To blog or not to blog: that is the question.

The definition of a blog is this: A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who keeps a blog is a “blogger.” Blogs are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog.

My confusion about blogging comes when I begin to write. Am I writting to myself or to you, the casual surfer who stops by on the way to get a haircut or to me, the person who is still trying to make sense out of life in general.

In my old Fourth Edition Prentice-Hall Hanbook for Writers, “person” is defined like this:

Person. The form of a pronoun and verb used to indicate the speaker (first person—I am); the person spoken to (second person—you are); or the person spoken about (third person—he is).

I guess in writting a blog, I am really in the process of opening up my thoughts to more than myself. Instead of strickly journaling (writting in whatever form I feel confortable with—just to chronicle my day or week or process) I am actually telling a story. That, I guess, is because your are there.

Don’t get me wrong, it is nice that you are there or at least the intimation that you might be just around the corner. Peaking in—invited no doubt—but out there somewhere in time and space.

It is really more about being consistant—getting in the habit of putting my thoughts down—however scattered they may be at times.

But heretofore, blogging for me has been mostly about the ride and not about the person taking the ride.

All of that to say: today’s blog will be just a little more spiritual than eventful, if you know what I mean.

My wife and I started last year, 2006, with a ten day Daniel fast, so named after the bible person who asked to be given nothing but vegetables for a ten day period. His other choice was the king’s spicy foods: mostly meats, cheeses and wines.  The test was not to be defiled by the kings choice foods (probably more like a feast every night) and whether or not Daniel and his friends would look heathier after this time than all the rest. If they didn’t, the guy looking out after them would get his head chopped off and so on and so forth.

When we did this fast last year, we were able to withstand some serious stuff that came our way during January and February and not get ship wrecked or worse. The principle in scripture is that by humbling yourself (in this case denying yourself that big steak and potato) you will be exalted. In layman’s terms it means that when we get weak in the flesh (you try to get full by just eating salad) the spirit of God will get strong in you.

When you don’t focus on eating, you would be surprised at how much time you really have.

Anyway, the point is that when we start to feel that our lives are lacking direction, focus or substance, it’s time to re-calibrate. And one of the most effective ways I have found to do this is to break up the routine a bit by fasting.

And it really works. This year it only took one day to find out the effectiveness of being “weak” in the flesh. A stituation that came my way and could have been very stressful, was rendered a mere occurance by the feeling that someone other than me was in control.

And that’s the point and the balance of life. Our bodies were certainly made to do a lot more than constantly digest food. Giving them a break every now and then is a healthy and might I add “spiritual” practice. Why I don’t “exercise” in this way more often baffles me. I mean when we take away the reward of food or a nice glass of wine after a hard day, what is there left of life.

The truth is: a lot more!