Yes, how time flies when you’re having fun!

There I was, beginning the year 2009, minding my own business, plodding away, visiting my blogs of reading, doing my thing… you know how it is.  A couple of mates… Yes, I have more than one… I have a plural number of friends, just so you know!… Two is company, after all!

Anyway, these mateS periodically mentioned that I should get into blogging.  Friend A was into blogging, was a regular blogger, was able to build blogs, even if his blog design was about as creative as the monastic dress-code.  Friend B, while not a blogger himself, interacted with this medium, and in time, would be involved in the start-up to a burgeoning on-line ministry.

It was in this context that on the morning of Jan. 7th, 2009, as I entered into my Hotmail account, electronically, of course, that I came across a link to this site.  What site?  If you are really interested, go HERE, where you will find what Friend A had started for me!

Until this point, I hadn’t seriously contemplated blogging, and the fact that I hadn’t ‘the blue blazes’ ‘what the Gehenna’ one would have to do to actually begin, let alone complete this process, any serious contemplation of how to go about starting this pursuit was not even a pipe dream, and I was… and am, a non-smoker… anyway… Until then… the “then” being the blogging berating from some friends… not, a smoking “then”!!!

As you will quickly perceive, if you have looked at this site, it is pretty empty, except for what Friend A decided to put on.  In our discussions on blogging, I had talked about various names that I might use if I ever actually started one, and I had mentioned Readeeming the Time, based on Eph. 5:16, NASB version (I believe), which connected the wise use of time as exemplified in the recreational activity of reading, as such was and is something that I view as a favourite past-time… You never know, I may use this as blog number 3!

However, when the rubberised crap hit the road after passing through the fan (Yes, a combination of two one-liners), the context that I decided to focus on was ME!  Well, not quite, but with a blog title like, I am Jonny King dot blogspot dot com, it did communicate a message. If you do decide to visit that site today, you will be re-directed, as we have the power!  Given my illness, and its limitations thereof, I decided that an “opinion” type of blog was probably the best context with which to begin with, which is why, my blog pieces are generally written “off the cuff”… this does not mean that I sit down in front of my computer with a Tabula Rasa, as when an idea comes into my machinating mind, I do record a quick line or two, for blog-sterity’s sake (no, not for posterity’s).  However, I do not approach blogging the way I approach and have approached my studies.  I mean, Yes, I could write lines of colourless propositional prose, but what fun would there be in that!  Probably “much” you say!

Therefore, getting back to my time-line… After responding to the site Friend A had ‘put up,’ he kindly set up the second site, which would be my first blogging site, and not really knowing what to do, I sat before a blank screen, ready to type, wondering what would flow… Here is the first post, not from the original site, the blogspot one, but from dot com site… THANKS FOR COMING!

At this stage in my blogging life, I was really fumbling in the dark, but after approximately a month on blogspot, my fixer, Friend A, talked about getting off blogspot as soon as possible, which precipitated the designing (my fault) of iamjonnyking dot com with the building (Friend A’s fault) of the site, which over a period of time has come to be what you can see-to-read today!

With the blog set-up… set-up, I sought to blog-like-the-clappers, and since that time, I have tried to blog long and loud… you may want to affix the word, “too,” before these descriptions!

However, the time-line would not be finished in this first year of blogging, as an opportunity came along for me to take over another well established blog, which would have a slightly different emphasis. One problem was that this blog was butt-ugly, but had potential, and so we, my friend and me, sought to give Christian News NZ a blog-over, which has just recently been realised, with the new and improved CNNZ: Rangitiana Korero Aotearoa.  If you would like to read about this development, you can find a timeline from this page HERE!

What May Be Helpful is Some Q & A…

>Why Did You Start Blogging?

For me, a big bonus of blogging is that it gave me an avenue to be involved in a moving vehicle of ministering God’s grace… other than the Home, of course.  Since I have been a young man, I viewed my future through the paradigm of being involved in some warp and woof of vocational ministry, and since I have been unwell for a long time, my vehicle for ministry has been surrendered from service, so-to-speak!  Therefore, blogging was another practical means where it could happen, as it was and is sympathetic to someone in my context.  With this in mind, my motivation in blogging can be affirmed by the words of 1 Corinthians 10:31, and by God’s grace, I am moving closer to this in practice.

>How Do You Enjoy Blogging?

In some respects, it is a love, and sometimes, a loath perspective.  I really enjoy writing… not necessarily equating that with you, the reader, affirming the same enjoyment thereof!  I would like to write in a more substantial format one day, and given my goal of finishing the study that I have started, such could well intersect with that moment, however, this provides a good motivator and facilitator in this pursuit!

However, given the nature of this form of communication, although I approached blogging with the mindset that I should focus more on being faithful in what I write, the restrictions in interacting with the readers>respondents, make it somewhat, and at given times, frustrating.  If I try and analyse why, if blogging was more of the cherry on my vocational cake, I don’t think this would not be an issue.  In fact, interaction could easily ask too much of my time, and when I am studying, such is probably true.

