Blogged! and Self Reflections

That's the title I've chosen for my books of blogged posts that I'm formatting ("Blogged!"...not the 2nd part). I recently discovered a website that uploads your blog (including the pictures) and lets you have it printed (for a price, of course). The website is Blurb and they have a lot of great ideas for books. I guess they are one way to get yourself published if you can't find anyone else interested in your work.

Anyway, I don't imagine that my book of blog posts is going to hit the market anytime this century. I'm only ordering one book of each. But if any of you ever wanted to create a memory book or similar, they have it set up that other people can order the book if they want it.

I am putting my posts into books by year. Since I started in October of '06, the first volume will have 2006 and 2007. It has 200 pages! 2008 is a bit shorter. As I was going through the first one, I came across several little things the kids had said or done that I'd forgotten all about. I look forward to the kids reading about themselves years down the road from now. We'll have our own family scrapbook!

I figure between the blog, my journal and the scrapbook pages I print, we'll have a fairly decent record of our family's adventures.

I've decided that it's also going to be a bit humbling as I look back at my writing over the years. I don't imagine there is anyone that reads my blog that doesn't understand I'm a bit opinionated. In some ways, my blogging has been a valuable outlet for my frustrations and angry feelings. Sometimes I haven't used it in the best way and lashed out at others under the protection of the computer screen.

I've been thinking of this for a while now. I've finally decided to let go of the grudges and attitudes that haven't been doing me any favors. It's going to be a little difficult to change life-long habits so abruptly, and I imagine I may struggle a bit, but I hope it will lighten the mood I often let myself brood in. There are a lot of things that have happened in my life that I might have the right to be upset about, but I've done a lot of things that aren't so great as well. So I'm trying to be a better and nicer (to be around) person.

I know many people won't believe I'm sincere or that I can do it. Those are probably the people I've offended the most. I don't blame them for being skeptical. And I can't do anything to make them change their opinion of me, other than try to be better. I hope that they will eventually forgive me and allow damaged relationships to heal.

All I really want right now is a lighter heart, a happier family and an increased testimony in spiritual things. Those things only come from me, though. So I'd better get to work!