What I'd Like For You To Know

If you're looking for Works-For-Me Wednesday, scroll on down.

I've had an idea brewing behind the scenes for some time, and I'm so excited to tell you about it.

Every Thursday for the next several weeks I'll be hosting a column called "What I'd Like For You To Know".  I've invited some guest bloggers to come and post about their particular life circumstances--circumstances that are, in some instances, challenging and prone to misunderstanding.  I'm asking these women to share with us some of what they'd like others to know about their struggles and their victories, and to educate us all a little better on how we might reach out to others going through similar things. 

We'll hear from a mother of autistic children, a young mother whose husband is deployed to Iraq, and a woman who has lost a child, just to name a few.  I've asked some very excellent bloggers to participate, and you won't want to miss the wise words of these women, every Thursday.

Comments

[Grafted Branch@Restoring the Years]

What a great idea! And after your series, maybe a theme and Mr. Linky so that we can all explain our peculiarities.

[Brenda]

How about an international worker (translate that, missionary)?

[Donna @ Thirsty?]

Excellent! I am really looking forward to the richness of insight these people will share. Thanks for organising that.

[moobeema]

Great idea! I would love to hear from people like me who are taking care of their elderly parents at the same time they are raising children. Here is a link to one post about my personal journey: http://moobeefarm.blogspot.com/2007/09/grammy-goes-to-boot-camp.html

[Rachel]

This sounds great! I love to hear other perspectives on things. You never know when the knowledge you gain will be useful!

[Susan T]

What a great idea -- I'm looking forward to reading the posts!

[Gabby]

I am so glad you are doing this! It is always encouraging to see how other people are making it through trials and God is being faithful in difficult circumstances!
I bet we all have a lot more in common than we would think!

[Chelsey]

I'd like to hear from someone who met their future spouse online. Seriously.

I keep hearing that all these people exist, and just for once, I'd like to meet one, other than myself.

This isn't a plug for me to be your guest post, just a desperate cry for someone to affirm my experiences!

[Alicia @ Experiencing Each Moment]

What a brilliant idea. Can't wait!

[Polka Dot Mommy]

What a great idea! Thanks for doing this... there are so many people out there with circumstances that do not fall within what society accepts as "normal".

Cheers!
Jamie

[Polka Dot Mommy]

Forgot to mention...

In response to Chelsey's comment. I met my husband online. We have been married for 11 months.

Life is grand and so is the cyber-world!

Cheers!
Jamie

[citystreams]

Wow! I can't wait to read them. Sounds like a fabulous idea!

[Summer]

If you're ever interested in having me write about what obsessive compulsive disorder is and isn't and how I've dealt with it for the last 13 years, let me know. I've written about it on my blog some but you have a much wider audience and I think it's something that is greatly misunderstood.

[Cheryl]

Thanks for doing this Shannon; it's a wonderful idea! I can hardly wait to tune in every Thursday. We could all do with a little more mutual understanding. :)

[misty]

it sounds great! i can't wait!

[Mrs B]

What a wonderful idea! I hope you will include someone who has been through Hyperemesis. I had it when I was pregnant with my son and its not well known and unforunately very misunderstood.

[Nancy]

Oh, I'm looking forward to that so much. What a wonderful idea!

[LifeatTheCircus]

I think it is great the way you use your blog as a light for our Lord. Great idea! Looking forward to the series!

[Rebecca (Ramblings by Reba)]

How neat! I love it!

[Rachel]

how about the spouse or partner of a trauma victim (sexual assault, prisoner of war, witness to a crime, etc.)? Its highly misunderstood, and important to understand.

[Jennifer (Et Tu?)]

What a neat idea! Can't wait to read these.

[Donnetta (momrn2)]

Starting tomorrow?! What a great idea! Eager to read each one!!

[Stephanie]

What a great idea! I can't wait to read what they have to say.

[Wendy]

This is a response to Chelsey---my husband and I met online and have been happily married for seven years!

