Why do I blog? (or not blog?)

Why do I blog anyway?

When blogs were first "invented"

r(emember Xenga?)

I used to think people who had blogs were narcissistic.

"How arrogant do you have to be

to think that everyone would want to read your inner most thoughts?!"


Then I had Owen.

and blogging

via a caringbridge journal

became my life line

to prayer support

encouragement.

the best and most efficient way to get updates out to family and friends across the globe.

It was a life saver.

an emotional outlet.

a therapeutic process.


Then one day

after about 2 years of blogging pretty much exclusively about Owen

I started this family blog.

More for my other kids than anything else.


Scrapbooking / keeping up with photo albums

had not happened in ages.

And I realized I had every detail of Owen's life recorded

and not much about the rest.


I love this blog.

looking back over it.

the memories recorded here I treasure.

I know my family does too.


It is mostly for me that I blog.

But if it's one thing I've learned from journaling our experience with Owen

it's this....

You never know who it will help.

You just never know.


I've seen God use some simple things I've posted

to help somebody else in big ways.

like 4 babies (that I know of)

were not aborted.

that's big.

God is big.

Bigger than the internet.


But what about safety?

We've always thought the potential gains

outweighed the supposed "risks".


But one look at that map on my blog sidebar

of who views this blog

and you can see it's not just

Matt and Melinda in Hungary,

Kellers formerly in Australia,

Birdsalls  formerly  in Ukraine,

Judd and Joji in England.

Mark in California.

Stephanie in Alaska.

etc.

It's creepy!


On You Tube I shut down to private all my videos

except those specifically set to music

and that have a message

that could encourage somebody

facing a spina bifida diagnosis.

I've received messages on those videos from all around the world.

It is crazy!


As I've worked to sift my feelings on all this out

I just haven't blogged.

and that makes me sad.

sad that I have basically so little record

of the last year.

nor every summer!

(Poor Kate!  I never blog her birthday parties.  And they are the best!)


So this is the plan.

I am going to go private on this blog.

BUT you can still view it if you want.

You just have to register

so I know WHO is visiting.

I won't know "when" you visit, so don't worry you blog stalkers (ahem, Kim).


Next time you check up on the Potter clan hopefully we'll have a

new updated look.

And a log in for you to pass through.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

It just creeps me out.

What you put on the internet can be taken off the internet

and I'd like to know WHO has the ability to do that.


Thanks for understanding

and for caring about our little family.