That's Popcorn, Peanuts, Soda Water & Chewing Gum. Like my faith journey and life – a little bit of everything and jumbled sometimes.
About My Blog Title & Blogging
Mom’s handiwork . . .
Written and posted as “Something Makes Me Stay”, June 26, 2010, on a previous version of my blog – this sums it up:
I’ve been thinking about my blog …contemplating going to a new blog, with a brand new title and all. Yep, all that removing of things really nearly caused me to hit the delete blog button. Ooooo it was soooo tempting. But, something makes me stay. This is a long post, so, uh, pretend I’m talking to you over the phone. Grab a soda, coffee, or tea? Iced or hot? Take a seat …
So…nah, I don’t want to start a new one with a new title. I like the catchy phrase. However, it’s always caused me a problem, I mean, when I write about faith, which is deepest on my heart, and something quite serious, with a title like Peacorn, Popnuts, Soda Gum & Chewing Water?
How’s that gonna hold?
I tried to cover that in my first (original-original) post about the title, by having it represent ‘a jumble of life’.
I’ve had some sense as to what I wanted this blog to be, but I’ve been hitting and missing it.
I feel like I’ve been “trying on” blogs, or posts, like trying on, uh, shoes, and I keep telling the salesperson, “No, that’s not quite what I’m looking for. Do you have something more in the way of ….”, where I’m describing something I can’t really describe, but I’ll know it when I see it.
So, back to the title, a little more than I said in the original-original post about it.
One day several years ago I was over at my mom’s and she rattled off something, she said it so fast that I thought she sounded … nuts. It sounded so distorted I had no idea what she had said. I had to get her to repeat it several times, slowing her down each time.
Finally, I got it. It took me a while to say it “wrong” so it was “right“.
When I wrote about being ‘broken’ in my [original] profile, I meant “broke“, as in need of fixin’ broke. That’s my story, all about getting things wrong but right, and right but wrong. Maybe jumbled, even distorted, but absolutely more than that for me.
That’s how me and the title go together.
Oh, you may think I’m broke and need fixin’ still, or you may think I’m … perfect? Well, I t-ruly doubt that, but sometimes, when writing about things it can sound that way… the perfect life. Cropped life? Where are my bumps and scratches? Nicks and bruises? The weeds and sticker burs? The tears and fears? What makes, what, so?
One of the things involved in pushing several months-worth of thinking into actually changing up my blog is something I read last week, or was it week before last? I’m not sure when, anyway, it’s in Billy Graham’s book Storm Warning (which I’m reading for Thomas Nelson). On page 28, he wrote:
“When we imply that the Christian faith involves no yoke and no burden, we tell less than the whole truth. Half-truths and easy answers are the weapons of deceit.” (Italics mine).
Half-truths and easy answers? Yeppers. Truth is, I won’t stand before you but before the Lord one day, and answer for my deeds … taking in half-truths and easy answers, yah-man, I’ve been there and done that and it resulted in my being one sick-puppy.
So, being as truthful, as a public blog can allow, is one of my goals.
Because, although blogging can be a great hobby or a place to have a lot of fun, I can’t avoid my heart’s desire … which concerns Jehovah (God), Yeshua (Jesus), and Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit) and my story … God’s hand in my life and …my deeds, if you will.
My desire is to convey things that help people and, at the same time, perhaps share a little odds and ends, just for fun or to break up all the words sometimes! No schedule. No binding. Just as it happens.
So, I’ve done what I wanted to do (and didn’t) from the beginning: Removed my followers gadget. I’m getting ready to reduce the number of blogs I follow and potentially follow anonymously instead of publicly. I’m working on my old posts and the structure around them (labels, etc.) for potential republishing. (I removed them from this blog, not from existence altogether. Some posts/photos I’ve liked and some I haven’t.)
Just a little (tongue-in-cheek) housekeeping here and there and we’ll see how it ends up.
Hopefully, a lot of following my heart and the Lord. Maybe it’s more like journaling that I can actually share publicly?
Lately, I’ve been saying, time is short one way or the other. I am looking at the world and wondering, “how long Lord?” But, since my years are slowly but surely stacking more behind me than ahead of me, depending on how long I live, life is appearing shorter all the time… either way!
As someone I know says … “I’m not ten feet tall and bullet proof any more.”
Fact is, I never was, I just didn’t know that until fairly recently.
Is this my bucket list? No, or yes. I guess I coulda called it “Bucket Blog”?
Nah… Peacorn, Popnuts, Soda Gum & Chewing Water. Perfect!
P.S. I hope you’ll stay with me if you’re already “here” or join me, follow if you want, but it’s not about “that”. And, thank you to those who have hung in here with me!
A special thanks to those who left encouraging comments recently and to the blogger who was discussing this with me behind the scenes, thanks!
See ya on the flip side?
… Oh wait, this is the flip side!
Posted on previous version of my blog, June 26, 2010. Republished here 8/9/12; Photo newly added.
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7 Responses to “About My Blog Title & Blogging”
Hi Jenn: I enjoyed reading about your blog in this post. I’ve also gone back and forth over showing my followers or not. And sometimes I wonder if my “blog life” seems almost too cheery and annoying. But for now I mostly want to keep my blog encouraging and positive, although I do sometimes make a reference to troubles. But I liked the quote from Billy Graham, and it’s definitely food for thought. Bookmarking your blogs! God Bless. Bess
Hi jenn, I am so intrigued by your about page. Although Blogging can be fun and rewarding , we do really only get to see a flat image of one another’s lives. Here you make it three dimensional and I applaud You. My blog is down for re-pointing but I will be back!
Thank you.
Dear Jenn, I think you have a lovely blog, thank for sharing your thoughts and moments. Me, being a not-believer myself, can still see the beauty of your heart reaching out.
Have a wonderful week
Best,
Vibeke
Thank you, very much.
My wife, Shawn Lantz, is a third generation missionary kid who wrote a book entitled Congo Vignettes about her families 75 years of ministry to Congo. She is also on the women’s ministry team at our home church through which she has written two womens bible studies in her Living With Unmet Desires series entitled: Exposing the Many Faces of Jealousy and Encountering the Healing Power of Forgiveness. We would like to send you a copy of one of her books. If this is of interest to you contact us at esengoministries@aol.com and we will send you complimentary copies. May the Lord’s blessing be upon you, Rob
I have been to your website and to Shawn’s blog – where I read her post on “From F.E.A.R. to F.A.I.T.H.” I appreciate that she reveals her concerns and then references her Scriptural steps to faith. The way she expressed Satan’s trickery in the first couple of paragraphs is so true, but we just don’t see it that way – which blinds us. Well written. Love the acronym for F.A.I.T.H. From what little I’ve read, looks like Shawn’s books/studies would be good to read. I have written you via email in that regard.
Thank you.