Blogiversary

One year ago today, Sandpiper’s Thoughts was born as a blog. Today is its one-year blogiversary.

I’ve been thinking about the blog, and reflecting about its purpose, its history and its evolution. I thought, in celebration of today, I would share those thoughts in a post. Aren’t you lucky!?

The Beginning:

The first post was called “Your Age by Chocolate Math,” and it was pure silliness. The same day, I posted a poem about a vision of a church – what a church should be like. I was going to a Vision Committee meeting that evening, and was thinking.

It was the next group of seven posts that started to shape what the blog would become. I was driving into work one day, and started thinking about Mary – what would it have been like to have been asked to be the mother of God’s son? A poem started to take shape. I’ve never written poetry in my life, but I wrote one that day, followed by six more – the series of poems called “After the Angel’s Visit” were posted next – one written each day for a week.

Daily posts didn’t begin until January 9, and since that day, something has been posted each day (a couple of times back-dated), except for January 23 – I have no idea what happened that day.

Just the facts, Ma’am:

Today’s post is #424. As of this minute, the blog has had 8,146 hits, with the highest traffic this month (1,020 hits), which is an increase over last December, when I started measuring (433 hits). Does any of that matter? No, but it amuses me.

Of the 424 posts, 60 of them are poems (which continually amazes me).

The blog is a member of the Methodist Blog Ring and the MethoBlog (which replaced the Methodist Blogroll.

Why Blog:

Why do I blog? When I started to do it, it was because I had things that I wanted to write about that were not appropriate (in my mind) for my knitting blog – they weren’t about knitting. I have continued to blog because, at least at this point in my life, I can’t not do it. It has become a discipline – a means of grace. The blog gives me space to work through questions in my mind, to see what others might think, to state opinion, and to praise the presence of God in my life.

I don’t remember when I decided that it would become a daily effort, but that has become a commitment. Because I know that I will be writing something each day, I have become more open to God’s presence in the world around me. I’m always watching, because I need things to write about. I read more books about life with God. My eyes are literally open all the time to see God at work – I need pictures for the blog. I listen for blogging material in phrases and conversation. I am made more aware because of the blog.

I blog because people are reading it. Not many, but the number’s not important. The fact that people DO read it, though, increases my commitment to write it. Some of the readers I know, and I treasure that they take the time to read what I write and to comment on it. It is a truly a blessing. Some of the readers I don’t know, and that, too, is amazing to me. Would I continue to write if I knew no one was reading it? I probably would, but perhaps not online. And without the knowledge that someone will be reading what I write, I’m not sure that I would have the discipline to do it daily. So, hats off to you, readers – you are helping me on my journey with God.

Best Blogging experience:

Oh, I have many, but I’ll highlight three.

The Youth of our church strung beads during their 30 Hour Famine last February – one for each child who would die during their fast. 29,000 beads. They decorated our sanctuary with them to try to increase the congregations awareness of the effects of hunger in the world. I wrote a poem about it. Later, in June, the beads were taken to our Annual Conference, and used as part of the Children’s Sabbath worship program. The poem was used as a meditation on the cover of the bulletin for that service. I am blessed that something God and I wrote was used to highlight the costs of hunger and to lift up the efforts of our youth group.

I have had guest bloggers – my husband, Steve , my son J, and Jeff the Methodist. I am continually amazed that these guys would think enough about the blog to write for it when I asked.

The After the Angel’s Visit poems were eye opening for me. I believed at the time, and continue to believe that God was at work in those seven poems. Without them, I’m not sure that the blog would have evolved into what it has become.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope to see you in year number two!