Navel gazing, Africa, and blogging

I've been wanting to do a post like this for some time now. You know, why do I blog, what's the point, why I blog what I do. And then someone recently left a comment on one of my old posts that ended with these words: "then maybe you should just feel lucky, rather than navel gazing and wondering why you aren't a poor starving African." So I decided to go for it.

I fully had to look up the term "navel gazing" because I had no clue what it meant. (Surely they didn't mean me literally staring at my navel--I've birthed two babies and I can assure you it is NOT a pretty sight--or site!) Then I had to laugh, because I think a lot of blogs are for the PURPOSE of navel gazing, so you probably shouldn't read them if you don't like hearing other peoples' introspections or reflections.

Here's a little secret about my blog--are you ready for this? I'm not saying anything here that people aren't saying better on any number of blogs. My whole reason for taking up blogging in the first place was to chronicle our sons' adoption from Ethiopia. There were very few Ethiopian adoption blogs at that time, so then I wanted to be a resource for others in-process. Now there are TONS of blogs by Ethiopian adoptive parents. My sons' adoptions are complete. I'm well aware that my written words are not particularly unique or overly important. But I continue blogging because it's fun. It makes the world smaller. I'm addicted to my friends' blogs.

And I blog what I know. You won't find stuff like crafts or artwork or political opinions or celebrity gossip on here because those aren't things I can write about. (Sadly) I'm not crafty, I'm a terrible artist, politics drives me nuts, I'm not really enamored with celebrity culture. I'm a wife, a homemaker, I have four small children, two are adopted, I spent a week in Ethiopia, I love Jesus, I like to read. So I post about my life, my thoughts, my kids, Africa.

I do feel quite "lucky" to have been born into the comforts of America. I also feel a responsibility to help those that were not blessed in this way, to be real and open about what is reality for so many people in our world. (Because most of us are pretty sheltered, myself included.) Two of my kids were born into this reality, so I don't really have the whole option of just forgetting about it. When we watch old videos of my daughter being born and my son asks why we don't have a video of HIS birth, I don't get to just turn off my brain and emotions. When my daughter asks why my sons' birth mom couldn't keep them and who is helping her while she's sick, I have to come up with an answer. Maybe my blog IS too introspective, but that's why you don't have to read it. Maybe part of why I feel the need to work through some of life's questions is because my kids are asking them, and they're asking me.

I can assure you our home is filled with laughter, joy, and fun. No one sits around wringing their hands over why we were born here and not there. A day or two will go by where there's no mention of Africa. But hopefully we're fostering a sense of compassion in our children and teaching them to care about others and to thank God for His provision in their lives. And that if we see somebody (or millions of somebodies) in need, instead of worrying about or debating it to death, to take action and pray and give of our resources. You can sit and complain about world hunger or the AIDS crisis all day long, but unless you're ultimately seeking to meet those needs, you're wasting your time.

The comment itself didn't bother me, I just wanted to take the opportunity to address what my blog is, and what it isn't. One last thing--the other part of the comment was suggesting that life is left to chance, that maybe there is no God. I don't consider this to be a "religious blog" in the sense that I'm not purposing to evangelize anybody. A lot of people read it who are NOT Christians. As for myself, I DO put my hope in Jesus Christ. I DO have faith and hope that one day, all will be made right. And that God's in the process of making things right today.

So I'll keep "adding to the noise", and you can keep reading if you like.

Voice, thanks for sharing your perspective. Hopefully this better explains mine.