Sunday, December 03, 2017

When there's nothing to write

Ever since Facebook came along, I've seen a lot of people stop blogging.  When I go a week or more without doing a blog entry, I wonder if I'm about to become one of those "former bloggers" on Facebook, but I forge ahead, mainly for my own benefit.  It's so handy to have a place to be able to find out when a certain thing happened; I do that often with the search feature of this blog.  For instance, when did Cliff have open heart surgery?  Several entries appear after a search, and almost any of them answer my question.  THIS ONE, from 2009, tells me it was three years before that was written (2006) when he had that surgery.  

So, the few readers I have left out there are subjected to a lot of mundane things.  There are still quite a few people who read my blog when I post a new entry on Facebook, and they comment there.  But the comments right here ON the blog are few and far between.  This bothers me not at all, by the way.  Oh, I used to count the comments in amazement, wondering how all those people found me.  These days, if nobody reads my drivel but Cliff and me, it's fine.  

I've just typed out two paragraphs and said nothing!  

There's my puppy, of course.  He's housebroke, and I don't cage him when we go someplace or at night.  There's a slight problem of his dribbling pee from excitement when we return home, but I've figured out that if I open the door and stay on the porch, he comes running to me and does his dribbling there.  It's a puppy thing, so he'll outgrow it eventually.  He will sit, stay, and come.  He will walk on a loose leash at my left side.  Oh yes, he will do these things... when we're in a vacuum.  IF there are no rabbits or cats or passing cars or horses running, he's a very smart puppy.  AND if there are no interesting smells in the grass to distract him.  Oh, by the way, he's being neutered Wednesday.  

Cliff only has to go have radiation two more times.  He'll be so happy to have that behind him.  There will be tests later along the way to make sure the radiation plus hormones have done and are doing their job, and I will try to post about that.  The daily grind of having to get in the car and drive so far has been unpleasant for him, since he isn't a big fan of travel and driving anyhow.  That's why I told him we'd skip going to church on Sundays so he wouldn't have to get up and go somewhere on that day, at least.  

And here I broach the subject of Cliff and church:  He didn't grow up going to church, and he'd rather not go.  After he retired, I mentioned that it shouldn't be a big deal for him to go to church with me, and he's done that for the past few years... but only for my benefit.  Oh, he likes the people, and he likes the fact that services don't take long (ha).  But that's about it.  I, on the other hand, grew up going to church three times a week.  And while that's a little much for me these days, I feel better going to church on Sundays.  My favorite part of church is the hymn-singing, and they sing a lot of the old hymns at the church we've been attending.  BUT...

Now that Cliff's daily drives to the city are about done, I'm not so sure I should go back to "making" him go to church just for me.  Perhaps I can handle "not going" more peacefully than he can handle having to go and take me.  At this stage of life, should anybody be forced to go to somewhere when he doesn't want to?  After all, I do have those Church-of-Christ CDs of the old hymns, sung acapella, and I can sing along with those here at home.  I can always pick up the guitar and sing my favorites, too.  

It's a conundrum.  

Have a great Sunday, won't you?  Maybe some of you will be singing one of my favorites today. perhaps "Blessed Assurance", or one of the other Fanny Crosby gems.  

Peace.

7 comments:

  1. For as long as I can remember I've gone to church. It's a matter of worship for me. As for Cliff, I can only pray that maybe after this ordeal it might be for him too. Church is more than just a building...it's the people. As we gather each Sunday it's so great to see those with the same beliefs worshipping and giving thanks together. Then there is the Lord's Supper when we partake of the bread of life. I hope you don't have to give up going to church, but Cliff shouldn't be made to go, but want to go.

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  2. There are other factors that make this a not-so-simple dilemma. Because I'm an introvert, I won't go alone because I might be forced to make small talk. Cliff is my buffer from all that. If he's there, I don't feel as though I have to make conversation. If he isn't, I'm alone in a crowd. You and I know why we go to church; Cliff doesn't get that, and never will. For years I rode to church with a friend who was also shy, and an introvert of sorts. We served as buffers for one another, and it worked great. That friend died, although I stopped going with her a long time before she died for various reasons. Cliff would gladly take me, drop me off, and pick me up. But I would rather stay home with him than do that.

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  3. Church going is a real personal issue, isn't it. My husband is an atheist so for our 41 years of marriage I've always gone to church alone... then with the children as they came along. I'm Catholic so church attendance is mandatory for me, thus no "decisions" about going or not. That makes it easier. For me anyhow. Keeping your husband in prayer as his radiation sessions come to an end. ~Andrea xxx

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  4. It's a very personal decision, but you can worship at your own house without going to an actual church. If it's partly the social aspect you enjoy, that's different. It sounds like Cliff would go for you, if it's important to you, but it also appears that you think staying home might be better for both of you. I spent my childhood and teenage years going to church and am a baptized and confirmed Episcopalian, but no longer a church goer. I know what you mean about blogging versus Facebook. I am Margaret Lite on Facebook, and write much more seriously and deeply on my blog. I need the release of expressing how I feel and what's really going on, so I doubt that I'll quit blogging.

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  5. Hi, Donna. I found your blog several years ago when we bought our mid-Missouri property in anticipation of retiring away from the urban chaos of the city. I searched for blogs written by Missouri women fairly close to my age from whom I could learn a few things about country living. Even though I had spent a great deal of my adult life in rural Wyoming, the experience of isolated living in the Rocky Mountain West is nothing like living in rural Missouri.

    I have learned plenty of things from you, but what keeps me coming back is your willingness and ability to tell a story. You can take off from a seemingly mundane event (or non-event) and keep your readers engaged. You share of yourself in a way that just gets to the nitty-gritty. Our differences would never divide us, because you're telling a story, not arguing a point.

    I hope you never stop blogging. I did, because I'm not the best storyteller, and my family (for whom the blog was meant) didn't read it.

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  6. church is in your heart. it doesn't have to be in a building or with lots of people. whatever way makes you happy, do it.

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  7. I guess I am a "seldom blogger." I'm trying very hard not to be a "former blogger." I still enjoy your posts so much, so I hope you keep on blogging! Gabe is very much like our Wilder, the English Setter. He is so smart and obedient until the bird dog in him kicks in. Then you can't get his attention away from whatever it is that has captured it -- usually a bird or a squirrel, of course. I use the search feature on my blog as well when I'm trying to remember when something happened.

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