The View From Here

When I started this blog in early 2005 I had no idea that I would still be here writing.  Even though I have gone through times that I did not write much this blog has become very important to me.  Last night I was talking with my wife and parents about blogging and my mom mentioned that one of the bloggers she reads wrote a post about why they blog.  After two-hundred and eleven posts I have not done this yet and I realized that I wanted to.  So, without further ado here are a few of the reasons I sit down to blog in no particular order:

1. Blogging gives me an outlet to think beyond my brain. I noticed that when I would start to think about something I would sometimes never get quite through.  I would be interrupted, lose interest or get frustrated.  When I sit down to write the ideas stop pinging around in my head and are forced to come out in some sort of orderly fashion.  Not only do I end up (mostly) completing a thought, it makes me think about other thinks related to that thought.  And on and on it goes.
2. Blogging allows me to be real and honest with myself and others. Humans have a tendency to put on a facade or an act to others around us and most problematic, to ourselves.  We want to be seen a certain way.  When we have told others (and subsequently ourselves) the same lie over and over to perpetuate this persona we actually start to believe it ourselves.  You can write a blog this way too; I am not suggesting that a blog is a cure for this mindset.  I set myself firmly against this when I write.  I try to be as honest as is possible with myself.  I don’t want people to see a perfect person here because that is not the truth.  The truth is that I am a sinner in need of grace everyday.  I want people to see a progression in my life toward Christ-likeness.
3. Blogging allows me to share things from my life that I think are fun or important. Life is a joy to live (most of the time).  I want to share the joys that I find with others and since I don’t get to see everyone all the time this is a great way to record them.  I also take the world we live in seriously.  I don’t want to ignore the complications or hard things in life.  No matter how hard I try to act like they aren’t there they always will be.  Instead I want to approach them head on.  This is why I try to keep up with current events and to know my history.  There are things happening in this life beyond me and you that are important and I want to communicate that.
4. Blogging provides a written record that I can look back on. Have you ever thought of something that you knew you should write down then you didn’t write it down and now you can’t remember it?  I have.  Now, if I have an idea I can put it here.  There are many years of my life that I can remember only tiny bits and pieces of.  What would it be like to look back and see more in depth the things I experienced?  What might I not have to learn again and again?
5. Blogging makes me confront things that I might normally avoid. Life is filled with as much joy as sorrow.  Many times I like to take the easy way out and ignore as much of the sorrow as I can.  Why ignore it when you can learn from it?  Blogging helps me work through these things.
6. Blogging is great fun! The more I write the more fun it gets.  I really enjoy playing with words.
7. What better way to put Christ before the nations than on the internet. This medium is constant.  When I put something on here it is available for anyone to read 24 hour a day.  This should definitely not be our only avenue of proclaiming Christ but it is sure a good supplement.

So there you have it.  Some of the reasons I like to blog.  Oh, and I really appreciate those of you who care enough to read what I write and comment occasionally.  It is really great fun to interact with all of you.  And if you are considering joining in on this whole blogging thing I would highly recommend it.  I’ll end with a couple questions.  If you blog, why do you?  If you don’t blog, why don’t you?  Until next time.

Brian