Reading and Ragging

I learned this past weekend how very intimidating this blogging thing can be for me. I spent the weekend at a family wedding (why do weddings and funerals bring out the best in families and the worst in families?) and was more than a bit surprised when Becky and Brian, our two oldest, started ragging on me about the blog. I wasn’t surprised by the ragging – they’re both good at it and I keep providing them lots of material to work with – but it put a whole new lens on these blogs having them as part of the audience.
You get very little feedback about who reads these posts so it’s easy to imagine – and I often do – that I’m writing to this admiring audience who hang on my every word (see what I mean about material for ragging). And many people reading this don’t really know me or else have formed opinions of me from others. But few have gone through the peaks and valleys of my life like Becky and Brian. They have seen the eye of the storm of my anger (“Jack moments”), the tears of my complete failures (divorce and job loss), my unrealistic expectations (why can’t a 10 year old kid repeatedly field rocket shot ground balls hit by a maniac), my crazed competitiveness (life long Yankee fan – enough said), and much, much more.
Knowing they might be reading this notches up the honesty factor – I’m now sharing this with two of the most important people in my life and I owe them nothing less than my best effort at honesty and humility. And it reduces the “what a nice guy” posing factor – I can’t hide behind that façade as easily with them in the front row.
I intend these posts to be one way for me to grow in my faith and, at the same time, share my faith journey with others. There are few people more important for me to share it with than you guys. I hope you guys will keep reading and keep ragging.