Displacement

The main caution I have about blogging (reading or writing) is a traditional conservative-Christian concern about—well, really anything new. What is it replacing? Isn’t that a nice conservative tack?

“Not so sure about that there new-fangled tractor. What’ll I do with ma horses?”

Blogs take time, no argument there. You heard in the interviews a few different ideas for filtering them, streamlining them, evaluating them, and making them work. But there’s also the issue of displacement. Any time you add something into an already full life, something else bumps out. For me, there are several things I don’t want bumped out.

Better reading

You take a book. Any book. I’ll guarantee you it’s been written, honed, polished, fine-tooth-combed, turned inside out, and above all funded by dozens of dedicated people with a lot at stake. You take a blog. Any blog… Uh. Do you have it already? How’d you get it so quick? Oh. You just grabbed what was cooking at the moment…?

Fresh-squeezed juice has a charm all its own, but don’t go there for the mellow richness of aged wine.

Better relational connections

We all would rather get together for coffee. Me too. I have ten friends within five miles who would go with me in a heartbeat. Except that they’d first have to check with their hubbies, arrange sitters or work schedules, and haggle with me about when and where. Then we’d have to carpool, or not, and figure out who’s paying, or not, and then somebody’s kid will get sick last minute or the weather will dump snow on us.

Whew.

In the meanwhile, it’s deceptively easy and connecting to see what’s online.

Real life is messy. And better.

Better mentoring

Where do you go when you want to learn to bake bread? To grow sprouts? To sew an apron? Whom do you seek out when your child has a rash? When you disagree with your husband on an issue? When you just got hurt bad?

God can speak to you anywhere, through anything. He can absolutely use a blog to grow you, even a blog by someone like me whom you’ve never met. But I’m going to suggest argue insist that you’ll learn more with the older women in your community. For one thing, they’re smarter. They actually know more. For another, they’re stupider. They don’t say it all right and they have that annoying tick above their left eye and they show up at the darndest times. So you’re growing already, just by living through being with them. You can’t ex them and ignore the content you don’t like. They’re in your life to stay and you gotta make this work, sister.

Better occupation

You know, we can spend our lives watching other people live. All I have to say on this one is two lines from a gospel song.

“Rouse, ye Christian workers, be ye up and doing!
Must the Master’s kingdom suffer at your hands?”

Don’t get me wrong here, please… The online world is a semi-real place in which Jesus is desperately needed. So bring your blog to the Kingdom, and the Kingdom to your favorite blogs. Use them well, to the very best of your ability.

And then, as Marlene so aptly said, get up and live.

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mom coblentz
10 years ago

I don’t need to ask hubby or get a sitter…I’d drive and even pay. 🙂

Amy
10 years ago
Reply to  mom coblentz

YEAH!

10 years ago
Reply to  mom coblentz

You’re on. 🙂

Cathy
10 years ago

Barb, would you like to adopt a few daughters? 🙂

10 years ago

Do you know how much it was bugging me the last couple days to be so very busy that I didn’t feel like I should take the time to read any blogs, even my very favorite blogs, and know that Shari was talking about blogging, and surely saying some profound things about blogging, but I was not able to read it?

Well, if you could follow that run-on sentence, now you know.

As expected – good food for thought. I especially liked your blogging surprises in the last post. And I could relate to most of them. Even the surprise about the desire to be BIG.

I hate finding that I still struggle with pride.

Can’t wait to see what topic you tackle next.
Gina

10 years ago

How do you do it?.. Hit the nail on the head every time? I really liked this post. 🙂

Marlene
10 years ago

I thoroughly enjoyed this series on blogging. I’m glad you did it.

Shaunda
10 years ago

I LOVE the good solid truth in this post as well as the good solid humor.

Carla
10 years ago

You say it so well! Thank you for writing this and making clear some things I have never thought of.

Cindi
10 years ago

Very thought provoking! I love reading blogs, I know I waste too much time doing it but when you are stuck at home with littles (in the winter) it is so good to hear/read adult thoughts. It is a lot more fun than folding laundry or washing dishes… but then those things still need to be done!

Mama Zook
10 years ago

It has enriched my life to be able to read a little of your life in your lines!! Love you girl, don’t you ever doubt it!! You have made me to roll on the floor laughing and pray diligently that you stay sane!! In this on-line world we live in, blogging is a way for me to glimpse the part I don’t get to see on a daily basis!! Thanks for doing this! But, on the flip side, I truly loved spending time with your/our family this past weekend!

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