Top 10 Reasons I Haven't Been Blogging

I was told the other day that it had been over a month since I last posted an entry here. Wow. I knew it had been awhile, but a whole month since blogging? I was surprised. I haven't had such a long silence since I started blogging back in 2004!

The obvious question? "Why?" The easy answer? "There is none." At least not an easy one. In fact, as I think through why I have not written here in so long, I come up with a variety of reasons. And right now I'm feeling nudged by God to work through those reasons right here, which is why I'm back again. So here goes!

10. Let's face it, the act of blogging is losing ground from it's all-time high a couple of years ago. Many who started strong have run out of steam and realized the regular effort to keep up such a project gets difficult. I've read more than a few blogs where the author is struggling with whether they want to keep doing it or not. I too, wrestle with this every now and then.

9. Along with people dropping the blogging habit, people aren't reading blogs as much either. Sometimes I feel like I put out a lot of effort for little return.

8. Many good blogs have an assortment of authors writing, to give each a bit of a break when needed. I'm on here all by my lonesome. I know- "boo hoo," but it's a factor, so I'm putting it up here!

7. It's always good to be encouraged in what you do. No one likes working hard with no "pat on the back" every now and then. I understand my blog is not necessarily one that generates a lot of discussion, so I usually get few comments. I'm not complaining- just stating that more comments would probably keep me wanting to come back and write more often. Also the longer you go without writing, the less your regulars are likely to come back and see a new post. It's like you have to start building a readership all over again.

6. After a little more than 3 years of blogging, I've gotten to the place where I often feel like I've run out of worthwhile things to say. I believe some things bear repeating or at the very least some re-hashing, so I shouldn't let this get in my way. Maybe I should "bump" some of my old posts to the top now and then!

5. Last summer, Debbie and I received a change of appointment. For some years now, we've been telling TSA in future appointments we want to work with people (youth, SFOT, counseling, etc). With this particular move, I find the majority of my work is at a desk fighting paper, policies and email. I find I have much less direct contact with people and I have no "congregation." Yes, any job has people involved and we especially love the people we interact with here in Rhode Island. But the bottom line is this is a lot of administration and it's a lot of TOUGH administration. Some of that will change as we re-organize things into our leadership style, but until it does change, the missing congregation to speak to in my writing, leaves me with a strange empty feeling.

4. Let's face it- when you're doing a good work, the Enemy digs in against you and tries his best to convince you to stop. I guess he's been getting the better of me in this area.

Now there's one GOOD reason God had me work through this in this way- I just realized the Enemy is getting over on me and I DON'T like that one bit!

3. Good blogging is hard work! I'm in a tough place now, with a lot of administrative duties to fight with. While I can and will do the work assigned to me, I am now working in areas that are not my giftings. Working outside of your giftings doesn't energize you, rather it drains you. When I come home from work, what I most need is to unwind and I've already said blogging is hard work!

2. TSA in our territory has been recently building up more than a few burdensome restrictions over blogging, speaking about TSA, and computer/Internet usage. For instance, I cannot sign into my blog from my office computer. Therefore all my blogging must take place at home during the time I need to use to unwind. I REALLY want to speak to this subject much more, but again, there is pressure to be silent. I may just break on some of this, but it leads directly into my last (maybe most important) point:

1. While Southern New England/Rhode Island is a wonderful place to be (and we love it here), there is no question about it- the work and environment is very frustrating (huge debt, lack of organization, personnel issues, unusual restrictions, basement oil spill, etc). As a person who blogs about what's going on in his life, I want to write about those frustrations, but I fear it would just come out very negatively. AND I DO NOT WANT MY BLOG TO BECOME A NEGATIVE PLACE. Most importantly, I DO NOT want to become a negative person.

- - - - - Well there you have it- my top 10 reasons I haven't been blogging.

To wrap all this up and offer the reason I don't just drop it all and keep coming back, is I feel blogging is a way I can exercise my spiritual giftings of teaching, writing, encouragement, and managing resources for others. In fact, I quite frankly feel like this is an assignment from God for me. Every time I want to just drop it for good, I get a spiritual kick in the leg under the table by Holy Spirit!

So here I sit rubbing my leg from my most recent kick. Will I use that nudge to get back on track? Will I make the time to write what God places on my heart? Will I fight the Enemy's tactics to keep me from my mission of blogging? Will Flash Gordon get out of this, his latest trap set by his arch nemesis, Ming?

All this and more will be answered in future episodes of Light Seeker! Stay tuned to this channel!