By now you have noticed the Deadness of the Blog. You may have written me an email. You may be about to give up and delete your bookmark.
I have a question for you.
To what end the blog?
I began it as a way to keep faraway friends and family updated. After a year or so, though, I've noticed how much my blog is simply a forum for me to indulge my melancholy self-absorption. And I'm not even funny! I don't have a lot of wisdom or grace to share (for that, visit my mom -- she will make you laugh AND make you think!).
Not Cool. Not helpful to other people, not helpful to me, certainly not to the glory of God!
If I do continue writing regularly, I think I need a Goal or a Purpose that is bigger than How I'm Feeeeeeeeeeling. Or, maybe, a narrower focus (this would be easier if I could take gorgeous photos or had some obvious skill besides navelgazing and regret).
I would welcome your thoughts and suggestions.
like a stone in your throat
1 year ago
Larry F. had the best sermon illustrations. I remember one - he was describing the time when he and Lisa were dating. How, out in traffic one day, he thought he saw her silver Corolla - immediately...joy, delight, excitement! He maneuvered to get closer, only to discover the other driver was not Lisa. But, it occurred to him then that the thing that delighted him most, that made his heart race, was simply - Lisa! And, it hit him that the thing that delighted Lisa most was - unbelievably, Larry! "What a revelation to discover that the one thing that delighted my beloved the most was - ME." Of course, Larry used that story to communicate Christ's love for His beloved, the church. All that to say...one of the things that delights me most in this life is EMILY. And reading about Emily, written in the words of Emily, is a joy I can't adequately communicate. Don't hesitate to bless others out of self-deprecation!
ReplyDeleteTalk about self-centered - my blog is really a forum for me to think in type. What thoughts are banging around in my head today? What struggles? Maybe something I write will help or bless someone else - I hope so. If not, writing at least makes me a saner person for Dad to live with!
A bigger goal or purpose? How about, understanding and unfolding the Gospel, where ever, whenever. I think you actually do that already, even in "navelgazing" - you don't have all the answers, but you have a gift for communicating "This is where I am (even if it's blechy); this is what I know is true; God, help me make the journey to connect the two."
All THAT to say, I LOVE you and I LOVE your writing and I reallyreallyreally hope you persevere w/ the blog.
P.S. Concision is not my strong point. :)
ReplyDeleteReuben says:
ReplyDeleteNot everything needs to have a huge and cosmic significance. God made us so that we enjoy relieving the pressure on our bladders. Taking a leak gives us pleasure for no other reason than that God wanted us to be happy all the time.
Think of your blog this way. You write it because it helps to keep you writing and it helps you articulate what you are feeling (which is good to be able to do,) and we all think "oh, yeah, me too," or "Hey! she's still alive!," or "at least I'm not on facebook."
Keep writing. The saints didn't do miracles the way televangelists do. They did the same mundane things every single day of their lives, wondering if they were following God's will for their life; wondering if God was even there for them. Sometimes he never told them. He never told mother Theresa; she died still wondering. But away from their sight, in other places, in the midst of other people's stories, those other people reaped the benefits. I think most Christianity works like that. God leaves us wondering and gives the wonder that we want to other people who need it. Keep wondering. Keep writing.
When we look at the work of God we must focus on the worker, not the tools. God uses our whole lives, not just the spiritual parts. Some people spend their whole lives doing unfruitful work for God, in the sense that they restrict their lives to things with "religious significance." They are not living in a redeemed world. God is making all things new, not just the church. He's making the trees new, too. And also the pop music. And also the cigars. And probably even the mosquitoes.
Doing everything for God doesn't mean doing nothing except for "God-things." It means doing EVERYTHING, and doing it for God. Like, "My cat got run over and I'm mad at God now, even though I wasn't during the Rwandan holocaust, but guess what, both are good enough reasons for the world to need a redeemer."
You are God's daughter. Nothing you write is outside of his will. Everything you write is a small story about your part in his story; an excerpt from the book of Emily Ruth in the Lamb's book of life.
Keep writing!
But I'm outa time so BAI BAI <3 <3 <3
and concision isn't my strong point either.
ReplyDeleteor coherence.
and you should read Will Bumpas's blog too:
http://thebrightidea.tumblr.com/
is awesome.
Em, I have to agree with your mom. I love reading your blog for a lot of reasons (and even though I have not sent you emails to tell you, I too have missed your updates). I love your humor; It always makes me regret not crossing the bathroom more the year we lived next door to each other. You do such a great job of openly admiring Dennis and that is a real encouragement and reminder to me. But more than anything I just like reading about you. I hope you do find new motivation to blog, because I'd love to hear more about how you're doing.
ReplyDeleteThink of blogging as preventative medicine.
ReplyDeleteYears from now you may not need to pay hundreds of dollars to a psychiatrist just to have him tell you to journal your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, just because you stay in the habit of posting blog entries.
Concision is a recessive gene that was never present in the Whitmire-West-Cunningham-Stricklin chromosomes.
What's on your mind today, precious niece?
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with everyone above. You are funny. I love the recipes. And I can safely say that I will really miss your blog if you officially quit posting. I may be able to take a decent photo, but writing is not my forte. Please don't toss away your gift.
ReplyDeleteWhy blog? In no particular order
ReplyDelete1. I'm one of those extended family types that has gotten used to finding out what is up with you and D. I'm having some Emily withdrawals since no posts.
2. Recipes.
3. You are a writer. Writers write. So write.
4. You have to be one of the *least* self-absorbed 20-something that I know. Niki and I could tell you stories about one that would curl. your. hair. Really.
5. Cartoons. I miss those.
6. I'm going to go out on a limb here and tell you a secret. I *like* it when there isn't *always* a moral at the end of the blog post. There doesn't have to be a point to a post. Sometimes you just gotta vent. And that's ok.
Write!!! Post. Just do it.
Post another curry recipe. I loathe curry. I think I am the only member of our family that loathes curry. It will be a huge hit!
ReplyDeleteSuz - You are not the only one. Your bro won't touch it.
ReplyDeleteEm - So what is the verdict? Blog or no blog?