Yestersday the Baptist e-sweep sent unsuspecting people to my corner of the 'Food Court' and having looked at the stats for yesterday, I guess quite a few came for a peep.  Special thanks to Anne for her generous and encouraging comments.  It made me think a bit about blogging (I do from time to time, when I'm not just writing reams of stuff) and what I might want to say to someone setting out into this way of reflecting and sharing.

The first and foremost thing has to be that you own the blog, it doesn't own you.  It sounds obvious but lots of people end up feeling guilty because what they write is not ever so erudite or because they get 'bloggers block' or they just get fed up and want to do something else.  I suspect blogging has a natural lifetime and I'm quite surprised after almost two years that I haven't got bored of it, but maybe that's because, at least most of the time, I feel I do own it.

Be respectful - a bit careful not only what you say but how you say it. it sounds obvious, but once the 'save' or 'send' button has been pressed it's gone and out of your control.  I try to avoid using names of people or churches and usually disguise them when I do.  Now and then I regret the comments I leave - we're all fallible, and blogging reflects that.  So if you later regret something, well don't beat yourself up over it.

Be careful with pictures pinched from the web - we all do it, but there are some money-hungry folk out there who use software to track down their images and send you bills.  I have no problem paying for things that are for sale but it's easy to get caught out.  That said, most people are lovely, would work out you are not costing them any money, are maybe giving them free advertising (e.g. images of book covers) and an acknowledgement of sources goes a long way. there are also some good sources of free or cheap stockphotos (see Tim Hyde's blog for details)

Comments can be wonderful - a great way to have a discussion with other people - and most people are incredibly generous and gracious.  Now and then we all get abusive or spam comments; I delete these, other people find that the frequency and nature causes them to restrict or close commenting.  Some blog platforms have security features to guard against spam.

Have fun!  Don't feel that this has to be "a blog about deadly serious theology" (or whatever) all the time (or any of it).  Share jokes, holiday photos, children's antics, pet's foibles, even what you had for tea!  Take a few risks now and then - but stay in control, and always try to be respectful.  Just like our preaching, our blogging is a 'face of Jesus' that people see.  I'd like to hope that we present a tolerant, respectful, generous, engaging, humourous, risk-taking, issue-contemplating, not taking itself too seriously, generally loving (ever getting cool fizzing)* image.

* Giving my age away there!!