TO AWARD OR NOT TO AWARD...
I've been noticing a lot of comments and talk about this subject and decided to jump in with my two cents.
This topic falls into the category of so many that can really divide people and seldom convince others: homeschooling vs public or private school; working; recycling; play days for children; global warming; just a few that come to my mind that I have observed divide people in blogland.
I began blogging on January 21st of this year and one of the first controversies that arose, to my knowledge, was an award began circulating and a few people really got their feelings hurt. One person even passed the award along and then came back and withdrew it and apologized for passing it on. I realized right then, this was indeed a VERY sensitive issue and one that would be criticized regardless of which side you came down on. I knew I needed to give it serious thought and prayer as to what was right for me.
You all know that I both receive and pass on Awards. That is no surprise. What I am sharing here today is my perspective on the issue and why I do so.
None of us are the BEST at everything we do. God has given us all different abilities and talents. I love music, and I have really good rhythm, but I do not carry a tune very well. I would never try to get up and sing a solo or even in a quartet BUT I do sing my heart out in Worship service, in my car driving, in my home. I am not going to not sing, because I can't do it as well as many others. I applaud as loud, or louder, for those who do it well because I appreciate they have that talent. I like to see them receive the recognition they so well deserve.
This over sensitiveness to "hurting some one's feelings" has been taken to an extreme. I know some educators are even taking it so far as to not give "A's" for superior work because those getting the C's & D's "feel badly". Our boys were never really into sports, so we have no first hand experience, but I've heard of parents getting upset because their children are not given the awards in sports that some of the outstanding athletes are given.
In my view, this type of thinking handicaps our children. In the real world the ones who do the best job are going to get the promotion, and the higher salary. We need to teach our children, and ourselves, to do the very best we can at each and every thing. God's words teaches us: "Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." I Cor 10:31
On the other side of the issue, we need to know how to graciously accept things from others. So many of us can give and give but do not know how to receive. How often has someone complimented you on how you looked and instead of saying, "Why thank you!" have replied "Oh, this old thing......". Or someone gives you a gift, just because they want to (and probably the Lord has told them to!) and you immediately think you must give something right back.
I personally give a lot of thought before passing on an award and I am truly touched and honored when I receive one. I am also truly pleased for each and every one of you who receive the awards you receive from others. Man looks at the outward appearance but Got looks at and searches our hearts.
To those who have awarded me Awards I truly am touched and Thank You. For those to whom I have passed the awards on, I trust you understand I have given it a lot of thought and truly say what I think and feel. I thank those of you who have chosen to pass them on. For those who chose not to pass them on , I honor and respect your differing view.
How that I have given my two cents, and my stand on this subject, I would truly love to hear your views, positions and comments!!!
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29 comments:
Susan I agree wholeheartedly. I have received an email disagreeing with me, but after lots of thought I am just like you!
Thanks so much for this post.
Well-said, Susan! Rewards are a part of life. When I do a good job at work, I get rewards...some tangible, some not. It's a fact of life. We have to teach kids and adults to accept with grace and understand they will not always be the best at everything...but everyone can excel at SOMETHING in my opinion. The trick is, finding it.
Hugs,
:-) Susan
Susan, I have been torn or this issue. It is not that I do not want to recieve awards. It is such a blessing to me that there are those who want to give me one and I have been so touched. My blog was meant to be wholly for the most part for the Lord and I don't want to do anything to take any praise or any glory that belongs to Him. I do put things on it concerning my family because He has blessed me so much in giving me a family that has helped to make me what I am today. I really don't do it because I think that I am most deserving of awards but because I don't think that I deserve them at all.
I would never want to hurt anyone's feeling because I don't do it often, truly I feel less of a person for taking credit that I feel belongs to the Lord. I hope you all can understand to some extend how I feel, I pray with all my heart you do. I am so thankful when one of you get an award because it is such a sweet way of showing your care for another. If I had another blog which I did until, I guess blogger decided that I didn't need it, took it away, lol, I would be very happy to recieve awards on that blog.
