Dear Blog:

     This blogging thing is so interesting to me. I don't take it lightly. In this day and age there is a little button at the top of my screen that says publish. To get published used to be an extremely hard task. Now we publish ourselves. I grew up struggling very much with the English language. I have always dumbed down what I am thinking for the page because I lack the skill to spell and put in proper grammar what I really want to say...you may have notice a typo or a million so far.
      I first started thinking about blogging when a couple people thanked me for the posts I would put on my Face Book. One even told me she copied and pasted anything I said about parenting and sent it to a friend. This is both humbling and a little scary. I desire that whatever comes out of my life, my heart, and my influence to be glorifying to God. I desire to be an example to the younger woman and teachable by the older. I do have the desire to write a book or something one day which makes me crack up because its probably also something I find most impossible with my history of struggling with the written word. Sometimes when you struggle with something you find a deep respect for it.  When i take notes at church or write a letter (with all its flaws that I'm sure are in it) I am so thankful to have a language and the ability to put down what I am thinking.
     I went to a school in Mexico once were the children were taught to sign because with out it they wouldn't have a language because they couldn't hear.
     A sweet friend asked me on Face book if I had ever thought of writing a blog and it just made me giggle because I had been praying about it for months. I also giggled because I thought who in the world would read it?
     I asked the Lord if it would be OK to make one and I got the go ahead with some guidelines:
STOP

• If it takes away from my responsibilities at home
• If people did end up reading it and I started to think of myself more highly than I should
• If it became an Idol....something that stole my focus and affection away from God

     So blogging world here I come. I put it together and realized how much fun it was just for me. I still felt really silly and almost embarrassed as I posted it on my face book. In the first 4 days it was viewed 400 times. That may be average but it blew me away. I went from feeling silly to "huh maybe I great?" I share to be real but it is quiet embarrassing that i went there in my thinking.  

     God was so gracious to lay in on the heart of a most beloved friend to caution me with blogging. Mostly along the lines of not being to intimate on the Internet and to be careful that even though I practice being transparent in my interaction with the world not to practice it for other people. Wonderful  practical ways to respect others with my blog like asking permission before I post conversations or picture of others. 

     I was so excited about my blog and this conversation let the wind out of my sails a bit. But not in a bad way. My friend wasn't calling me on anything specific just cautioning me in love. I am so thankful for the accountability and I want to respect others so much. Sharing our lives on the Internet is so different that how we used to do it. I never what my interaction with blogging or face booking to replace real relationship but enhance it.  

     My desire for this blog is to encourage. I am putting myself out there and being real at the risk of judgement but it is worth it to me if just one is encouraged to walk more closely with God. 

     The hits on my blog are no longer 100 a day and the cool part is I don't plan on letting any of my joy ride on weather or not anyone whats to read what I have to say. I have been told by a few that they are encouraged and one would be enough.