One Year & Counting…and What a Year It’s Been

Well tomorrow, May 15th, marks the one year anniversary since I started blogging. And what an amazing year it’s been.

It all started when conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt put the bug in my ear about blogging. He’s regularly talked about blogging and even features blogs on his website. I would try to encourage my friend Joe Conway to give blogging a try since he is a talent writer in his own right. I don’t know if my words ever registered with Joe…but the idea started to take hold with me.

You see…I’ve always loved to write. When I’d be going though difficult times…I’d write my “letters to God” to help me work through those difficult feelings and emotions that I didn’t fully understand. In college, I even remember a professor reading one of my pieces to the class and commenting that it was well written. It was a very personal paper in which I shared my emotions in a very open and transparent manner. Not something I was use to doing back then. Especially considering how shy I was at that time.

Indeed I was very shy. Self conscience about my looks…afraid that I was not very bright or smart. I would dread the thought of anyone paying attention to me. So much so…back then I would rather cross the street than to say “hi” to someone passing by. In high school…I’m afraid I may have had a reputation of being stuck-up. When in fact nothing could be further from the truth. I was just extraordinarily shy.

Well life happened…and I changed over the years. People in my life influenced me. As I grew less shy…I became more passionate about my convictions…and developed a passion for the truth. Be it the truth about God, Jesus and religion, or culture, feminism, and politics my urge to speak out grew and grew. And thus…this blog was born.

A few people that come to mind that influenced that evolution of my personality and character are Peter Bartholomew, Terry Sullivan and Chuck Obremski. Peter was one of the first people to believe in me and gave me a chance. Terry…was a breath of fresh air. A no nonsense…speak the truth kind of guy. And Chuck…my dear beloved former Pastor…he spoke the truth of God and Jesus. He uncompromisingly taught God’s word.

In world in which churches are “seeker sensitive” and try to make you feel better so you’ll come back…Chuck’s concern and passion was that he preach God’s word. And if something he said stung…well perhaps you’d better examine yourself against the word of God. If necessary…make some changes. But Chuck also spoke the truth in love. No one would ever call that man a hypocrite. When in the fire of cancer, pain and suffering…he lived out what he had preached. The refiner’s fire…proved his faith as pure gold.

Lastly…conservative radio talk show host Dennis Prager helped me to grow as well. He helped me to think and reason clearly and present an argument to make my case.

So with my shy nature falling by the wayside…I found myself bubbling over with feelings and ideas that needed to be expressed.

What was the catalyst that launched this blog? Well several things really. First and foremost September 11th, a defining and clarifying moment for our nation and me personally. My mother’s diagnosis and life of Alzheimer’s filled me with issues that I needed to work through. But the event that pushed me over the top and into blogging was my dear Pastor’s battle with cancer. We as a church had been standing with Chuck and Linda as he rode the “cancer coaster”. The emotional and ups and downs, and my faith waxing and waning called for a place, an avenue, to work things through. Thus…Susan’s Blog was born.

Actually I started out dealing with more personal issues…with regards to my mom and Alzheimer’s and posting my notes from Chuck’s sermons. It was becoming apparent that his precious time was limited…and I wanted to mark each step. I ended up linking a story in the Orange County Register about Chuck on my site.

A web search…lead me to the site of David Fisher at Pilgrim’s Scribblings. David knew Chuck through baseball chapel and he followed Chuck’s battle with cancer from a distance.

David is godly man…and his website would always inspire and challenge me…and at times delight me. From David…I learned about more blogs. David has a gift for finding great websites…and takes delight in highlighting some of his finds. He’s a regular visitor…and when you start to get lazy…or life overwhelms you and you stop writing…David invites you to jump back in to your writing adventure.

From David’s website I found some wonderful sites…including Debra at As I See It Now. And from there I found more and more websites and blogs. Blog to inspire my faith, encourage me in my walk…people just being open, transparent and vulnerable. People like Janna at Janna’s Bread Crumbs, or Carol at She Lives, and Bonnie in Florida who has since gotten out of the blogging business. But she still pays a visit now and again and keeps in touch via e-mail.

Some of my writing ventures included submissions to Hugh Hewitt’s Blog of the Week Contest. Never won…but I was a finalist a couple of times. I posted lots and lots of pieces about Chuck and faith and God’s will. Some of my favorites were poems that I can say were truly God inspired.

Some of my favorite articles include a fun article about a co-worker and his surprising dance on a table in his effort to win a contest. Also of note were a couple of articles I wrote in my effort to speak the truth about the devastating and harmful effects of feminism. My Tookie Williams article drew much fire. So much so that I had to turn off the comments section for a while. The pro Tookie folks were not too eloquent in presenting their argument in favor if his sentence being commuted to life in prison. Instead…if they were a picture of Tookie’s influence on people, then his execution should have taken place sooner. While one who normally favors freedom of expression…I ended up deleting some of the more profanity laced responses.

Of recent note were a couple of articles I wrote in response to a group of people who allege that they are Christians…yet behave in a very ungodly, un-Christian manner by protesting at the funeral of soldiers. They even go to the lengths of saying “thank God for dead soldiers”. After writing these pieces I found that many, many people in the Christian community felt as repulsed as I did and also wanted to speak out against them.

On a more personal note…I’ve been able to put in writing when I’m struggling with my faith…or God is challenging me and I’m am not living in a manner worthy of his calling.

Indeed what a year it has been…so much has happened. Friends have died…my faith has grown and at times been very low. I’ve gone from one who struggled with being single…and hopeful of romance with a certain special someone…to being able to let go and have peace.

God has used this blog in my life to help me work through issues, problems and difficulties. It’s also been an avenue in which I can give thanks, praise and thanksgiving to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

And for this wonderful…and at times miraculous gift of the internet and blogging I say thank you to God. It is my prayer that I will be unwavering in my faith walk and that God may use me as an instrument for his kingdom.

Lord bless you all and thanks for paying a visit to Susan’s Blog. I look forward to another year of blogging.