[Lynne - The Clarkin Family]

This idea is so great! Everyone's got a story and so many go unshared. I'm looking forward to Thursdays!
I love your site - by the way! I just did my 1st WFMW!

[Maria]

What a great idea!!

Sounds like you have some great ideas lined up and several other ideas in the comments -- looking forward to reading.

[Finding Normal]

I can't wait to read these! What a fabulous idea!

[Annabelle @ Christian Momma]

That is such a great idea!

[Jenny]

Great idea, Shannon! I'll be looking forward to it!

[Carissa]

I'd love to hear from other adoptive parents...someone to talk about how to approach, talk about, and refer to adopted children.

[Kimberly]

I can't wait. I am also a mother of a child with autism. I am always eager to hear from other mothers that are in the same "game" as me.

[suzanne]

Also for Chelsey: I, too, met my husband online. Almost a DECADE ago (when NO ONE was admitting to such things.....)

Ain't love grand?

And Shannon, I think this is a bang-up idea!

[Jenn]

This is such a great idea! Even as a mom I think that I still am learning daily, this is a great way to gain perspective!

[Wife and Mommy]

Super super idea! I look forward to reading the upcoming entries.

[jen]

What a cool idea! Is it weird for me to tell you that I think you are a gifted blogger? I think you come up with the best stuff and always do it well!

[Molly]

(to Chelsey)I also met my husband online....and we were introduced by a mutual friend who I knew from online (but didn't meet in person until...after I met my now husband)...and we all plays Guild Wars together...so NOT even with a dating site!

[Blessed]

This will be a good series, I'm looking forward to it

Oh and all those recipes... how am I ever going to get through all of them!

[Marla Taviano]

Oh wow, Shannon. I'm looking forward to it!

[Cindy]

Me three! My husband and I met online and married in 2001 and we know God (not Al Gore!) used the internet to bring us together.

[Melene]

I am excited about this!
I'd love to share about being the Mom of a daughter with Selective Mutism sometime. It's not common, but when more people at least know about it, the children who have it-and their families feel a little better and more encouraged.

[Christine@AreWeThereYetMom]

Hi Shannon,
What a fantastic idea. I would love to share my story, about what I have learned and the road our family has traveled down, living with Type 1 Diabetes. My son was diagnosed when he was only 3 and a half, and now he's eight. It's been a long road, but we've learned so much as a family, about this disease, and what the future holds for our next generation.

[Jeana]

I love this idea!

[Stacey Sickmiller]

Oh, yippy! Now I get to see if there are people as messed up as me. =)

How great is His mercy!!

[Janine]

Glad God gave you this thought. It should be very interesting.
As a woman going through one of the biggest challenges one can face (death of my best friend/husband) I can really use some wise word.
Janine

[Susanne]

I'm looking forward to this Shannon! What a great idea!

[Marian]

That's great. This is one of the things I'd like to subtly accomplish with my blog somehow, too. I'm the mother of an autistic child. I'm a trans-racial adoptive parent. I'm homeschooling (due to the intense needs of said child with disabilities...). There's a lot of misunderstanding, hurt, and a lack of support, even among good friends. You don't want to come right out and say some of these things, so it's great to have a forum, though each person's set of curcumstances is very much their own and doesn't represent an entire population.

[Amanda]

Great idea, Shannon! Can't wait to tune in.

(In response to Chelsey, I unintentionally met my husband online. We've been together for ten years and married for eight years next month.)

[Lisa]

This is a great idea! Thanks for organizing such a neat thing.

[Carolina Mama]

Brilliant! Looking forward to it!

[World's Greatest Mommy]

What a wonderful idea. I can't wait to see what they'd like for me to learn about them. I love getting real perspectives on the women around me...their challenges...their triumphs.

[megan]

I second the missionary idea! There are many, many things people don't understand about "us"!

[Jia@ColorMeUntypical]

I think it's a wonderful idea and I would love to help out in any way that I can. If you need any more guest posters that is. Email me at: [email protected] if so.

Jia

[Jamie @ Purposeful Pursuit]

Oooo, I'm really excited about this! Excellent idea!