While blogging is a form of community, and may very well continue to be so, it is an incomplete form of community, which too easily lacks the inter-personal reality of flesh and bones!  Nevertheless, I am thankful for the relationships that have been formed with some bloggers and bloggees, and I look forward to these growing in 20-10, and even expanding… and one more thing, don’t be a stranger, as there is little danger!

>What Are Some Possible Pitfalls in Blogging?

As a Christ-follower, you may not be surprised that I seek to… follow Christ, and to live my life consistent with His Word, His Ways, and His Will!  Therefore, the process and reality of blogging is something that I seek to do out of this worldview.  Therefore, like any pursuit in life, one is not guaranteed to be fulfilling this reality in practice.  Whether or not this has been so or less, the reader can be the judge, nevertheless, this remains my philosophy and my goal in 20-10!  Therefore, given the nature of blogging, it can be very easy to miss this mark, and communicate in such a way that this simultaneously brings more honour to ourselves and more dis-honour to Christ and His cause!  As Christian bloggers, one needs to be resolved to a Christ-centered reality, for the glory of God!

While it may sound slightly pious to affirm that hits don’t matter.  If one is desiring to get hits for the wrong reasons… i.e., getting attention, than this is another pitfall.  As I have affirmed, when I started blogging, idealistically, I approached blogging focusing more about my process (faithfulness), with a mindset that it is not about hits on the counter, but in the lives that have actually read the piece of posting, and have been positively impacted in light of the Cross.  However, this can not be so easy in the hullabaloo, as to impact people as I have affirmed, you need people to visit, which means hits, and the more people who visit, the more potential to impact more people is significantly more improved, with the result being that one focuses more on hits, and with the frailty of our humanity, these can easily become an issue.  What is the solution?  One needs to remind oneself and remember why one is doing anything, let alone blogging, and if one’s motivation is correct, getting hits can be the most righteous reality.

I will say this as plainly as possible… Blogging can be Addictive!  It does take up lots of your time, and given my context, I may have more than most, nevertheless, depending on your philosophy of blogging, it will take time, that is very rarely on your side, which means that you need to be disciplined and ordered, in light of your context and other God-ordained responsibilities.  Therefore, if you are married with children, blogging will be down the list, than if you are single… and if you are studying, as of yet, there is no B.A. degree…  Blogging of the Arts… so make sure you don’t sacrifice what may feel like short term gain, for what will be longer-term pain, if your blogging takes priority over your studies!

Blogging is also not a Stooopid-free zone, and I am referring to you… Stooopid… Okay, I might fit in here as well!  Let me explain…  Unlike in a more formal context, when one is communicating for Christ (Yes, I am assuming something here), there is a process that generally will weed out the weirdo’s from the wise.  Given the freedom in Cyber-space, it can be the opportunity to confirm our individual and collective sinful stupidity.  Wisdom is defined in the Old Testament, with the concept of “skillful living”… or, in our context, skillful blogging!  Therefore, just because you can, does not mean you should!

The more “techy” side of things can also be a pitfall, and if you are going to start yourself, than this is going to take more of your time, and require more of your effort.  It has been providential in my situation that I have a fixer, who can do all the behind the scene coding issues (read: boring issues).  If you want your blog to look different than your average blogger site, make friends with a Geek, or flush one of these out as your initial blog grows, as they may want to get along side what you are doing.

Finally, be yourself and let your style flow.  Blogging has also been a creative outlet, and so I let this personality flow, while I keep the linear loser in my mental locker… well, some>most of the time!  If you are going to stick at it for the longer term, than you won’t be able to fake it… and your Christian conscience will get to you, if you take it… from another source!  Therefore, do your thing to the best of your ability, and let God grow it… or kill it.  This may be easier said than done, particularly if your heart is in it!

>What Are Some Goals in Year Two of Blogging?

To keep plodding on!

Honestly, call it my goal, but it is more like my prayer, but I would love to be back to full health in 20-10, which would mean many changes to our context.  If you are so inclined, you could remember me in your petitioning this year!

My goal in 20-10, assuming that in the sovereign will of God, that I continue in this plodding path, is to continue with these blogs of my ever-fading youth, and seek to offer written  and resourceful material that encourages you in your joyful pursuit of Christ, for the Fame of His Name!

Taking over the blogosphere, one post at a time, could possibly fit into this criteria, but Who He would know!  I do have some ideas that I may float-on-my-blog-boat very soon, but these are for a prospective post, so stay tuned!

>If You Have Any Questions, Feel Free To Ask!

The floor is Yours With This Part of the Post…

Conclusion

I do trust that your time on these blogs has been worthwhile, and such has been the means where you have experienced God’s grace in the living of your life, where God has placed you, under this Sun ensconced planet, in the Universe of the Son!

Until Next Time-It’s Been Special-For the Fame of His Name-Always Informing, For the Always Reforming, From the Land of the Long White Cloud

I am Jonny King the Man of Spin