Well…here I am…my first post written here at WordPress.  It feels weird to be writing here considering thefact that I have been with Typepad for over two years.  But I still have not “officially” moved here yet, but it is looking like I will.  I am still calling WordPress my “lake cabin”…for the time being. 

I think I have the blogroll completed and my favorite websites done.  I am still tinkering with the design yet.  So far I am liking what I am seeing with WordPress…and the best thing is that it is free (unlike Typepad).  I know Typepad is doing some work upgrading their site, and maybe I am just impatient during this time.  But it also might be that I can still do my ministry in the blogosphere without paying for a blogging service.  So I guess you can call my move here good stewardship (leave it to a pastor to find something theological in nearly everything).

Ramp project
The ramp project here at Salem is off and running.  The contractor arrived yesterday (Monday) and removed the railings.  Today they are tearing down the windbreak wall near the main door (I will post some pictures later).  I knew this project was coming for some time, but part of me was feeling a little nervous and uneasy as they started “destroying” the ramp.  Doesn’t make sense does it? 

So…with all this going on we are in the process of transforming the fellowship hall (downstairs) into a makeshift sanctuary.  And we kickoff our worship move this Sunday with our congregational meeting and potluck.  It is bad enough being upstairs in worship smelling the food that is downstairs.  Now we will be within 10 feet of the food.  Can you say “distraction”?

Well…I think that will do it for my first WordPress post.  I will be deciding by the end of the week if I will be making this move permanent.  But like I said it is looking like this will be my new home.  I apologize for the inconvenience.  It is like changing ones email address and asking people to change their contact information for you.  Anyway…thanks for stopping by over here and I hope to “see” you soon.

Take care.

-edh-

Wow…number 200 is here…hard to believe.

I began this blogging adventure on May 4, 2006.  At that time I was mostly excited about having a "web site" for people to read.  I really didn’t have a real focus or purpose and that would eventually bite me in the butt.

I had grand plans, though, that people from the congregation I serve would take breaks at work to read the beautiful devotions I would provide for them.  I had visions of people reading something I wrote and then responding — engaging in a faith conversation with me.  I was excited.  For the first three months I wrote an average of 21 posts per month.  But as the months went by it became clear that the only regular readers of my blog were my mom and sister.  I began to doubt MY ability and started to lose interest.  August’s total was 12 posts and then it dropped to 6 in September and down to 4 in December.  I began to comtemplate ending my blog and moving on.

But in March of 2007 something happened.  I had just finished a two weekend evangelism trainging school in the NW Iowa synod.  When I returned home I started processing the evangelism school in relation to my call and ministry and how I could be a better evangelist.  I then started to realize what I had been doing wrong with my blog.  I didn’t have a real focus, but more importantly…I was being selfish.  I was writting this blog for me and definitely not for the glory of God (even though I gave that outward impression).  So I started some re-tooling and re-focusing.  This blog needed to be an evangelism tool.  And things began to change.  I found a new energy in blogging because for the first time I realized that I am no gifted writer (I know, I know…hard to believe), but I am not.  Now…instead of trying to impress people with my so-called ability I began writing for God…to glorify him.  Now I post an average of 15 times per month with no signs of slowing down.  Now…instead of searching my brain for something to write, it comes from the heart.  Hence the title of this blog (ironic isn’t…that I start writing from my brain and not the heart).

Anyway, 200 posts down and hopefully many, many more to go.  I feel I have grown in my faith and in how I reflect upon the world around me.  I hope I have been faithful in sharing the Gospel in the best way I can.  I hope I have not been selfish.  I have met new people through this strange world we call the blogosphere.  And I feel I have developed relationships with people I haven’t even met face to face.  Two hundren posts ago I had no idea any of this would happen.  But our God is ever so amazing and faithful…and for that I am thankful.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.  Thank you for challenging me and encouraging me.  And if you are reading this blog for the first time…welcome and I so glad to "meet" you.

God bless!
-edh-

My wife and I went to an eye opening forum last night.  It was a MySpace safety forum.  Rick Anderson, a retired cop from St. Paul and currently working with Internet Safety Consulting, LLC,presented this forum on Internet safety and our children.  He spoke with the kids during school and then the adults in the evening.  Even though I was aware of some of the dangers our kids face on-line I was still amazed at what our kids are doing on-line and how vulnerable they are.  Rick brought us to some chat rooms under an alias he uses to police chat rooms — an 18 year old girl.  Within minutes of signing on we had about 10 guys wanting to chat and view his web cam.  He warned us that some pornographic material may pop up with these web cams and said he would removed them as fast as he could (nothing ever did pop up that was offensive).  He said that is one way our kids can easily stumble across sexuality explicit material.  Rick also talked about parents watching very closely at what our kids put on the Internet.  Anyone can pull images off and use information to stalk and seduce our children.  He also shared some horror stories that really got our attention.

If you want some more information about these issues, check out Rick’s website (which I linked to above). He shares a lot of resources to help us keep the Internet a safe place for our children.  The site shares links for various resources such as cyberbullying, Internet monitoring software for the home, and places where you can report suspected abuse.  The Internet is an important tool for children (and everyone) but it can also be very dangerous.

So because of the danger of predators being able to pull images off any web site and use them for child pornography, I have decided to remove my photo albums of my niece and nephew from my blog.  I enjoy showing them off to the world, but I am not willing to put them at risk.  I wish I was more conscience of this before and hopefully nothing will come of it.  My niece and nephew mean the world to mean and it would just devastate me if anything would happen to them.  So please watch your kids and talk to them.  Ask them what they are doing on-line and don’t let them be a victim.

Times are definitely different from when I grew up.  "Internet safety" was not even part of our vocabulary.  But as adults today, we have to keep up if we hope to protect our children and prepare them for the world.  Take the time to keep up — our futures depend on it.  God bless and have a great day. -edh-