If you’d like to be included in this slot, please get in touch: estherchilton@gmail.com. Poems can be up to 60 lines and prose 2000 words. If you’d like to add a short bio and photo, then great. All I ask is that there’s nothing offensive.
My guest this week is a lovely blogger many of you already know. I’ll hand you over to her:
Prior’s Blogging Journey
Hello everyone. My name is Yvette Prior, and I am a work psychologist, researcher, mother, grandmother, editor and blogger.
Today, Esther has given me some space here to explore the topic of blogging – to share what got me started on WordPress.
But first, what prompted me to write about blogging was that Amanda recently shared a post with 12 tips for blogging:
One of the things she mentioned was that there often needs to be an ebb and flow to the pace of blogging. That has been one of my favorite parts about blogging – we customize our flow as needed.
Also, Marsha Ingrao recently published a book about blogging:
Not only is her book a great read, but the way she allowed the manuscript to unfold connects with the ebb and flow idea. Marsha approached this book two different times, but it never led to getting published. She revisited the idea in 2026, and the book idea was ripe. I agree with Marsha in that blogging might “seem” outdated to some people, even “so 2008,” – but for many people – it is still our social media of choice. Blogging is alive and well, and many folks continue to find their groove.
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Now, here is my blogging at WordPress Story
I created my WordPress blog around 2011, explored and made one 2012 post that I liked – it was a Christmas post about faded blue bulbs, but that was it.
At the time, I was an art teacher and my online connection was in Yahoo art teacher forums. However, in the summer of 2013, I started a short faith series on my WP blog – and the reason might surprise you.
I was at a pool party cookout with some church folks, and the entire afternoon was a disappointment. Looking back, I can see that the people at that church were simply different from me and my approach to life. They were not my tribe, and I was not theirs.
I had teenage boys with me and the first bump of the day came when some of the teenage girls were wearing string bikinis. It felt inappropriate because this was a church event, and usually church pool parties have the girls wear dark-colored t-shirts over swimsuits. This was also when “every man’s battle” was a hot topic in Christian churches – and more thought should have been placed on pool party attire.
I stayed quiet for a while, but when they started playing ball toss and it became a bigger distraction, I finally asked if they could please put on T-shirts. Well, I was treated like a grumpy complainer. A few adults rolled their eyes at me.
Actually, one of the bikini-wearing girls’ mother and I later bonded over this upset – because she was so cool. We sat on the front stairs and she told me that she had picked out the tiny swimsuit for her daughter – and agreed that they should wear t-shirts at a church event. But Lisa and a few others never got over this bump. Another strike for moi.
Then came the hamburger incident a little later. Rex was cooking at the grill. He was using tongs to put on raw hamburgers and then using the same tongs to remove the cooked burgers. My eyes bugged out and I asked if he realized he could be cross-contaminating food. This did not sit well with him and he was annoyed. It brought more rolling of the eyes my way.
The rest of the afternoon was a blur. I recall going home and venting to my spouse, who did not have much to say. We were in an awkward position because he worked at this church, and I yielded so we would not have to relocate again. But the yielding was wrong in so many ways. I forced a fit and disrespected my own needs by assuming good intentions would be enough. I was robbed of the kindred fellowship I needed, and the strain it put on the family surfaced in subtle ways later.
No church body is perfect, and having options is a gift and we should never force a fit in such an important life area. That experience taught me dear lessons: diversity in church bodies is needed because it mirrors how diverse people are. I tried to force fellowship, and what I meant as good intentions ended up making me look like the problem. The lack of fit I ignored or minimized also robbed me of Christian support I needed.
During the cookout, I felt like people at this church viewed me even more in the wrong light. I did not regularly attend their church, and even though I came to some external events (to support my spouse, and connect with others) there was an ongoing imbalance.
After speaking up about the burgers, I felt misunderstood with that group. I wanted Rex (and others) to know more about me – and maybe have them see that I was a kind and loving Christian lady. I decided to make some blog posts about my Christian views and went to my WordPress site to share this in a personal way.
I was filled with fervor to let people know I was not just some big cranky bitch who complained about boobs bopping around in slinky swimsuits and hamburger tongs being possibly contaminated.
I wanted them to know my heart. So, I made a series of posts about my Christian testimony and views on faith. Then I sent the blog link to a few of the church leaders, including Rex. Nothing really came from it, even though many church folks did visit, and some still come to my blog. But about a week later, I was ready to shut the blog down.
But something fun happened: I had new followers. I went and followed them back. The next day, I had a few more new followers. Within a month, I had more than 100 connections. Eventually, I started doing various blog challenges and my connections reached the thousands. I ended up deleting those early heavy-duty Christian faith posts. I still share about my faith journey on my blog – but in natural ways and only as faith topics come up.
The surprise here was that through my WP blog, I found my fellowship and God blessed me with like-minded people. My initial aim with planting seeds to share my heart with local folks led to a bigger harvest! I ended up making genuine connections with kindred people from around the world.
I never fully bonded with that church group and passively staying there was a hard lesson in the cost of compromising to force a fit. I do regret quietly accepting lack of fit, that it was okay to be dissed, and that I chose a path where my needs were shelved.
In the last few years I have attended two different churches more in line with how I approach faith, and the one I regularly attend now is refreshing because the fit is so natural.
I am grateful that God led me to blogging in such a unique way back in 2013.
Priorhouse blog is where I come and go to connect with genuine and supportive friends. It has been a huge gift in my life and God gave it to me before I ever knew what it would bring my way. My blog friends enrich my life. Many have been there with me through so much – including the recent fun launch of an anthology called This is How We Create.
My blogging ebb and flow has also included joining in with Esther’s “Laughing Along with a Limerick,” writing for flash fiction challenges, and simply sharing photos or quotes from everyday life. Cheers to blogging — and to finding what works for us in each season.
What about you? If you blog, what got you started and do you have an ebb and flow? Do you have any memories from 2013?
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Priors in 2013
Friend’s Patio 2013
Art Heart – Chad – 2013
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