On blogs...

As with anything that My children choose to spend their time doing, if you start a blog it should be for the right reasons, and it should be a sample of your life as a disciple. Many have started blogs that are a great witness of their lives of service to Me, of the time they spend helping others, of the miracles that I am performing in their lives, or just the day-to-day happenings of a missionary.

If someone who is blogging is an on-board Family disciple, their fruits and works will show it—including the fruits of their lives, how they spend their time, and what is on their blog and what it results in.

I read the SS, and I have to say I agree with every single word written. Didn't always though, or maybe I did, but I just didn't know it. Being as I am a prepubescent teenager, it takes me about thirty minutes after a sudden correction to realize that it's true. Therefore, I have only the correctors to thank for this smartness on my part.
All through the however-many years I've been blogging, my parents and Elaina have been faithful to tell me in nice ways what was a good post and what was a not so good post that should 'maybe not be written ever again.' I am so thankful for this. In fact, the first thing I said when I finished reading it was to El who happened to be on the phone with someone at the time. I said, "El, I'm so thankful that you guys have been correcting me for so long so that I had the opportunity to change my ways throughout, as opposed to getting all busted at once by this Shooting Straight."
Soooo many people have told me since the SS came out that I'm a sinner and I write a terrible blog ("maybe not as bad as the others but it's still a total waste of time like i've been telling you ever since i met you at that gathering and the first thing i did was come up to you and tell you i read your blog...") and I TOTALLY and COMPLETELY agree with you. I think it's all the more inspiring to note how terrible my posts USED to be in comparison to how they are now. Lord I'm five hundred miles away from perfect but I like to think I see traces of progress. All glory to Jesus and his channels.

In an effort to be studious about the Word, I have compiled several points of interest

1. Most out of it post ever:
That would probably be something I posted on the veggie crooked blog that is no longer around. Thank God.
I don't have records of it either. Thank God.
And I am sooo not going to give you the title of an existent one so you can look it up and read it. That would be such a waste of your time.
You probably know what it'd be anyway, without me looking for it.

2. Of the latest posts that can be read without going into archives, I cannot find a single out of it or discouraging post. YAY. I guess that means I'm getting stronger.
But now I want to shift the emphasis from "not being unedifying" to "being edifying". I'm kind of meandering someplace in between--shifting around in the intern between talking about Jesus and talking about myself. To be utterly and wonderfully extremist, I could quote something from "Let's Talk About Jesus!" But I'd end up quoting the whole thing cause it's kind of redundant. I tried to pull quotes from there before, and I ended up transcribing the whole thing.
Anyway, so from now on I don't know if I'll be posting many self-absorbed and introspective posts except to tell you that
1) I'm getting married
2) I'm having children
3) I love you
4) I'm moving
5) I'm happy
6) I need prayer
7) I did something super duper fun that would make you laugh
8) I got a drivers' license
9) I had one of my limbs amputated
10) I'm quitting my blog (grin)

3. Yay, a little history class.
Why I started blogging:
a) I was thirteen with time on my hands
b) I had no success with handwritten journals
c) I liked writing
b) I wanted to store my poetry online
d) my Grandma wanted me to write a journal that she could read
point of interest: if you ever find my old blog, you'll notice I only have one or two comments at the most on each post. Most have zero. It's because I didn't advertise my blog and no one knew about it. Never have advertised except to post on NLU for design critique. I think Elaina's responsible. Heh heh.

Why I continued blogging:
a) Elaina joined me
b) I enjoyed it
c) Elaina and I were moving away from each other and we agreed that we would blog to keep in touch
d) I was planning to move to Mexico, and we agreed to blog together to document my new Mexico experience
e) I enjoyed it
f) what can I say? I enjoy writing, talking, whatever. Maybe I'm just one of those wide-mouthed frogs.

Why I continue blogging to this day:
a) lots of people that are dear and near to me have asked me to continue
b) it's become a method of keeping in touch with relatives
c) the thought of transforming my blog into something edifying and worth reading for fellow Family members is challenging...and I can't turn down a challenge.
d) being as I am one of the first of the Family bloggers that still blogs today, I feel like I have a certain responsibility to try and be a good sample. Progressing, as opposed to quitting out of "too much trouble".
e) Elaina and I keep in touch via it
f) I'd like to practice my speaking-uplifting-and-positive-things skills. Rusty, them.

4. There's no use in even making a list, I am guilty of every last one of the cons. Ahhh the beauty of forgiveness.

5. The list of Pros in the SS are my goals for this blog. You can hold me to those. LHM.


The Lord said several times that a blog should be an example of your (my) life as a disciple. He said that the tone of your (my) blog is in direct proportion to the tone of your (aw hang it) dedication. So this is my refresher course. And if I ever get off it, I have come up with the following code phrase (just cause I like to think I'm kind of groovy) for you to keep me:

You are a disciple. Start talking like one, you moth ball. My God. After your huge post on how much you want to change your blog...you write THIS? You must be insane.

Just copy and paste.