Oh, goodness. I had a fun little post scheduled for tonight…but instead I feel the need to address something else. At least we had some light-hearted fun this afternoon with some good FRIENDS favorites sharing. Can I just say I love that that post is quickly becoming one of my most popular? So reflective of me and my blog.

Now, moving on to the issue at hand.

This morning I sent out the following message on Twitter:

It annoys me that a review program is discriminating against people who are open about their faith.

September 12, 2011 7:03 am via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@TinaFFF

Tina Reale

Before I go any further, I must clarify two things:

• This does NOT represent BlogHer. I adore working with them and the limitations on this review program were not from them, but the company itself.
• For confidentiality purposes, I will not disclose more of the company involved.

That tweet got a bit of a reaction. I sent it out hastily, but can now form a bit more of a thoughtful response.

When I created my blog, I battled with myself on how much of my faith I would include in it. I knew I couldn’t keep it completely out, because it is such a huge part of my life, but did consider what prevalence it would have. If you’re a regular reader, you know preaching isn’t my style. I knew it wouldn’t be something I would write about explicitly as the focus of many of my posts. I wanted to share my life and hope the expression of myself would reflect my faith.

I took the start of this blog seriously. I wanted it to accurately reflect me and the message I hoped to share – aka making the most out of life in whatever way that fulfills each individual differently. At first, I planned to call my blog simply by my tagline – More Than Diet And Workouts. But something felt missing. I tossed around other ideas – More Out Of Life, Fun and Fit Living, Fulfilled Fitness, and probably more I’m forgetting. They all felt wrong.

I had to have my faith openly visible as part of who I am and that I believe having faith in something more than ourselves can provide a higher quality of living. Enter Faith, Fitness, Fun. As soon as that name popped in my head, it was the only one I could imagine calling my blog. I transferred my old sporadic and horrible competition blog over and started Faith Fitness Fun in January of 2010 to truly begin blogging about “more than diet and workouts”.

Old FFF look!!!

I am more than thrilled with the paths and direction my blog has taken since then, but deep down I know that the faith aspect can sometimes impact my blog. I know there are people who don’t visit my space solely because they see faith in the name. Some of my favorite blog friends have openly told me they thought the same for awhile. The fact I don’t get as many readers because of having faith in my blog doesn’t bother me. I only wish those who don’t give FFF a chance knew I would never judge them for their beliefs or force my own on them.

This morning I read an email about applying to a review program…but the program requested not applying if political or religious views were a main part of a person’s blog. I understand the company wants to remain neutral in regards to these powerful and very personal viewpoints. And I am not judging them for that. I don’t frown on the company for doing so. They must have their reasons and I respect that.

source

I simply felt shocked at seeing something I feel so strongly about be viewed as a limiting factor in a possibility for my blog.

With all that being said: I am not angry and I wouldn’t change having faith in my blog for anything. I knew going into blogging that my faith could put some people or ventures off because it is such a personal thing. Every person or company has the right to feel that way.

I’m not sorry for sending the tweet, because I will not apologize for standing up for my beliefs. However, I need to acknowledge that if I wish others to be more understanding of where I’m coming from in including my faith…then I also must be understanding when others feel the need to omit faith/religion for whatever reason.

Final gist of this wordy post?

1. No hard feelings.
2. Agree to disagree.
3. I will stand up for my faith.
4. Sometimes it bothers me the faith aspect can turn people away…but that’s okay because I remain true to myself.

Well, I could have made this post a lot shorter than I did, huh?

• What is something you will stand up for no matter what?
• How did you come up with your blog’s name?

This post is a pretty serious one. If you’re looking for more light hearted reading this fine Monday morning, check these out from the weekend:

• Cliché – my cliché Friday afternoon
• And I Lived To Tell About It – ten miles on the treadmill
• Argh, Matey! – attended a cute birthday party and the FFF Features of the week
• An Ordinary, But Still Memorable, Day – recap of yesterday
• Self-Love Reflection of the Week: The Strength Within

I like to think of myself as a positive person. I trust that God loves, cares, and provides for me. I have faith in His plans. I believe in hope and generally approach life with an optimistic point of view. With the exception of one thing – my irrational fear.

With Peter out of town this weekend, I found myself engulfed by my irrational fear, just as I do anytime he goes away. Anytime he runs late without letting me know. Anytime I get behind the wheel of my car.  Anytime I see some changes in a mole or freckle.

I spent Friday night bawling like a baby at times on the couch while watching NBC’s special on 9/11. The testimonies, especially those of women who had young children and suddenly faced single motherhood, really hit me hard. I get this overwhelming pit in my gut that I will face something similar one day. 

I don’t know why I’m such a pessimist in this way, but for as long as I can remember I have had this almost instinctual feeling that I will one day lose someone very near and dear to me unexpectedly from a bad accident or incurable illness – Peter or one of my kids – or that I will experience one myself and have to leave them behind.

I don’t quite know where this irrational fear comes from, but I can never seem to fully shake it. It doesn’t make sense, but it’s always buried somewhere inside of me to come out when I’m vulnerable. Like when I don’t have Peter around or when hearing other women’s testimonies of such things as 9/11. I just sit there and think “could I ever survive something like that?”.

I know those thoughts and worries are nothing compared to the heartache others go through in reality (not just inside their nightmares), but I needed to share the emotional mess I felt this weekend. I guess I know how much pain life can bring as I felt it in previous parts of my life. I almost wonder how things can be so good now….and how it could possibly last forever. 

I don’t quite know where I’m going with this post. I know it’s pretty depressing and I apologize for laying it on all of you. But if there is one thing I do, it is write what is on my heart and my irrational fear weighed on me a lot this weekend.

And because optimism is what I try to do, I can at least see some good coming from this deep gut feeling I can’t seem to shake – It makes me pray for my family’s safety and health every day. It makes me cherish the time I have with them because we truly never know how long it may last. And it helps me know that I don’t have control over everything, only He does…and even when we don’t understand, His control is for the greater good.

• Do you have any irrational fears or worries?
• How do you vent the things you feel you HAVE to get out of your thoughts? Obviously I blog mine out. I promise to be back with my more upbeat attitude later!