An Exceptional Morning

Almost without exception in this Buxton household, I am the first to rise, Jerry usually following within the hour. This morning was the exception. Around 5:30, Jerry rolled over to me, threw off my cover and asked if I didn't think it was great to wake up being kissed by my man.

"Uhmm..," I replied…and in a not very seductive response, "Yes, but I don't want to talk now."

He stayed a few minutes, then drew the cover back over me and left the bed. I turned over, stretched clear to his side of our king bed, grabbed his pillow and filled the entire bed with my sprawl. Delicious, stolen snoozing. I stayed there for another 30 minutes or so until wafts of the brew lured me out of the bed, down the two steps and into the kitchen where I poured a steaming cup of Starbucks french roast. I joined Jerry on the back deck where he was hard at work line-editing my manuscript.

Link to Excellence is the name of my newest book, and its production has been most challenging. Last Friday, Matt, my graphic artist, sent the final draft for my approval. I've gone through it once, now Jerry is checking each word, and I will read it again today, give Matt a call, and, looking at the manuscript on the screen, he will make the changes I want, then the book is off to New York for printing. This is a terrible time for the finishing of the book, seeing it also is the week of our big celebration, but it cannot be helped.

PARTY WORK TODAY

1. The photographer is wanting a list of shots we particularly want. I'll get that to him this afternoon.

2. We have guests coming tomorrow, so I've got to do some dusting, bathroom scrubbing and general sprucing up today. I also need to straighten up our "potting shed". On the Friday after our Thursday night reception, several of our out of town guests will be coming by our house. Want things to look right. 🙂 I also need to pull a few weeds in the front.

3. Email Aisha with some changes to the program she is designing and printing.

4. Make final decisions as to the old pictures we will be taking to the Storybook Inn on Thursday.

The Face of This Blog

I surely can’t locate it for you, but somewhere during my extensive reading yesterday, I came across a gentleman’s writing in which he addressed his disappointment at the lack of personal blogs. “Used to be more,” he said, “but now there are few. I like personal blogs,” he continued as he went on to describe his enjoyment of sharing in the day of a blogosphere resident.

When I began writing here at WordPress, I was asked to describe the weblog and tell of its intent and purpose. It was hard for me to find a category that was a perfect fit. Would it be music, travel, social, family, religious, photography, political, bookish, medical, technical? (the technical question was easy: NO 🙂 ) Finally, at least in my mind, I decided I was writing a personal blog. And, now, as a seasoned blogger (I wonder, though, can just over three months of blogging earn the title seasoned blogger?), I am satisfied to call my blog a personal one.

However, I’m not sure yesterday’s writer would agree that my blog is personal, for a fair amount of these pages contains material about God, politics, family, photography, travel, medicine, current events, the sciences and the weather. I plead not guilty, though, of addressing the technical, and think I have spoken little of music and books, except for the Bible.

Since I am unaware of a tight definition of such, I persist, however, that this is a personal blog. I feel safe enough, for I have never heard that Matt of WordPress roves this nebulous sphere, and, in a wily mode, snatches away the page of such writer as would dare hold forth on ideas that reside outside his or her self-designated bailiwick.

Oh, yes, this is a personal blog. It is a blog of me, my ideas, my family, my fellow bloggers who both agree and disagree with me, my politics, my faith, my God, my beautiful grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and Jerry, my husband of 50 years, my 4 accomplished children, my home, my charming town of Crestline, my friends, my joys, my sorrows, my fears and concerns, my insight, my ethics, the lessons I’ve learned, the course corrections I’ve made, my warnings, my teachers, my speaking and traveling and Bible reading, my church, the preachers in my life, my garden, my defense of the Gospel, and my pride in my country, even as I acknowledge its imperfections.

Oh yes, this is a personal blog. For a person is not an empty form, nor a vacant entity. Rather, a person is a being of life, of thoughts, ideals and of mission.

