Welcome To The Bigger Picture!

When I started blogging, I had one main objective: to make friends. 

I was a relatively new mom, without many opportunities for forging relationships in the outside world.  And mostly, that was a situation of my own making. I wasn't comfortable with disrupting my baby's day for unnecessary outings, and anything short of a trip to the grocery store seemed unnecessary.  Playdates, lunch out with a girlfriend, evenings away from my nursing baby -- these things caused me to stress and fret, and I threw them by the wayside.  I focused on keeping my days -- my children's days -- steady and even.  Routine and uninterrupted.  And I got a little lonely. 

Blogging rescued me.  I started meeting other women -- writers, mothers, artists -- who didn't ever ask me to step outside my self-imposed boundaries, but at the same time, who encouraged me with their stories and discoveries to let go a little. Women who had been in my shoes before, and were learning to walk barefoot through both soft grasses and gravelly rocks, telling me about their travels. 

I made friends. 

And along the way, I grew.  I learned things about myself.  I learned that I really did have a passion: writing.  I dabbled and fiddled and found my voice.  I learned to appreciate that voice, especially when heard against the harmony of the community of friends I'd become a part of. 

The community is the best part of blogging, and the harmony is so lovely. 

But the community -- the harmony -- is always changing and growing, which excites me!  I LOVE stumbling across new-to-me bloggers and getting to know them.  Hearing their stories, laughing and crying with them, discussing life with them -- it never gets old because the voices are so diverse and wonderful.

And now I've been blessed to be involved in a new way to forge relationships.  A new venue for discussion and community to grow.  A new kind of harmony.  With the idea of meaningful relationships in the forefront of our minds, some friends (Hyacynth, Corinne, Melissa, and Maegan, who I'll introduce to you very soon!) and I have formed Bigger Picture Blogs, and we're so hopeful that you will participate in our community! 

What we all want is a way and a place to gather together many of the friends we've made separately -- introducing their friends to your friends so we can all discuss life together.  We'll try to encourage discussion on our Facebook and BlogFrog pages about posts we think you might like, and hopefully get to know you all a little better in the process.  We want friends, darn it.  We want to conquer the world with the harmony of our friendly voices!  (Too much?  I sensed it was too much.  I'll tone it down a little...) 

We want to see the Bigger Picture wherever we go.  To focus on life's moments in encouraging ways and to build a community of friends who will join us there. 

My blog will not change from how it is on a daily basis.  I am still Sarah The Heavenly, but now with more group hugs.  Plus, we'll be hosting a weekly link-up (starting soon) that we hope you'll want to participate in: The Bigger Picture Moment.  We want to know about -- to talk about and encourage -- your moments of noticing the forest despite the trees. 

We want to know you better. 

I'm so excited to finally introduce Bigger Picture Blogs.  I'll be sure to announce the date for the first Bigger Picture Moment link-up party, and keep you in the loop for any new developments as they happen.

Will you join us on our quest for WORLD DOMINATION through friendly harmony!?! 

(Still too much?)

Welcome to The Bigger Picture!