It's easy to start something...

How can it be February 7th already? Wasn't New Year's Day just a week ago or so? Wow. Time sure flies when you're getting as old as I am!

A lot of us probably made New Year's resolutions at the start of 2010. I'm wondering? How are you doing with those resolutions? Have you accomplished any of them? I'm afraid it's easy to start something. But, it is so much harder to stay with it...

Take this blog, for example. I enjoy blogging. I really do! And, I love having a place to post my humble thoughts each week. However, when I sit down to do this (usually on Sundays), I find myself saying as I do, "Why am I still writing on this blog?" and "Is anyone even reading these posts of mine?" and "Should I keep doing this? For how long?" No matter how much you like doing something, you are always going to be faced with those times when you say to yourself, "Why bother?"

Well, I can think of at least three good reasons to continue the discipline of writing on this blog.

First, it really is good therapy for the soul, and a pretty good brain exercise as well. It requires me to think about what I want to say, and then to carefully compose each word so that anyone reading this gets a chance to see into me and find out what all is going on in my life. Kind of scary, but good to do anyway.

Second, it helps keep me somewhat connected with all of you who read it. For the longest time (probably almost 30 years after I moved away from my parents), my wonderful Mom faithfully wrote a letter and mailed it to me each week. Almost like clockwork, she'd write telling me/us about what she and Dad had been doing, what they had been thinking, about current events in the world and/or news about our family (about my siblings, aunts and uncles, etc.). I loved the connection those letters provided. Even if she really didn't have big news to tell, she still wrote her letter. I guess I'm beginning to think that this blog is my version of Mom's "letter writing" (21st century style). Even though this blog is not the personal, hand-written letters I received from Mom, maybe it serves a similar purpose? When I write on this blog, I feel a connectedness to lots of people who tell me they are reading it. And, that's worth a lot to me! My hope is that this blog provides some connectedness to people that I would otherwise not be in touch with as regularly.

Third, I like having a place where I can stand for things I believe in and express my values. It seems to me that a lot of people today are afraid to stand up for what they believe in. It appears as though lots of people just accept things without thinking them through. Some don't even know why they believe what they believe. I think that is terribly unfortunate. What a shame when people just mimic what they've heard from someone else (or read in some unreliable source), not really understanding how to defend truths. I believe that too many of us subscribe to things just because they are "cool," but we can't adequately express our deepest convictions. That's sad.

Finally, this blog was a gift from a very special person (thanks, Andy!). I was taught to be grateful when I was given a gift. It seems only proper to share this gift with others. With this blog I have the wonderful opportunity of thanking the person that gave it to me again and again. In a lot of ways, this has to be one of the best gifts I've ever received!

Lord willing, I'll continue writing here on Sundays for a little while longer. You see, I need the therapy it provides for my soul. I need the brain exercises it gives me. I love the connectedness it gives me with others. And, it has become a place where I can take a stand for what I believe in.

It's easy to start something...

It's much harder to stay with it...