A Brief History of the Series
In August 2011, I began Training Happy Hearts: A Call to Faith for Young Children, explaining why I felt prompted to begin the series and what I hoped to share in it.
In November of the same year, I added a text link-up to the series. I did not do so with any fanfare or PR and only one person entered, the Laugh with Us Blog with the Things Kids Say, a very brief but cute and encouraging story of a little boy recognizing a cross.
In the weeks and months that followed, the link-up party sometimes had guests and at other times remained a party of one. I debated about stopping the party, yet continuing the series, as the series had sprung from a call I had heard, but formatting the linky party into posts each week took extra time and seemed of little benefit to readers. But, after prayer, I did not. My aim in hosting the link-up party was not so much to drive visitors to my site as it was to offer a place for people to share and learn about how to encourage faith formation from birth through First Holy Communion (and beyond). Even if only one person felt prompted to share each week, I decided, I should keep the opportunity available.
So, I did until a dead computer caused me to take a hiatus from blogging altogether in April 2012.
By June, I had a working computer again and began the link-up anew with my post, Fold or Hold: Giving Voice and Choice to Little Ones at Mealtime Prayers. That is also when I finally learned how to make the link-up a thumbnail one instead of a text-only one.
I also learned, however, that in order to include thumbnail images in the link up for fellow visual learners, I had two choices:
- Make it one link-up that would simply repeat, inclusive of all past links.
- Pay for a subscription so I could add a fresh thumbnail link-up list each week.
Without funds for the latter, I chose the former and that is how the link-up remained until this month, almost every week, except for the odd week when life or further computer glitches prevented me from posting it.
Then, this week, I noticed that the link up said "closed". I tried to adjust the settings on the link-up party today, but learned that in order to do so I would have to extend my plan, paying for a subscription. In all honesty, I would love to have the money in my budget to do that right now, thereby offering inlinkz some income while also keeping the link-up party going here weekly. But, frankly, I don't.
Moving the "Party" to Pinterest for Now, But Keeping the Series Here
So, I have opted to move a Call to Faith Formation for Young Children over to Pinterest for now.
Over the next few weeks, as I have time, I will be adding all the pinnable posts and links that have been shared at Training Happy Hearts: A Call to Faith Formation for Young Children thus far. I will also include any posts that people take the time to share links to here in the comments. I figure this is a way to keep the sharing happening while still minding our financial situation.
Then, at a later time, should Training Happy Hearts start making enough affiliate income to cover the small expense of a subscription to a link-up party, I will re-add one. Does that sound good?
I hope so, because it is the decision I came to through prayer and thought and is the direction I am heading so that I can continue to honor the call I have heard to begin and persist with this series and the prompting I felt to open it up so others can share their ideas, too!
So, please come back here next Sunday to read my continuing series of ideas and resources for sharing faith formation with young children and visit our Pinterest board anytime to browse a growing library of past (and future!) sharing by others and me.
Also, if you have any interest in making the Pinterest board a group one, let me know that, too. I am a mere novice at Pinterest, but I'd be happy to extend my Pinterest prowess in order to make the board as easy and useful as possible for folks!
How have you been encouraging faith formation in children 0 to FHC age?