[CG]

This is a great idea... Will be interested to read these ladies experiences in the coming weeks!

[Elizabeth]

I'd like to chime in with my pleasure at such a great idea! Just reading the suggestinos people have given for other topics inspires me. I have friends who have met their spouses online, have OCD, and are "sandwiched" caregivers. I know they'd love to read more about others in these situations. I myself am a 3-time cancer survivor and have never met anyone with any of my similar situations. I'll be here every Thursday!

[Mandy]

This is such a great idea!

[Compassion Juli]

Thanks so much for sharing. I will never see disruptive children in public in the same light as in the past. Not that I haven't been in a similar situation with my own children. You have written an excellent post, and one worth reflecting on more than once.

[Kellie@LaVidaDulce]

This is an awesome idea! I look forward to reading these posts!

[Amy Beth @ Ministry So Fabulous!]

Shannon, you are brilliant.

[Liza's Eyeview]

Excellent! Excellent! Shannon, you are so full of great ideas, and you are so generous in sharing your blogs with others and promoting others. Love you!

I can't wait for the post of the mom who lost a child because I have a very very dear friend who just did and i want to minister to her as much as I could.

This post is excellent and enlightening. My daughter and I read together a book called RULES (I forgo the name of the author but it's a chapter book for kids about grade 4 onward...) that book RULES gave the two of us a better understanding of what family (especially siblings) of an autistic child feels and go through.

OK, I should really be getting ready for work instead of blogging ;0 - till next time.

[rebecca]

Love this idea!

How about parents with large families, and parents with adopted children?

[Cam]

Everyone already said this, but I'm excited to read these! Great idea!

[Anissa @ Hope4Peyton.org]

This is a fantastic idea...which you've heard 60 times before I typed it...but to give each person a spotlight to enlighten those who aren't a part of their world is tremendous. If you're ever short a poster, feel free to check out our website and see if the parent of a child with cancer interests you.

Can't wait to read more of what these special women have to say.
--Anissa @ Hope4Peyton.org

[Cindy-Still His Girl]

What a wonderful idea!! Seriously, girl, you have a gift for creating community and for creating opportunities for people to share! Do you do this kind of thing in real life, too?

[Jane ANne]

This is such a wonderful, wonderful idea! My husband was deployed to
Iraq 2 years ago and I look forward to the post about that. Honestly, I love all of the topics. I am sure you have had a ton of suggestions (I haven't had time to read all of these comments). One more suggestion is Food Allergies. My son is deathly allergic to peanuts. I'd be willing to share about that.
Thanks again for this series! I know it is going to be very insightful.

[lynn]

How about a nun in a convent?

[Diagnosed with infertility]

I'd love if you could get someone to post on infertility!!!!

[Amy Bayliss]

Wow! This is great idea!!

[Beth]

Commenting with a request in your series: Can you include someone struggling with infertility? It's right up there with the list of "misunderstood" and "challenging" circumstances. Some GREAT blogs, off the top of my head, that would do the opportunity well:

http://stirrup-queens.blogspot.com/
http://coming2terms.com/
http://creatingmotherhood.com/
http://www.bloorb.com/

Thanks for even considering the request. And thanks for trying to open up a dialogue of understanding and acceptance on whatever topics you choose!

[Cathy]

this is a great idea, Shannon!

[MaryBeth @ Four Silly Sisters]

What a great idea!! I especially can't wait to read the young mom whose husband is in Iraq... my DH leaves in August for Iraq for a year, and I'm still working through how to explain it all to the girls (ages 3,2,2&2). I'm trying to find all the resources/ suggestions I can at this point for dealing with the girls and keeping him "in the loop". Thanks for putting good info out there, as always.

[April]

This is a wonderful idea! Thanks so much for doing this! If you run out of ideas, I would love to see someone post on Dyslexia. Thanks again!!

[andrea_jennine]

Great idea! I enjoyed the first guest post, and I'm looking forward to the others. And I third the idea for a guest post on infertility.

[Breanne]

What a great idea!!