MY BLOGGING METHODOLOGY

As many of you may have noticed, my blogging has become less and less intense over the past month, so I thought that I would take a look deep within myself and really try to understand how I use my blog in everyday life.

I think that the first thing that you have to understand when you read my blog is that my blog is not in my top five list of important things I have to do today (at least on most days). Other things that hold higher importance are:
1) Waking up in the morning, that way I can keep living.
2) I need to spend time with my beautiful wife so she doesn't leave me. That would really suck. Yes, my wife comes before my blog, you're shocked I can tell.
3) Going to work. I love my job, and I want to keep it. If blogging became more important to me than ministry, well that just wouldn't be right at all, would it? If blogging takes up too much time and energy away from the youth ministry, then I'm not doing my job. Funny thing is, though, that sometimes I blog while I'm in the office. (Did I just negate point number 3?)
4) This isn't the case right now, but when school starts I need to concentrate on classwork. I'm going to have to ask myself which is more important - Do I waste time writing my blog, or do I get my homework done? Unfortunately, I will choose to write in my blog more often than I should just to waste time. Then, I will complain about all of the classwork I have to do, and then I will complain about my procrastination tendencies.
5) TiVo. Not because it should be more important, but because it is. I'm sorry, but when Season 3 of Lost starts up again, try and guess what I'm going to be doing on Wednesday nights after church.

Another important thing in understanding my blogging methodology is the fact that I use my blog as one more way to communicate and connect with students. This may be the most important thing about my blog. I don't do it so that I can get a huge following from the nations of the world. I don't really care that much. And, besides, my ideas and writings aren't that good anyway. I write my blog so that the students of WHSM can understand where I'm coming from, and in turn I can better understand them. I love the WHSM so much, and this is one more way to participate. If you want a better idea of how many of our students have a blog, and how many of our students use their blog for the Kingdom of God, click here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And still more read the blogs without actually blogging.

I also use my blog to practice writing. I like to write stuff. I know it doesn't seem like it lately, but I like to write about theology, ministry, and things of the like. Eventually, I would really like to write a book. Writing is ideal for me because I'm not so great at speaking off the fly, so when I write it gives me time to think about what I'm saying. When I speak, I'll say things I don't really mean, or the words come out wrong. Sometimes my speech makes as much sense as about your shoes, but when I write, I do a much better job of getting across what I really want to say. For example, if I write out sermons, they tend to be much better than if I make an outline.

I blog to waste time sometimes. If I don't have anything else to do, I can blog. This is rarely the case, though. Right now, my life is pretty crazy, and I rarely have "free time" to blog.

A blog is a great place to let out my frustrations and share my hopes/joys. When I'm angry, it's a great way to vent. But I do have to be careful so as to not gossip or make folks mad. This part of blogging is all about me. That's right, I'm selfish.

You see, for me, blogging is a strange and complicated thing. Sometimes it's important, and other times it gets placed on the back burner. Recently, it's been on the back burner, but that should tell you that I've been working hard at other stuff. I would like to have the dedication to make my blog great and to always post great material, but I don't, and that's okay. I could compare blogging to following my favorite sports team. Sometimes I get really into it, and at other times I could care less. But the next time the Mavs get to the NBA Finals they better win. And yes, I'm still mad about that.