The Internet world is no different than real life in the sense that once you put something out there, you'd better be ready for it to be read, looked at, analyzed, judged perhaps maybe? Good or bad. Right or wrong. There's been a lot of negativity swirling around blog land, a lot that I don't love. Judgemental behavior. Character assassinations. To much information shared.
It's turned me off to a lot of things on Twitter, blogs, Facebook, etc. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Internet. We're slightly bonded at the hip. When I was in junior high and the Internet was just becoming "big" you had to take a class at the school library during class time on "how to use the Internet properly." Once you passed the class you were then issued your "Internet drivers licence." You think, I'm joking...I am not!
If you didn't pass you weren't allowed to use the Internet during your library times at school. They took that stuff seriously round those parts in rural Iowa. Sometimes, I think we all need a little lesson in how we should and shouldn't use the Internet in our daily lives. You see, I view the Internet as merely a tool. A tool I want to use in the most positive way.
I want to blog with integrity. With purpose and intention.
I've seen a lot of blog posts titled "getting real" and "how real am I on my blog?" While I appreciate peoples honesty and realness as much as the next I also want to encourage realness along with modesty. I try my best to be as real as I can be on my blog, but there are things that I am never going to talk about or share here on my blog.
I started this blog as a way to record our lives, and share them with our family living so far away. I want to remember the good times in our life, write them down, cherish them and have them as memories. I love looking back on our blog and seeing what we were up to, how Ava has grown, our challenges and triumphs. This is a positive space for our family, for my readers. I always want this space to be a space of encouragement, faith and love.
For these reasons you're never going to hear about a nasty fight Orion and I had, although they do happen. It is my desire to always honor and uphold our relationship. To praise him in public, and always take care of our relationship in private.
Her husband has full confidence in her, and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good not harm all the days of her life. Proverbs 31:11
You're never going to hear me rant and rave about family issues, friend fights or issues, I'm probably never going to publicly bash someone here either. It's not Biblical or right. It's not what my character is.
My strong faith is what drives me, sustains me and gives me strength. I've been through a lot in my short life and I want to use this space as a place to encourage others, keep a memory for our family, and have some fun a long the way. In all ways honoring the Lord. Honoring the Lord through this blog, through what I write, and put out there for all to see.
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30
I'm not perfect by any means. Nor will I claim to be, I am human my flesh takes over sometimes. I'm still working on so many things in life. I believe there is freedom in transparency, and power in your testimony. They have the ability to help others, and bring comfort and encouragement to others in a time of need.
I also believe there's purpose and health in having boundaries in our lives. So even though there's a lot put out there on the Internet daily, I choose to have boundaries in my life for my Husband, daughter, family and friends. To keep some things personal and scared because I care about those around me. I choose to work out my issues in the privacy of my home, face to face with those it includes. Using this space for the positive. For the good.
Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think on these things.
Philippians 4:8
I encourage you today to think about this verse, and how you can bring lovely, admirable, noble things to the thoughts, images and stories you tell online, in public and in private.
Thinking about others before yourself, considering the less fortunate, thinking about the words that come from your mouth. Are they bringing life to those you speak them to? Or type them to?
I challenge myself today, and you to live a life worthy of noble character. To strive for better always, in a world that tells us otherwise.
Those things are lasting. Those are things that leave an impression on people. Those are things of love.
