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Blogging with beauty when you're loud and tactless

Captain’s Log, Stardate 07.25.2006

I'm gone to RWA National conference: This might be my last post for the rest of the week, depending on if I can get internet access at my hotel.

Blog book giveaway:
My Thursday book giveaway is WEB OF LIES by Brandilyn Collins.
My Monday book giveaway is BE MY NEAT-HEART by Judy Baer.
You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. I won’t be drawing a winner this Thursday, but on Monday, July 31st, I'll draw the winner for BE MY NEAT-HEART and post the title for another book I'm giving away.

Blame Mary: My beautiful friend Mary DeMuth is hosting a “Carnival of Beauty” on Wednesday. I’m not really sure what that means, but she asked me to join so I said “Cool!”

The theme is “The Beauty of Blogging.” Now blogging I could talk about all day! Blogging is beautiful for people like me who can’t shut up.

Maybe it’s ego-centric. I mean, blogging is uncensored, unedited writing/ranting/complaining/crowing/cheering/jeering/crying. It is self-publishing in all its glory and/or shame.

But I also firmly believe that a good blog has a theme. And while there are many themes which overlap, each blogger is unique in how he/she treats that theme.

For example, say my blog theme is chocolate. I will expound on calorie count, complain about the texture of chocolate chip ice cream, and support the truly dark stuff because it’s somewhat healthy for you (seriously!). Diann Hunt will say it’s the new food group.

Isn’t that our individual beauty as bloggers? We take our blogs and write our different outlooks on life and our faith. We are all members of Christ’s body.

I am quite happy being, say, a mole on Jesus’ chin. Or maybe His fourth toe (No one ever talks about the toes in-between the big one and the little one).

Yes, if you haven’t guessed by now, I am loud, Asian, and not very reverent. But there is beauty in me and in my blog posts somewhere. (Sort of. Maybe.)

(Can you tell I have an obsession with parentheses?)

Some bloggers (many of them my friends—go figure!) have truly beautiful blog posts. Rich and spiritual, raw and transparent.

I am rather prickly, sometimes stupid, and usually ready to laugh at myself when I’m not wondering what the heck happened.

Is it too arrogant to think that there is the beauty of Christ in my blog posts? He gave me my rather tactless personality, and He often gives me the words to write (so I can blame Him, right? Right?). He also often gives me the words to pray (which I do every Sunday here on my blog, if you’d like prayer).

So, I guess I have to have a point for this blog post.

You are beautiful because you’re you. I am beautiful because I’m me. Our blogs are beautiful because we are Christ’s children.

And if your blogs are thought-provoking and point others to Christ, while mine usually elicit a “Huh?” or a snort/guffaw, well . . .

Jesus laughs, right?
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Comments

Heather Diane Tipton said…
Camy, trust me, you are beautiful... And I think I know enough about you to know that with out a doubt. You're beautiful inside and out, and that spill over into your blog. And those prayers... you know I LOVE those.

Love you, girlie! Have fun at RWA!
Tue Jul 25, 10:39:00 PM 2006
Gina said…
Have a good time.
You're so fun. Love your blog.
Tue Jul 25, 11:10:00 PM 2006
Erin said…
- I think I have found a kindred spirit with foot-in-mouth disease.
- I DEFINITELY snorted and guffawed.
- So nice to meet you through our mutual Mary-friend.
- I am addicted to hyphens.
Wed Jul 26, 07:57:00 AM 2006
Sarah said…
I love this post. :) I'm Asian too, not too loud in person, but not very reverant either. Sometimes I feel bad about it but reading your blog about it makes me feel better!
Wed Jul 26, 08:16:00 AM 2006
Gina Conroy said…
Can I be the loud Italian chick that writes loud Italain suspense, momlit or whatever will sell?:)

Isn't blogging great for us loud chicks. It truly keeps us in check and out of lots of trouble. Check out my Beauty of blogging Carnival post! It might make you smile!
Wed Jul 26, 08:40:00 AM 2006
~michelle pendergrass said…
Prickly. That is a good, descriptive word. I've used bold, brasen, hard, harsh, rough and even outspoken to describe myself...but prickly...that's a good one!

I'm glad I joined in the Carnival of Beauty. This is my first and yours is the first entry I've read. Love it! :)

(I love them, too) (parentheses, silly!)
Wed Jul 26, 08:42:00 AM 2006
Unknown said…
Great thoughts! I, too, am loud (in person) and probably tactless, but God has refined my writing somewhat, so that I'm not as loud (in fact, sometimes I may seem to have a downright quiet spirit). So, maybe my blogging self is more easily tamed than my face to face self. Hmmm. (I like paretheses, too--and dashes--I love dashes).
Wed Jul 26, 09:22:00 AM 2006
Geekwif said…
Oh, He definitely laughs...probably snorts and guffaws too. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if He let out a big boo-ah-ha-ha belly laugh now and then. We were made in his image after all.

Hope you have fun at your conference!

BTW, I got the book and I can't wait to start reading it! Thanks!
Wed Jul 26, 05:44:00 PM 2006
Heather Ivester said…
Ooh...a blog with a chocolate theme -- I'm in good company here. The dark chocolate is definitely good for you -- I agree! :)
Wed Jul 26, 06:37:00 PM 2006
Ruth said…
Hope you're having a great week, Camy! And this was a great post -- really enjoyed your thoughts as always. :)
Wed Jul 26, 06:48:00 PM 2006
Susanna said…
Well, we are certainly all different, and yes, God made us the way we are for a reason. Sometimes I wish I could be more outspoken...........but then I'd probably land myself in all sorts of trouble!
Thu Jul 27, 04:41:00 AM 2006
Tempest Knight said…
Enjoy your trip to Atlanta! *g*
Thu Jul 27, 07:44:00 PM 2006
Delia said…
Camy girl, I hope you're having a blast!

We miss you!

Oh, and this time...I hope you took your video camera!
Fri Jul 28, 11:04:00 AM 2006
Unknown said…
I so enjoy your blog. About chocolate...my husband and I use to own a candy store where we hand made and dipped our own chocolates. Nestle is definitely the best and for low calorie and high anti-oxidant, go for the dark chocolate. Did you know there is no chocolate in white chocolate?
Fri Jul 28, 04:19:00 PM 2006
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