What I Love/Hate About Blogging: Updated List
In 2012, as a fairly new blogger, I shared this list of reasons I love/hate blogging. My blog has grown, and my reasons have changed–it’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind, right?
Reasons I love blogging:
1. Blogging is personal in an impersonal world. You can really get to know the heart of another person by their words, whether spoken or written. When something is written, it gives us time to really hear–rather than a banter back and forth through verbal speech where we might feel compelled to give an answer. I love reading and mulling over ideas from certain blogs. I’m picky, I admit, but when I find a good one, I really benefit.
2. Blogging is an invitation into our life and home. We certainly don’t have it all together over here, but we are hospitable people and my heart is for young moms and women who are lonely and searching for help. In real life, my kitchen is a place where women come for friendship and encouragement and that is one of my main ministries. This is an online extension of that ministry–welcoming you to our “table.”
3. Writing reinforces and records what I’m learning for a future generation. Last year, my car skidded out of control in an ice storm, and for days I reflected on the brevity of life. We have no assurances of another tomorrow. I was glad I had written so much for the sake of my children. Wisdom handed down from one generation to the next is a gift, but written words are better because they can be revisited when a child is ready to receive it.
4. Blogging is simply an opportunity to spread a message. In this case, the message is the hope and grace that we’ve found in Jesus Christ. “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.” Acts 5:42. Blogging is a chance to go “house to house” in an electronic sense with the good news and teachings of Jesus Christ. We live in awesome times.
5. I enjoy it! (Most days!) God’s given me a certain personality, with a desire for reflection and deep connection, writing, painting and creative pursuits, and these gifts and talents must be used for His glory. None of what you find here is perfect (Hello, Grammar!!) but God can take what I’m learning to encourage others.
6. Following God through the blog has opened up opportunities for greater ministry. If you are faithful in what God has called you to, He gives you more. It’s a double blessing.
Reasons I HATE blogging.
1. The technical aspect. If you don’t blog, let me just say, YOU HAVE NO IDEA. lol And neither do I which is why I hate it. Just look at this little helpful site for bloggers. WHAT!? I’M SUPPOSED TO DO ALL WHAT? EVERY POST!? WHAT DOES THIS EVEN MEAN? I learn a little more each day, but the learning curve is HUGE for a girl who can remember the first time she ever saw a VHS tape player. Yeah.
2. Blogging has changed dramatically in the last several years and is BIG BUSINESS. This means that the community aspect has changed a bit. It often seems that if you can’t do something for someone else, you are invisible. That’s just real life, folks. 🙂
3. The critical comments. Haters gonna hate, as my son would joke. Criticism is a fact of life when you do anything meaningful. I do consider thoughtful, gracious criticism and am thankful to grow and learn from it. But if you are just plain nasty in general, you’ve done yourself a disservice and people are not going to take anything you say too seriously. “Nothing other people do (or say) is because of you. It is because of themselves.”
4. Blogging could be a full time job if I allowed it to be, and I already have a full time job–my kids. 🙂 The internet in general can suck the time and life out of you if you’re not careful. I have to limit my time online so I can focus on living life locally. 🙂
5. There’s so much junk out there. There just is. Browse responsibly and learn like the Bereans, checking what you see with what God says.
6. The drama. Enough said. I’m not a drama queen, and you shouldn’t be either. 😉
Totally with you! I am so not technical that it escapes completely. I have no idea what I’m doing! And the drama…mostly I stay clear of it in my own little world, but I always no “it’s there.” 🙂
Hi, Sarah! I am not a blogger but do read a few blogs on a regular basis. It’s a blessing to hear about people sharing about their lives and how they help others. Sometimes the written word can be misunderstood because the reader cannot sense the tone or facial expressions. Maybe that is how nasty comments come about?
Yes, good point. You can’t see someone’s facial expressions or voice and things can be mistaken or misread. I am sure that is part of it but even on FB I have noticed that civil discourse is becoming a thing of the past on political pages, etc. Thankfully, it doesn’t happen too much here, but it is definitely one of the dislikes of blogging. :o/
The technological aspect gets me too:) I also struggle with how time consuming it can be. Additionally, sometimes it creates a false sense of community, pulling me away from relationships in real life. So I guess I too have a love/hate relationship as well:) Thanks for sharing!
I hear you. Yes, superficial relationships can certainly become a quasi-community. 🙂 I wrote about that here:https://joyfilleddays.com/community-authentic-or-artificial/ Appreciate your friendship, Christina.