Monday, September 30, 2013

Change of Direction?



The weekend was hectic—at least that’s my excuse for a late blog. The weekend was mostly a writers’ conference, and again, there was a call for bloggers to identify their audience if they wanted to increase readership. I’ve heard the call before, but usually resisted it.

I’m not in the numbers game, I tell myself. I need to say what fires me, even if others don’t like it and switch off. So I rationalize retaining the faithful few who for some reason follow my ramblings all over the planet.

But then I recall that my writing is not just for me to express myself, but in some way to help others. This is a really radical thought, for it leads to a reversal of intention and a fundamentally different end product. But what?

Then I recall a blog written months ago about family that garnered several times the readership I am used to. I have to conclude that if so many people found that at least interesting, perhaps even helpful, then I must have scratched where it itched.

So my perhaps I should redirect this blog to the subjects of marriage, family, and relationships for a while, and see if my prognostications are right. But that poses a problem.

First, the information on marriage is endless. It seems everyone has all the answers, but which is clearly contradicted by the statistics. It seems the more we think we know, the less effective it is. Secondly, even after 58 years of marriage, I still don’t have all the answers.

That`s not to say I haven’t learned a lot, nor that my guide for life, the Bible, doesn’t give direction. But I recognise that I, like everyone else, is a finite, fallen being and that apart from God’s grace and the insight of His Spirit, my thinking is easily clouded or distorted.

So with such an excess of competition, and a frequently uninformed understanding of marital relationships, how much do I have to offer? Will I go this route? I’ll think about it and let you know next weekend.