
Hey Gal, Keep on doing what you are doing!! For some reason there are people who tend to put others down to make them feel better about themselves and they do it without even knowing it. Just be praying for them for it sounds like that is what they need. My dad used to always tell me “Tough times make tough people”. I’m excited to read what you have coming. Sounds juicy and from the heart! lol
I was going to share with you a blog that maybe you are already aware of. It’s http://www.aholyexperience.com Well worth your time. I have to read it slow to take it all in. Thanks for stopping by my Tales today!!
I think perhaps some people are not used to the joy of the Lord being shown in your life! Thanks for blogging Tonya, you are an encouragement to me!
That sounded wrong, I did NOT mean that it’s rare for you to show the joy of the Lord, rather, that worldly people are unused to seeing it!!
Well, my dear friend, sounds like you have lots of people who are benefiting from your blog! A very wise retired minister in my SS class says that all God asks of us is for each of us to be the person He created us to be. So just be your wonderful, sunny self! You have always been a blessing to me, and still are!
I love your blog! Keep being yourself!!
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I actually woke up at 4 am to blog yesterday. I thought I was alone and crazy in that but that God called me to get my cup of joe and head on out to the recliner to write for Him. It is amazing that I managed to stay up until 10:30 last night and I have survived this day at work without my usual few cups of coffee a day. 🙂 Keep writing and sharing the sunshine sister!