I don't expect others to agree with me, I just have to go where I feel the Lord leading me and hope that others will understand my decision. Thank you for giving me this chance to say what is on my heart and my prayer is that each of you will understand. love all of you, connie from Texas
(don't do it often) give awards or recieve them.
I felt I needed to make that clearer. sorry. connie from Texas
I feel that every award I have received is a type of compliment from the giver. I also know to not take the awards too seriously. I mean, anyone can make up a blog award and pass it on. It's not like they are given by some prestigious organization out there. Eventually everyone seems to be awarded the same award through all of our connections. They are, I believe, meant to encourage us, support us, and uplift us.
I totally agree with what you are saying. I always appreciate awards but I must admit that I almost fear passing them out! What if my poor memory makes me forget someone I really want to award? What if someone gets hurt feelings and on and on! Oh silly me!
This post was right on the money. You know, I am a real giver, and I believe that God is speaking to me again about gratefully receiving and not jumping the gun...but if you feel at peace about me sending you some bits and pieces some time - let me know :-) Thanks for your wise words.
I agree 100% Susan.
amen & amen.
The only concern I have with awards is that I want to give them to everyone that I blog with because they are all special. It is so hard to choose a few. I don't want to make someone think I don't think they are special, because I do.
I totally agree with you, but to be honest I'm a little confused. Is giving out awards a big deal? What I mean is, I have been honored to receive awards and I love them, but do some people have a problem with awards? I've never heard this topic of discussion before.
And for me receiving the awards from people like you have warmed my heart in a time when I truly truly needed it. And they have encouraged me to keep blogging and being faithful that I may be impacting someone out there.
I agree with you, Susan. I really believe in rejoicing when others are blessed. Do you know where this point was really driven home to me? Our kindergarten teacher at our school REALLY puts emphisis on this in her class. She really teaches and trains the kids to rejoice when somebody else gets "blessed with a gummy bear" and not to complain when they don't. I was observing her do this one day, and I saw how well the kids had learned this leason. I realized what a life lesson that was for me. So, I have learned to be grateful if I am chosen for honor, but more importantly, rejoice with others when they are. If I focus more on others and less on myself, I will be a much happier person!!
Great post Susan. I agree with you too. It is great to give out and receive these awards. It is nice to know that our blog have blessed someone is some way.
On the flip side I also know it can be very hurtful too.
I've truly been blessed by all you out there in the blog world.
I love Ruth's comment..that is a great way to look at it...rejoice for others.
I second this post! Well said.
Hugs!
Kat
Being a pastor's wife and having so many people in our church blog...it's hard to choose just 5 when there are 15 people that blog, not to mention all my wonderful blog friends.
I find that being a pastor's wife, people really care what I think. I have to be careful not to offend, yet be truthful and true to myself. I can't choose one over another. If I wasn't in this position, it would be different. But I do appreciate the awards I'm given and rejoice when other receive them.
This was a very thoughtful post Susan. Thank you for sharing.
great post, susan. i applaud you for speaking your mind on the subject.
for the most part, i agree with you. i think most people feel honored to receive an award. i know i do.
the hard part for me is passing them on. what do you do if you're supposed to pass on an award to 5 people and yet you know of 10 or more that deserve it or you feel like you want to pass it on to? then it seems like it's a bit of a popularity contest. sometimes it feels like the same people are chosen time and time again.
if i'm faced with this situation, i'm at a loss of what to do. do i give it out to more than what is called for? i guess i just don't like having the responsibility of choosing who should be a recipient. it's my personal issues.
i've enjoyed reading everyone's comments. i'm glad it's just my issues and other people don't have the same problem. if they did, there wouldn't be awards be passed around.
i agree with karolee when she said she thought all the awards are intended to encourage and uplift each other. but can't we do that without awards? just wondering.
(sorry this ended up being so long)
I'm so new to this I had wondered if there had been any riff with it. I wish there was a way that no one would be hurt. I felt honored to receive an award because it was to me a confirmation that the Lord was using me and my blog to touch others and that is what I wanted. It is hard, hard, hard to pass them on. I enjoyed reading your thoughts on this and I liked the comment of being happy for others. That is a great teacher who is working with those kindergarteners!
