Never have so many said so much to so few....

You know the Internet has become truly a communication network.  Everyone knows what we are doing, why we are doing it, even what we think about the stuff we are doing.  If we don't put it in our status on facebook, or tweet it in twitter, we are blogging it here or in other spots just like this.  Blogging: the proof that we truly do believe that we are the center of the universe.  Yet, here I sit blogging myself, attempting to delude myself in to believing I am unique and different because I don't care if others read what I write or not.  Of course I do, I am writing with someone in mind...though now you mention it, it's probably still me.  To blog or not to blog, that is the question!   I am determined to settle this ongoing argument between my various personalities, once and for all.

One personality, the spiritual one, is aware that all gifts are graciously given by a God who loves us infinitely and expects us to use the gifts we are given.  They are given, not for our own entertainment, but for God's glory and they are used at their highest and best potential when one remembers this.  This personality is quite comfortable in the world of blogging as long as it seems like a Godly use of my time.  This would be like for the encouragement and edification of the Body of Christ, and is actively helping to making disciples (yes this personality does say edification). 

The cynic says this is nothing more than navel gazing and totally selfish in purpose, since I am mostly entertaining myself.  After all, do I really picture anyone else thinking I am as witty as I find myself to be?  I am using it as a spiritual discipline to focus on the moments when I have been aware of God's presence or activity in my life (the spiritual one interjects).   The cynic says, why don't I just keep track of it in a word document, is it important to have other eyes read it?  But what if others are encouraged by this? (mother teresa chimes in again) The cynic loves Demotivators and sends me back to the poster above (if you love these too, check out more at http://www.despair.com/).

Then Mary Poppins in the middle, the peacemaker who can see the middle ground of every argument, says what if it is both a gift and a selfish pursuit?  I don't like the peacemaker, all that much.  I like black and white, and Mary is always inviting me into the gray parts of life.  She is all the time suggesting compromises like, keep in mind this is a gift, but still write about things that honor God.  "Stay away from the dark side, Luke."  Remember that we are Christ bearers and our thoughts, words and actions need to reflect this.  Mary is a meddler. 

Finally Dr. Decisive, perhaps my favorite personality, says, "are we still talking about this ?"  This is the place of ' be wrong, just be something' in my life. At the end of the day, decide and move on.  Having considered all of the options, having weighed the pros and cons, you just have to say this is what I am doing.  Decide for goodness sake!  What are we running, a funny farm or something?!

So I am deciding.  I am going to go on writing.  I am going to try to stay God focused and I am going to remember this discipline maybe a blessing to many or few or one, but that would be God's job not mine.  I will be reminded that while there are people who write more efficiently, can even spell most of their words without the spell check feature, and have much deeper insights, they aren't me.   Perhaps I was put on this earth just to be an example to others, but in case there is the slightest chance there is more, I am going to keep going.

Now the rest of you get a grip, use it or lose it, baby.  And pipe down in here, I am trying to write!