I’ve noticed something over the past year or so that bothered me in the past but now I find kind of funny. If I see an incoming link to my blog, I will try to check where it was coming from and what caused the link. More often than not when someone links to my blog they will offer a disclaimer along the lines of, “I don’t agree with everything Sallie says, but I liked this post about….” I don’t really see this when people link to other blogs so I’m guessing for some reason people think that they have to be really clear that they don’t agree with me on everything. And yet they come here for some reason. I told David that I’m going to put a subheader on my blog title that says something like “The Christian woman’s guilty pleasure”. 🙂
Ok, so what’s my point. Karen remarked partially in fun and partially in seriousness on the spanking post, “Sallie, you DO like to stir the pot. don’t you?”
No, I do not. I do not stir the pot for the sake of stirring the pot. My goal in writing about these topics and initiating these discussions is not to create drama or controversy. It really is because I do like to hear what people think and find people fascinating in general. I also like the fact that I get to learn from a great cross section of wise and experienced women. I don’t stir to stir. I do like to peek in the pot, discuss the ingredients, and determine the best way to cook and serve the potted dish when it is done. KWIM?
Here is the difference put another way. I don’t post here to teach women how to clean out their closets. I don’t do these great posts with before and after pictures. I’m glad there are women who feel called to do that stuff because there is a need for it.
No, I don’t want to teach women how to clean their closets. I want to help women think about why their closet is a mess and what they can do to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
In the same way, I’m not here to persuade women to have one baby and baptize it. I do want women to think about why they have the children they do, why they baptize or don’t baptize them and why other lovely Christian women might make a different choice.
I’m not here to tell women whether to work, how to school their children, what to wear, and whether or not they should wear a doily on their head or put their hands in the air when they worship. I am here to encourage women to be convinced before God that they are doing His will and while taking every thought captive to God they are also taking every action captive to God. Have I arrived and do I do all these things perfectly? I certainly think not. But I enjoy the company of the women who gather here while I try to figure these things out in my own life.
So I’m offering this disclaimer: WARNING: THINKING WOMEN CONGREGATE HERE!!! 🙂
Caroline’s Current Obsession: Eloise Wilkin Stories
What’s so controversial? I don’t think I even gave an explanation at all when I started linking to you. I just slapped you on when rearranging my links. =)
In my book, this blog isn’t controversial for precisely this post. You’re not flinging opinionated arrows at others and daring them to face your wrath if they disagree with you. Those blogs are the ones I find controversial, and those are the ones I give a disclaimer about before I link to something on them.
Keep up the good work! =) But you certainly don’t need my approval or anyone elses…
Your non-judgemental philosophy is why readers of many diverse viewpoints feel welcome to come and speak here. Applause, applause!
I love this blog, because you are so authentic. Authenticity is so rare these days, but I know that’s exactly what I’ll find here. That’s why I keep coming back!
I don’t ever sense a desire to spark controversy here, just a desire to facilitate deep conversations about subjects that are important to women everywhere. Keep it up!
Sallie-
I wouldn’t consider your blog “controversial” by any means. Like myself, you enjoy thinking beyond whats for dinner and like inviting others to do so.
Erin
Agreeing with Katie B, and enjoying your blog! I think you are stirring good wholesome and nourishing ingredients into the pot.
It is good to give the simmering pot of delicious soup a stir here and there to distribute the flavors well keep it from scalding on the bottom.
I don’t leave comments often but I LOVE reading what you have to say! You’re great!
God bless,
Sallie
Sallie,
I love reading your blog, as with the other commenters. Your posts are well-thought-out, clear, and though provoking. Whenever you bring up something that is controversial, or could seem to be, you do a great job in stating why you believe what you do, and in my book, you just encourage others to THINK MORE. There are plenty of cooking, organizing, frugal blogs out there (of which I enjoy several), but I like your site because of your disclaimer – thinking women congregate here!
Feisty women can’t help but stir the pot. heh Stir away! It’s good for the circulation. 😉
Amen! I always find that your blog leaves me thinking about one topic or another…yet I never feel attacked…VERY REFRESHING!
This made me laugh! I adore your blog, Sallie! You are a bright spot on the web, and I always look forward to reading about whatever topic you are “stirring” (tee hee) up! Keep up the good work!
Sallie, I think you should change the name of your blog to “A Gracious Thinker”! 😉
I agree with Rocks in my Dryer! I was unsure when I first started coming here, but I found myself coming back. You make a body think. Your spam blocker drives me nuts and often I end up not commenting when I wanted to because it CHANGES if you taking a long time thinking through a post and if I don’t notice before I hit submit…the whole comment is gone. ARGH!!! That is frustrating, the content here posted is not. 🙂
(Blush) You all are so nice. Thank you. 🙂
Sallie, one if the reasons I read here and have linked to you is that you are a thinking woman….my favorite kind! Keep challenging us!
Sallie, I agree with the comment about the spam blocker. I’ve lost many comments because I get sidetracked when my kids need something. I’ll come back to finish it, hit “send”, and it tells me my math was wrong and everything disappears. It is really frustrating, although I understand why you use it.
Thank you for letting me know about the issue with the comments. Can you give me a rough idea of how long you are gone or wait before this happens? Ten minutes? Thirty minute? An hour? I’ll have David look at the code and see if there is some way to adjust it. There is no way I can take it off. When I’ve had it off during a redo the spam just FLOWS in. Or maybe I can see if there is a different plugin that will work better.
S: I’ve had that comment-posting problems several times in the past here. (think of the profound thoughts that never got posted…..! 😉 )
I pretty much always compose my comment to AGR on Microsoft Word, then paste it in here, so I won’t lose it before sending.
now that’s a good idea deidre…i have a note writer that I could use. hmmmm…. 🙂 thanks!
How long….I want to say 3 minutes or so…but it might be a tad bit longer than that. It’s shorter than 10 though. Probaby closer to 5-6.