To blog, or not to blog...

As a recent convert, I've been analyzing the whole concept of blogging lately - what it means, both to me and to others. I am blogging for posterity: for my kids and my memories. This blog is the scrapbook I never make, the photos I never print, and if Blogspot doesn't go away or delete old posts, these memories will be there for my kids.

Before my mother passed away, she and I talked on the phone most days. She listened to my ramblings or just let me vent. Now that she's gone, I treasure every written word she left for me. The funniest are the recipe cards she gave me in my early married days, when I knew nothing about cooking. They're little conversations, which read like, "To get hamburgers and steaks that taste like the ones we have do this (if you never liked them but didn't want to hurt our feelings, don't do this)," or "2 tablespoons chopped onions (yes, Dawn, it's needed, you can cheat and get the frozen ones)." Wouldn't I love to read a blog of hers!

An article in the HomeschoolBlogger.com library called "The Power of the Blog" states:

... blogs have a more subtle power as well, for blogs are also like the riverbanks and wells of bygone days, where women would meet with other women and share their labors. There they would also share ideas, encouragement, and counsel. There was a sense of community then that made it easier to face the challenges of daily life.

Our modern conveniences have granted us much, but they have stolen that sense of community. Many young women feel adrift, especially as they enter the world of homeschooling, a world that many of their mothers never knew. Through blogs, we can regain a measure of that sense of community as we share daily struggles and advice and seek wisdom from one another. The blog can give us the power of information and encouragement.

I love the enhanced connection I feel with those whose blogs I read and who read mine. It really does foster a sense of community, with opportunities to share advice and encouragement. Just clicking that "comments" button opens up every mother's dream, Adult Conversation, even though the conversation is typed, not spoken, and likely not occuring in real-time. For my non-blogging buddies - give it a try!




Here's a little follow-up from recent blogs:

IKEA - Believe it or not, I ventured back for a third trip on Saturday, but this time with other adults, Bryan and my mother-in-law, Sharon. There is good news and bad news: the bad news is that the bookcase which I "accidentally" returned is out-of-stock for up to eight weeks, but the good news is that Bryan's mom bought the girls the whole set of cool play stuff like the set up in the nursing/family restroom! I painted their room this weekend, so now we can wall mount their new things.

Singer Featherweight - I picked up my machine today! It only cost $35 for servicing and replacing the power cord to the foot pedal. It did not have the Centennial emblem on it. Oh, well... I wasn't going to sell it anyway, but I thought that would have been neat to find the emblem.