My TPT Dollar Store and a 200 follower freebie

Two blogs in a week! Whoa! Down girl! I may need a nap after I finish this! I wrote in my last post that from now on everything at my TPT store is $1. (So now you don't need to get dressed up to go shopping.) (:  I did that because I was getting stressed out about this whole blogging/selling world. By the end of the school year in May my blood pressure was up, I wasn't sleeping, and my husband and I were barely speaking more than 5 words to each other. Then summer came, and I've been spending a lot of time following blogs and gaining followers. Which is great, don't get me wrong. But I think I was in it for the wrong reasons. I wanted to learn from all of you, and I have, and am SO grateful. But I also wanted to sell. Don't we all? 

 I knew I was getting obsessive and materialistic about the whole thing, and  I've been trying to think of ways to break that negative pattern. I was sitting in church on Sunday, and my Pastor, Jeff Gunn, ( I can't help it- he needs a little shout out- he's awesome.) had the best sermon ever. He might as well have started it "Ann, ......". It was so good. It was about running into a brick wall, and  the things in life that make you lose focus and burn out. He had us write down 3 or 5 things that take up our time and take us away from other things that are more important. The only thing I could think of was my obsessive selling/blogging behavior. Creating and reading your posts, and learning, (and even selling) are important and worthwhile. But I was truly freaking out about it. And I knew my obsession with selling had to stop, and the only way to overcome it was to give. I can't give all my stuff away, simply because I use graphics that I have to buy, and I want to cover the cost of those. But if I sell them for a dollar, they are more affordable for everyone, and I feel like I'm helping out all of us who aren't exactly getting rich teaching. I'm hoping by doing this that they are more user-friendly and able to help more people.  Look at the great things people like Amy Lemons and Deanna Jump and MANY others do with their profits. I want to do that. But just in a different way.

I really value all of your blogs. I do. I have learned so much, and I am going to continue to read yours, follow you all, and write my own. I'm a better teacher for it, I think. But in order to make it all fun again, I need to let go, and this is my way to do it. I hope it helps all of you, and doesn't hurt you. I don't think it will, because there are such GREAT products out there, no one is going to stop buying from the rest of you. It's not like people are going to come flocking to my store. It's just going to take the pressure off me, and allow me to give back, and possibly use my talents to glorify God. I'm not trying to devalue anyone's work, or use it as a gimmick. So I would LOVE to hear what you think about this. For better or for worse. Please leave me a comment and let me know. I appreciate it. 

Phew. I was actually really nervous about writing this. I feel like I just went to confession. Although I'm not Catholic, so I'm not really sure how that feels. 

Ok, now on to a freebie. This part really IS a gimmick. I'm quickly approaching 200 followers. So for anyone who follows me and my store at TPT, leave me a message below telling me that you did (I'll believe you. And even if I didn't, I don't know how to check.)and I will send you whatever product from my store you want. Just let me know which one, and leave me your email address.

As always, thanks for reading.

 
[Glitterfy.com - *Glitter Words*]