Reflecting on a Blogging Year

When I first set out to blog, it was not without trepidation.  I think most people are a little uncomfortable putting themselves out there, and when you publish a public weblog, you are OUT THERE.  But I enjoyed reading others' blogs, and felt like I had a few words to contribute.  My friend Crispy encouraged me to blog - she actually said something about it in her blog!  But what would my blog, my very own place, look like?

I imagined what kind of conversations I might have with a friend. (Since I knew it was possible that the only 2 readers might be my reallife friends Crispy and Science Geek, it seemed reasonable).  What would I tell a friend?  I'd show her a few recent pictures, and maybe I would talk about what we are doing in our homeschool.  Maybe we'd share a new recipe or talk about what we are reading.  I'd say, "Oooo, I found this cool website..."  Or maybe she'd tell me about some cool book or craft, and I would say, "I've got to tell _____ about that."  Maybe we'd encourage each other with scripture.  Perhaps I would pull out my latest sewing project.  Maybe I would tell her a little about the place where I grew up. 

If we were in a public place, this friend and I, say, a homeschool get-together, among our children, near the husbands, in the foyer at the Library, how would I talk?  Would I want my husband to reveal my secrets or gripe about me with his friends?  Would my daughter want me to reveal her struggles or to embarrass her in front of our friends?  No.  I don't want this PUBLIC conversation to be a place that worries my family, a place where they fear I will embarrass them. I will protect my family's dignity.

Every post on this blog is one my daughter, now 9, may read.  Not all the posts are interesting to her (not like my Sm'Arties blog, which is all about children and art, and fun for her with lots of pictures of her with her friends), but all the posts are rated G.  I will not use language I don't want my daughter to hear, words that might offend, talk of adult-type topics.  I will protect her innocence, and your child's, too.

My guiding scripture, a snippet of which is in my blog title, continues to inform me as to how I write.  This will not be the place I whine or gripe or behave unbecomingly.  Often in the here and now, I might slip up, and say things I regret.  But here, I have opportunity to read, reread, and rewrite posts before I publish them.  I take that opportunity.  I will protect your eyes, dear reader friend, from unwholesome talk.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.             Ephesians 2:10

Now a whole year of blogging has gone by, and I have enjoyed it.  I hope you readers have enjoyed it, too.  If so. I'd love to hear from you.  Come, be part of my conversation.