Absence

When I thought about blogging over the past six months, I must admit, I cringed.

It seemed like just another thing to do.

And the glory seemed to have passed. I mean, let's admit, it's not like there isn't a hundred of avenues of digital media to attend to.We have Pintrest, we have Facebook, we have Twitter, we have photo-sharing, among other things. There are so many ways to share. I mean, I have been doing this for seven years now.

So what's the point? No, absence doesn't just make the heart grow fonder. I have come back to blog because I believe in it.

Why? It is the why that brings me back.  Communication for the Christian is a core value to community. If we stop communicating, we stop connecting.

The reasons I have not blogged have been numerous-- computer problems, crises, travel, children-- but ultimately, I have shied away from blogging is the atmosphere of boasting. In our modern age, communication through digital media can become shameless self-promotion. Especially, I find, among Christian women. We blog about our seemingly wonderful life, we post pictures of our perfect home projects, we share digitally-enhanced photos of our babies, we link to recipes that make us look healthier than we really are, and promote our opinions in fields where we have limited scope of knowledge. It started to disgust me.

I say, yes, let's share. I want to blog. I want to post cute pictures. I love Martha Stewart projects. I want to Tweet pithy statements. I love spying on old friends through Facebook.

But in order for me to do something I must know why. I have to define why I do something. Communication for me must have a purpose-- "building one another up". Also, I have to be honest about myself. I have been draw back to blogging by reading secular blogs by people who don't hide their true selves in the process of writing. Let's not hide our true selves by projecting a perfect image. Christians know, of anyone, that we are not perfect.

I want to blog not because I want to boast about my perfections; I want to draw people into my real life. I want to communicate Who makes my life meaningful and gives me purpose. In the absence of God, digital communication can start to look like a Pintrest of glossy ideals that don't reflect the desperate woman that I am for God to help me get out of my workout clothes and speak kind words to my children.

So, if anyone is still following, I hope you'll read.