Introspective ramblings.
Firstly let me apologise for my lack of posts recently. There is too much going round in my head, and no time whatsoever.
However I have just enough time to post on one of the things going round in my mind: how I should blog. Thanks to the gracious commenting of Alistair and Dave Bish I have become a lot more self-conscious over the last two weeks. This has meant I have realised that if I post (or write in general, or even talk to other people), I cannot seem to avoid the subject becoming falling into one of the following categories.
- The discussion about ideas in an accademic way, where the personal does not exist, and neither does love and hate.
- The overly introspective, and self obsessed, 'opening up'.
- The recounting of mundane activities that fill my life.
- The judgmental picking apart of people (and especially their ideas).
I have in the past ventured deeply into number 2, and have since reacted strongly against it. Number 3 does not interest me, let alone anyone else; but it does fill space. And I am usually able to refrain from number 4 when thinking first (e.g. before writing a post). Number 1 though is my comfort zone, because it does not seem to involve me, and can seem morally neutral.
I see the faults in all of my potentially bloggable thoughts. Much like a songwriter could have said 'It is hard to blog with the devil on your back'. Not wanting to post anything that fits into one of these categories, at the moment, has contributed to a kind of paralysis towards posting, just when I was starting to enjoy it. The lack of time has not helped either. Do not expect many posts any time soon.
I expect I will need to stew a bit more, and I expect pray some more as well.
PS. A third difficulty is the tension between being honest (which includes blogging your interests, despite their merits) and being as you should be (e.g. should I write about my need to pray when I do not feel it like I should).
PPS I realise that this post is firmly within category 2. You see – it is impossible for me.
posted by Dave K @ 10:48 pm
3 comments
3 Comments:
Hey, Dave. I'm pretty new to blogging myself, but in the short time I've spent reading your blog, I've already been encouraged. Keep it up, brother!
I think your difficulty lies in extremes. Introspection, academic study, even critiques of behaviour and celebrations of the ordinary all have their place. You just have to balance them. I'm dealing with the same thing on my blog as well.
I think it's valid to share your thoughts, especially if you're humble enough to allow your self to be corrected, which it seems you are.
But like I said, just a few minutes of reading a blog by someone who want to talk about faith, was very encouraging. So whethr you keep blogging or not, definitely keep seeking God the Father.
In Christ...
Dave, don't be so hard on yourself. Remember that you are blogging, not publishing a novel. Blogging is all about the joyous experience of carrying out your education in public. The incomplete and imperfect character of it all is part of the point.
I cringe when I read most of my previous blog posts. The grammar is poor, the tone is wrong, I have theological differences with myself, etc., etc. However, it is great to have a chronicle of the development of my thinking and of all the false turns that I have made (and continue to make). If I ever am tempted to take myself too seriously, I just need to read my blog for a short while!
I have greatly enjoyed this blog so far. You've raised a number of interesting issues and you'll soon find that more and more fun conversations and debates develop. You'll get to know people in the blogosphere better (you may even have the privilege of meeting them in 'real life' sometime).
There's nothing wrong with recounting mundane activities. I do it from time to time (I also have the tendency to get 'introspective' from time to time). It helps people to get to know you and the discussions benefit as a result as people are reminded that they are dealing with a regular guy and not just a theology machine, or something like that!
Thank you both for you encouraging comments. I am suitably encouraged.
But do not get me started on grammer and style etc. or I will become depressed.
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