A couple of days ago I wrote a post about a pretty big happening here at my house, but the story wasn't mine. I posted it, right here on my public blog (I keep a private blog with all of my journal entries and this public one for when I want to share). As I prepared to go to bed, I felt extremely unsettled, like things were not ok. I kept remembering a time when I listened to a lady in church share her daughter’s sins during Sunday School. Her daughter was 16 and it was a terrible tragedy that her mother would treat her private stories as though they were the simple potty-training issues of a three year old. I vowed I would always remember that instance and never betray my child’s confidence in that way.
So, was the post a betrayal? I wasn’t sure. It was my daughter's story and she is only six, just a step beyond the toddler years, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it just shouldn’t be displayed here. After crawling into bed, and after considering the fact that I did pray for guidance on this issue, and maybe, just maybe I shouldn’t be ignoring this feeling…I got up, turned my computer on again, and deleted the post. For memories sake, it’s great to have; for online entertainment, not so much.
Today as I read a few of my past journal entries to my kids, the ones that had to do with them, I was surprised at their reactions. Ava did not want to hear hers…not the one about that day anyway. Andrew LOVED hearing all of his, and Ethan got teary eyed when I read one about him from Valentine’s Day. He was embarrassed that his siblings heard it, even though they were there for the whole thing. Boy was I grateful I hadn’t posted that one publicly!
Yes, it was a wise and loving Heavenly Father that sent His Holy Spirit to inspire me to do what was right for His children. They are getting older, and though I love to write about them, what I write and share needs to be about me…not their private lives.
It was interesting that something so small was really a rather large lesson in growth for me. I was being tempered and tested as to whether I would accept guidance and correction when it was offered. I desire so much to have that direction in my life and the only way I'm going to benefit, is if I am willing to listen. I’m grateful to have taken that first step toward maturity and to have had the wisdom to recognize from whence it came.
2 comments:
Hi there!
Good to hear from you on my blog and to catch up w you on yours. Thanks for this post. It's a good reminder, and a motivation for me to really start a private blog to keep record of the things I DON'T post on my blog. I often don't blog at all because my husband is on the computer in grad school all the time and I don't have time on the computer to edit my pics and create witty posts for the world to see, but i often have thoughts or memories I want to quickly jot down somewhere that don't seem blog worthy... anyway, great to see how you all are!
oh, and fauxcalpoint is me, Shannon. I didn't realize my husband was logged in, not me :)
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