The Unwritten Rules, Written

I have always had a few rules to this blog, but I've never published them, or even spoken of them. The list of rules has grown, so you may discover that I broke one of them if you click through some older posts. I didn't intend to have a list of rules to govern my blogging, but it evolved from a few moral inklings into guidelines that I consider very helpful as I debate what's appropriate and what isn't. After all, I am representing the name of Christ in everything I do, and nothing is completely reversible on the Internet. I take this stuff pretty seriously.

Here we go...

1. Always remember that you (I am speaking to myself here) are fallible, sinful, and completely capable of being wrong. I try to make sure that I am always humble and sensitive. I fail, I'm sure, but it's still a goal for which to strive.
   
2. I don't do politics. That is not to say that I don't enjoy discussing political issues in person, or that I am uninterested in politics. (I have been known to force my husband to watch the State of the Union, no matter how long it was, simply because I do care.) Here's the deal: politics are not usually about good vs. evil. It's more commonly an issue of wrong vs. wronger. I may deal with issues in politics, but I stay out of political party stuff on this blog. In my opinion, the most important things that a Christian can do to influence the government are to know and love God with every fiber of their beings, share the love of Christ at every opportunity, and pray consistantly and steadfastly for the leaders of this wonderful country. Then let the Holy Spirit do His job. (This is not something that I want to push on others. This is my own rule for my own blog.)
   
3. I strive to respect God's most precious creation. That would be people. It hurts me to see how many Christian bloggers, whether they are mommy bloggers, ministry bloggers, or just-for-fun bloggers, are willing to insult strangers in order to induce a laugh or provoke an emotional response. God made them. God loves them. Even if they are wrong, God longs to adopt them as His children. It isn't okay to mock them or treat them in any way that I wouldn't want to be treated. Anyone that God was willing to send His Son to save is precious enough to treat with kindness.
   
4. I want this blog to reflect the balance of life that I strive for in my personal life. This isn't a moral issue, but a way to keep things in perspective. I don't really want to be a mommy blogger, though I don't think that there is anything wrong with it, and I read many mommy blogs for fun. Sometimes I write about my kids. Sometimes I write about my relationship with God. Sometimes I write about issues that are burdening me at the time. I want to live a life of balance, and this blog acts as a good barometer to help me keep an eye on my priorities. I can only write about what I think about, so I can make sure that my thoughts are where they need to be simply by reading my own blog. Handy, huh?
   
5. Be honest, not stupid (again, speaking to myself). I want to be honest with you about my short-comings, mistakes, and hopes for the future. I don't want to force you to carry my burdens, and I don't want you to get the idea that I don't like me. I'm actually quite fond of me, even with all of my quirks and issues. There are people with whom I can be completely transparent, but this is not the place for that.
   
6. I am very careful about who/what I endorse. I haven't done any give-aways, in case you haven't noticed. I almost did one, until I clicked around the website and found some unrelated products with questionable messages. I am not willing to send you down a path that could eventually lead to temptation or bad theology. (I almost backed a children's book until I looked up some of the other books by the same author to discover that he has terrible theology in his books geared toward adults.) I am all for giveaways, and I want to tell you about products that I find helpful and good. My standards may be stupidly high, but I would much rather err on the side of caution.

That's about all. I have no intention of forcing my thoughts and beliefs on others. These are the rules that God has laid on my heart for my own blog. I'm grateful for His guidance, even in the little things.