Hello!
Welcome to my world. I want to thank you for taking the time to visit my site.
This is my first attempt at blogging, and before I go any further, I want to set the foundation of my site by telling you about myself, why I chose to to set up this site, and explain some of my "ground rules".
A description of who I am will help you understand my perceptions of life and my views.
I am a white male in my late fifties, I have been married to the same beautiful woman for nearly 40 years, and I have blessings of two children and three grandchildren.
I am a Protestant Christian, practicing my faith as a Methodist. I became a Christian in my younger adult life, and continue to learn, grow, and struggle in the understanding of my relation with God and Jesus,and my faith.
My education has been less academic, and more "hard knocks". I am not a college graduate, however I did graduate from high school, and have taken numerous community college courses over the years to assist in my personal and professional growth. I served in the military as a member of the California Army National Guard for 10 years.
I am a regular Facebook user, and find the experience very enjoyable. I have many friends who are family and friends from school and other acquaintances I have met over the years.
What I am discovering is that my family and friends have a great diversity of opinions, views, and beliefs, some with which I agree, and some of which I do not. For the most part, my friends do not spend a lot of time expressing their views on politics and religion, while others seem to make it their primary goal to express their views at every opportunity.
I see my Facebook page as a place to celebrate our common joys, concerns, and experiences despite our different cultural, political and social backgrounds, and for the most part part my friends seem to do that. When I find people where the entire contents seem to be of their political, religious, lifestyle views, or causes, I find it difficult to engage them as a "friend", and over time generally tend to unfriend them.
Although I have expressed my political and religious on Facebook, I have tried to keep it to a minimum. However, once in a while, some will make a statement, or will ask for support for a cause for which I do not agree with, and I feel strongly enough about the topic, and I will engage them in debate. Unfortunately these engagements sometimes develop into lengthy threads that resolve nothing, and detract from the reasons I like to be on Facebook.
Therefore, I have created this blog a place where I can express my personal views and beliefs, views on current events, and comments which Facebook friends will post from time to time. I will send an invitation to my closest circle of Facebook friends and family to follow my blog, but anybody is invited.
I will no longer post or comment on any political, religious, or other posting related to causes or agendas on Facebook. If there is a posting that I feel strong enough to comment on, I will post my comment on this blog. I will not let anybody know if I am responding to a comment, so if they want to know, they will have to come and see for themselves.
If you have a topic unrelated to a posting on Facebook, and just feel the need to get something off your chest, feel free to come on in!
If someone does respond to my blog, I will promise you this; my responses will be honest, and respectful. All I ask of responders is that you do the same.
My questions or comments will not be judgmental, or to challenge or change your opinion or beliefs, but to help me better understand them. Here, we can agree to disagree, and after a challenging debate, maybe you will change my mind, but then again, maybe I will change yours!
Spirited debate eagerly anticipated! Talk to you soon!