Tags: blog, blogging, personal+blog, WordPress, blogosphere,

Ten Reasons to Blog

It's been interesting during my short stint at blogging to consider my friends' responses at this news. "Blogging?"–with the question mark emphasized–was sometimes the wary response. Being the sweet creature I am, and not wanting to embarrass anyone, least of all my friends, I gently led them through a brief catechism of this unique way of Internet communication. I had emailed one of my friends–a savvy, intelligent friend, I must add–and had inserted a link to my new site. The link was broken, so she emailed in return to ask the web address, letting me know she didn't have a clue what I was talking about. She had gone to a dictionary to find the definition of blogging; not finding it there, she had resorted to a Google search.

Although I can't remember when I first heard the word blog, I know it must have been several years ago. I have maintained a simple website for a couple of years, but only in recent weeks, have I claimed a blog for myself. Actually, I find websites and blogs much alike, although of course, there are differences.

Why blog? Why do we? I've thought a fair amount about that in recent days, and want to share my list and a few comments.

1. It's fun. Although my thinking about it has changed drastically in my few days of blogging, I originally began blogging as a lark. An opportunity pounced on my screen, I snapped to it, and there…there was my blog.

2. It's a tremendous opportunity to share a message.
My casual, having-fun-self has delved into the deeper me, rooted around in my heart, and demanded that such opportunity to share faith must not be ignored. The world is crammed with every conceivable philosophy–from the most vile, to that of absolute, unmitigated truth and of ethereal beauty. My own experience is one of joy and fulfillment in knowing Jesus Christ. I want to share the good life I've been given. I plan to do this in an appealing, non-preachy, uplifting manner. It is my hope that one or two persons, somewhere on this globe, may say, "That's a rather neat way to live. Think I'll check it out." This is why I blog.

3. It's an outlet for creative writing.

4. It serves as therapy for some who need a place to "vent."

5. It's a way of forming friendships around the world.

6. It's a way to procure a job.

7. It's a way to earn money. The April 16 Boston Globe says, "Blogging is good for careers."

8. Several people can work on a joint venture.

9. Blogging is educational. On a blog called, Silence is Foo, an interesting remark was cited: "The comments (I read on a blog) were a semester's worth of education on this subject."

10. It curtails loneliness.

That's my list, although I could go on. What say you?

Key words: blogging, loneliness, Christianity, earn money, Boston Globe, educational, friendships, creative writing

Diluting the Evil of the Internet by Christian Blogging

Within my circle of friends, family and colleagues, it is well accepted that the Internet is fraught with evil influence and with an excessive amount of vile content. Books have been written to this point and countless sermons have been preached. Seminar presentations have been spoken and position papers have been written. It seems clear to those of moral integrity that the Internet is a media which calls for cautious and intense scrutiny.

Having said that, and more to the point of this post, is the understanding that the Internet is an incredibly powerful tool–both for evil, but also for good. Indeed, the Internet has virtually changed our world. Consider that only a few years ago, the word Google was unknown. "Let's Google that," said to someone of recent generations would have produced a quizzical look, with not a modicum of understanding. A foreign language would have been spoken.
(It is interesting to note that even the spell checker here, questions the word Google.)

I try not to run on about it, but I have yet to get past my awe at such a tool as the Internet. That I can sit at my desk and access the libraries of the world, astounds me. That with a few keystrokes, I can post words that reach around the globe, gain information and cultivate new friendships is simply amazing.

Although, I am certainly not an experienced blogger, having only written posts for two months, today I am making a definite call for good people to flood the Internet. Let us make a statement of morality, impeccable speech, beauty, integrity and godliness. I hope I am not "preaching to the choir", for I know there are excellent Christian sites already here, and you may be the only ones reading this. Let us hope, though, for a flood of well-written uplifting material that will dilute and finally swallow up the ugliness and ungodliness on the Internet.

Tags: internet, blogging, godliness, Christianity, evil, morality, Google

Monday Sevens –Blogging–

Announcing this week's Monday Sevens:

* 1. Blogging and Christianity

* 2. Blogging terms and links

* 3. Reasons for blogging

* 4. Grand-kids and blogging

* 5. The future of blogging

* 6. How is blogging free?

* 7. Blogging and world connections