God Bless You!!!
Amen and Amen! We are to think on whatsoever things are lovely and my blogging buddies are lovely!! I did notice a trend in people making a big deal about not recieving awards or tags. What fun is that, I ask? We do need to be wise and use discernment in all we do, not only in blogland but in our lives. And the point of "recieving them graciously" is a homerun. Let's enjoy each other!
I agree with jenileigh - I felt it was confirmation too - an encouragement to my spirit from above! And I wanted to make sure I want to try and do my part to pass on that encouragement.
I'm so glad you shared your thoughts on this subject!
I've enjoyed reading your thoughts (and the comments) on this topic. It does seem there are more and more awards in blogland these days. I feel honored and blessed when I receive one.
However, I must admit that I struggle to narrow it down to the given number of recipients when it's time to pass it one. I read so many blogs, and there are truly always more than the designated number who "qualify"
Great post..
Susan....
YTou nailed it if you ask me...you and Jennifer for that reason I have decided..to do the award thing.....and yet I can see the other side in fact we love when my dh gets a reward ie: Raise,,,and he never says no...LOL
Deby
I always enjoy reading your views on subjects like this. I can't give an opinion since I don't receive or give awards! I do sort of hope the fad decreases because I don't really care for all that extra stuff on blogs, my computer is s-l-o-w and it takes longer for blogs to load when they have too many bells and whistles on them! Well, I guess I did just give an opinion!
Katherine
I totally agree, Susan. Honestly, I love reading about others who receive awards and seeing what people say about them. I've found sound great blogs this way...including you! Quite honestly, any given award usually makes the rounds and most everyone ends up getting it at some time or another, but I think it's definitely the thought that counts and I am honored every time someone extends an award to me (though it may take me a few days to blog about it. I have a couple now in the hopper that I need to write about, as a matter of fact). Have a good weekend.
Susan, I left a comment to this post and decided to delete it because I really only wanted you to read it.. You know how other people can take things wrong..
:)
Candy
Enjoyed the post. Rewards are something that we have in life. There will always be someone better at something than you are. That is what makes us individuals. God gives each of us a different talent. I agree with Susan, everyone has it, you just have to find out what it is.
I totally agree with you.
I think it is completely ridiculous that this is even a debate! I have been in the dark about this I guess!
I think it is like giving both children a gift when it is only one's birthday-like you said, not everyone can win, not everyone is the best at everything and that should be ok! We should be able to be happy for other people and feel blessed that we have the privilege of knowing them, reading their blogs, ect...
You are such a beautiful, wise person. You phrased it wonderfully and I agree.
I must be missing something here, because I had not realised that some people were really upset about not getting awards...
I did not start blogging to get recognition. Did any of us? I am amazed and honoured when I am given an award, and it makes me smile. I like the people I blog with. Î regard them as my friends. We are all different, and all have different strengths and weaknesses and we should all be celebrating these. I can honestly say that I have never once read a list of awardees on a blog and thought hey where am I... I rather read about the awardees with interest and go and visit those who are new to me. This is not a competition to see how many awards we can gather.
I am reminded that we are living lives with great joys and sorrows, and everything we experience is designed to enable us to help others in a unique way. And this is the greatest reward we can hope for.
So I think we should all relax, accept any awards with thanks, and pass them on at the appropriate time, to those whose words have added something special to our lives. It is lovely to know that there are times when we actually DO make a difference!
I thought I had already commented on this post, but apparently not.
I think you brought up some good points.
I enjoy getting awards, but when it comes to giving them it's really hard because Just about every blog I visit deserves them so in order that I don't hurt feelings I have only given a few.
Excellent post!! I agree 100%
I enjoy passing on the awards--although I am guilty of not passing a few along, but plan to soon.
Since I haven't blogged my awards yet, I see some of the people I picked got the award, but I think I'll pass it on to them anyway, bcz the Lord put it in my heart to give those people the award in the first place...thanks Susan, you helped open my eyes:D
God Bless,
Amber
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