I was contemplating a bit about my journey into blogging and it dawned on me that it was started because I wanted a chance to express myself. I struggled with whether or not to publish my name along with it. It took me awhile but I decided to start without my name attached. It was comfortable and easy when no one knew my name. I could write freely and from the heart without worry of criticism. I think I needed this anonymity to start with to give me a comfortable place to begin. Over time I put my name out on the blog and eventually made it known through Facebook to my family and friends that I had a blog. In the moment it really wasn’t a big deal to make the decision to share with everyone that I had a blog. Afterwards it started to dawn on me that I felt like I was being watched. It’s tough to write when you know someone that knows you personally might be reading everything you think. I’m afraid this thought could restrain me. The good news is I was able to get some experience and comfortable writing before dropping the anonymity. This gave me some very valuable experience and I was able to say what I wanted to without worry.
I started to learn to write for a targeted audience when I started writing devotional pieces for Heartland Community Church. The devotional writing has taught me several things. First, keep it short. No one wants to read a novel length blog post. Second, with a topic in mind I stay more focused. Hopefully, this experience will help me to put out better blog posts. Third, technical writing skills do matter. I haven’t always been thorough in checking what I write for technical errors. In hindsight I now see this as something that I should have been doing all along. I’ve thought about going back and editing some of my first posts, but for now I think I will stick with writing new posts.
Hopefully I come off as someone wanting to share their experience, not someone telling others how to do anything. I’m no expert on any matter and all I can offer is the knowledge I’ve gained from my own experiences.
I’ll continue to write about my faith in Jesus as God. I’ll continue to speak about theological ideas that I come across when studying. I’ll continue to share my own story as well.
One more idea before I end this blog post. It’s a bit off topic but I want to share something else that’s been on my mind.
I’m really starting to look deeper into what it means to follow Jesus’ greatest commandment. In Matthew 22: 36-40, it says “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest? He said to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and prophets.”
To love God with all our hearts, soul and mind sounds like an easy task but I’ve found it is not. When we really look at what our priorities are, where do we see that we actually take the time to consider God in our hearts, soul and mind? I know I don’t do this majority of the time, let alone with ALL of my heart, soul and mind. I get caught up with everything else going on around me. We can’t eliminate the daily demands of life but what we can do is make sure that whatever we are doing, that we do it with God in our hearts, soul and mind. I’m still working on how this works out practically, but to start I must be aware that I am failing at this. The more I think about it, it’s a lot more than just doing the right thing.
To love your neighbors as yourself does not mean just the neighbors you like. It means every single person. Again, I struggle with this. I like those who I like and I am willing to treat them well when they treat me well, if I am being honest. When I come across someone I don’t like, I usually avoid them. I’ve been working at this recently and have purposely spent time with some people that would normally “bug” me. I’ve been finding that if I think about people I don’t like as a creation of God’s, then it’s easier to start seeing things about them that I do like. I may not agree with everything they do or say, but I am at least acknowledging them and that’s a big step for me.
I could go on about how this works out theologically, and I have before. Here’s a link in case you want to read more, https://bronzeagemoron.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/sin-its-not-what-you-think/.
I could also give you countless examples of where I’ve failed at this. However, for the sake of your time I will be ending this blog post now.
Bronze Age Moron Blog 
I really like the fact right out of the gate in your blog your not afraid to tell everyone your name. Your name is your identity that no one can take from you no matter what the cost or how hard they try. You were given a name by your parents who were given a name by there parents all he way back to the beginning of time itself. That’s what I find so fascinating an out people is there name. When we get more involved in some homeless camps and homeless folks the very thing they do have is a name. They might not have anything else but they do have a name and O how precious there names are. “Homie Bob” was the very first homeless man that God ever so Graciuosly allowed me to witness a very short time. 3 years that went by in a flash. I want to thank you again for coming to the Work Day last Friday to help do some of the repairs to the house where “Homie Bob” Died. It was very rough being there at times for me but was very exciting at the very same moment knowing that we were getting the home ready for someone who won’t have to be homeless anymore. The best way to Love these children of God is Love them just the way they are. Looking forward to getting some plans rolling for the next trips out to camps. Please be praying well in advance ! I assure you this will be the very coolest service work in the kingdom you will ever do ! Lets sit down soooooon ! “Live Well”
Thank you Chris. It took me a bit of time to put it out there. But it was definitely important to do so.
I had a great time working on the house and I am definitely looking forward to going to the homeless camp and getting to know them. I think you are right in that this will be the coolest service work!!!