Friday Five: Blogging

Friday Five: Blogging

Blogging at Google's Blogger, I recently was boondoggled by the new designs of the site, which includes my blog. I felt like I had lost track of all the blogs I daily check so that I asked for help both at my blog and on Facebook! Still trying to learn the ways of these new ways of blogging, I am turning our minds to blogging for this Friday Five.

1. When did you start blogging? What/who prompted you?

I started blogging when I was sent by my ministerial group to help with Katrina in 2005.  But I really didn't start really blogging regularly until 2006 when I started Stone of Witness.  I was prompted by the irregularities in my diocese in the use of canons and the lack of truth coming from either the diocesan office or many of those who were talking on the diocesan list service.  My blog was intended to be a place of questioning the status of diocesan statements and to ask hard questions regarding the policies of the diocese that were be promulgated.  I am not sure that it accomplished what it was intended to do, but through it I found my voice theologically.

 
2. How often do you post? How often do you visit blogging friends and/or other blogs? 

 

For a while I blogged every day.  But that got fairly old.  Then I was good if I blogged weekly but had some times when I was fairly intermittent in my posting. I haven't written much lately because I have found writing difficult after the accident. 

 I visit several blogs most days.  Now I access most of them through fb but I do check on what some of the sistern are saying. 

3. Why do you keep on blogging?

I keep blogging because I think it helps 'primes the pump.'  As an extrovert, I am always wanting to test the ideas that come to mind on others.  I appreciate feed back, disagreement, or even the occasional "ho hum."  It helps me verbalize what touches me and it allows me to bring the Gospel to my life in ways that I might just breeze over rather than consider with more depth of thought.  It also keeps up my vocabulary.  My mother lost her ability to communicate as she got older because she did not have a chance to talk.  In retirement, my dearly beloved has heard most of what I have said over the 35 years we have been together.  She deserves a bit of a rest.  And it is good to have commentary from those who read from far away.

4. What do you like to write about?

I like to reflect on what is happening in the world in the light of the Gospel.  Sometimes it is just small stuff.  But I occasionally find that my theology regarding certain issues is changing or has changed during my life-time and I want to consider something new.  Often it is in the crafting of a statement that the issues opens up for me and allows me grapple with something that I have not before.  The blog is the closest thing to the 'seminary' pub that was so helpful to challenge what we were learning back during my school days.  God is always calling me to challenge the status quo of faith and it is often on my blog that I can wrestle with those ideas.
5. Have your blogging habits changed--or are they changing?

I do not find fb as good for the kind of consideration that I do on the blog.  So in someways my blogging has not changed.  But social media sites are multiplying faster than I can keep up.  I am feeling a bit like a dinosaur but don't seem to have the energy to do anything else.
Bonus: Recommend a blog or two.

All time favorites:  Telling-secrets.blogspot.com   Elizabeth Kaeton is a friend and a mentor. Inchatatime.blogspot.com  Susan Russell keeps me on my toes with regards to LGBTQ issues.

Woundedbird.blogspot.com  June Butler makes me laugh.  And many more.