Lyn,
I think we are all going through a bit of a drought.

I hope you hang in - even if you do take a short break.

Perhaps, you’re like me and never feel like you’re on the inside. What was it Groucho Marx said, “I’d never join a club that would have me in it.”

Lyn,
I’m feeling much the same way, but please don’t leave if you can stand to stay. I cherish my online friends even though i rarely want to participate in THE conversation anymore. I’ve never felt like i made it “in” either. But you are definitely not OUT with me! Once I gave myself permission to blog about anything i wanted, rather than something that might win me some from the elusive “in” crowd, i felt a great relief. I just want to know you and maintain a friendship with you.

Why blog?

Because we read you.

I have backed completely away from the “theology thing”. Now I blog about life. I consider it a journal where I don’t have to think about “the audience”. Someone reads it. That’s all that matters.

Just like people read your blog.

Really, I don’t care two hoots any more about my insights about Christianity, or yours either. Talk, talk, talk. But I DO care about your family, whether you’ll get to Canada, how your son is doing, etc. That has come about because of the non-theological posts. You get prayers from me and others because of those, not because you write “good Christianese”.

It’s about relationships, not about theory.

Just like “in real life.”

So…keep writing. Why? For yourself. There doesn’t have to be any other reason.

:o)

I have only been blogging for a couple of months myself. I too am considering shutting down my blog. Though for much different reasons. I think I got into the conversation way too late. Anyway, I just recently discovered your blog. If you keep blogging I will be reading. If you don’t God bless.

Hi Lynn,

I know what you mean, I feel the same way. I basically quit the blog that was meaningful to me, the one where I shared my spiritual journey etc. It just sort of died and I miss the community, but it feels lost.

Hi Lyn,

Hope you are feeling and well and am praying for you and your family.

Not too sure what to say really. I don’t read your blogs all the time but when I do I find them interesting and sometimes they get me thinking.

Although in terms of ‘conversation’ blogging doesn’t really do it for me as it’s not overly a two way thing. You write something, we can respond but its not the same as talking.

I find often with texts things can be read in the wrong way so sometimes it can be quite difficult.

Blogging can be a good way of expressing how you feel at any point in life, or prayer requests etc.

If you still continue blogging then I agree with what Jim said - blog for yourself (and maybe for idiots like me who are still learning! lol)

Hi Lyn! I’ve completely stopped reading blogs that have nothing to do with real life. Church conversation etc. now bores me. It always seems to be talk talk talk and think think think and NO do do do. I love reading the blogs of people who are actually out there living their life and are involved in the community. Things like what interesting things they found while HELPING a family clean up from a flood. Bloggers who are people of substance. Like you!

I hope you keep your blog because like the others above, I like hearing what’s going on in your life…though I hope to be hearing that from your very lips in the near’ish future!

I think the conversation is changing. The boom is past, but the relationships remain. It is now time for us to imagine the next step in the journey. Frankly, I’m really happy to have 5 or 10 good online friends to read and interact with.

I wonder if the next step is for these blogs to be forums for change. That is, we’ve talked a lot about the idea, let’s now support each other in some doing. Will it mean less frequent posting? Maybe, but I think it is worth it.

Peace,
Jamie

I’m here too! I’m here!

I love ya Lyn and hope you will continue, even if, as Bill says, you take a break.

Don’t let the blog possess or define you, but remember there is certainly inherent value in the words and the relationships.

I do think we’ve just about hashed it out, as Jamie says, and now it’s time for the next thing. I’m not sure what it is, but as many say, I think it needs to be more life than talk. And I’m very guilty of talk, but I’m trying to learn to live.

And as an aside, I think “talk” is the construct within which most of us have developed our faith, so it does take time to relearn that…but as long as we seek to try.

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for your wonderful support. I’m having a few days away and I will reply to your comments in more depth.

lots of love,
Lyn

Lyn … I’ve been really thinking about this post the last few days. It’s been weighing on me.

I wonder if there is a life cycle to blogging. I think we all go through this period. Then, we have to decide who we’re writing for … is it so that we’ll fit in? Or is it for ourselves? Or for some other reason entirely? There are many reasons for blogging, but I think that writing to be part of a group may not be a healthy reason.

So, take some time to reflect on why you blog and what you want to say. My (selfish) prayer is that you will continue. I value what you have to say and enjoy reading you and your perspective. But if you need to back away, I will hope to remain in contact with you by other means.

This dis-satisfaction you are sensing may be a call that God has put on you to further hone your message. Or it may be that He is calling you elsewhere. Or it may just be a sense of unsettledness about your potential move that is leaking into other things. Regardless, you are loved.