Who & Why?

Just in case anyone is interested (what a hoot!), I thought I'd answer the burning question, who are you and why are you doing this?

I am Bob Spencer, I hale from the state of Maine (which, for those of you who may not know, happens to be in the far northeastern U.S., by the by), I am the husband of the lovely L., and father of the brave and strong N. and T. Also, I'm a follower of the Way, I attend a Vineyard church (charismatic, in case it matters to anyone), and I desire to be a faithful disciple of Jesus--who is my teacher, my friend, my brother, and my Lord.

So much for the who. Now for the why. I began blogging a few months ago on a whim. I didn't know if it would keep my interest for more than a week or two. As it turns out, I enjoy it very much. In some ways it fulfills the function of a private journal (though of course it is much more than that). In other words, its usefulness to me is on one level quite personal. It's my scratchpad. I am a writer by instinct, and my mind is working best when I am transferring its thoughts, which would otherwise be wayward and haphazard, into a written form.

That having been said, a blog is obviously more than a private scratchpad. No matter how few its readers, it is a public "document," and has a potential impact on others. I do not ignore this fact. As I have said many times here, I desire only to encourage my readers. This is not a place for personal rants (although I can rant with the best of them), political opinions (although I've got 'em), or cultural commentary. You won't find posts about the Super Bowl half-time show, the current elections in my country, or my favorite bands. Instead, you will find, I hope, encouragement. The guiding principle here is Hebrews 10:24--"And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds."

And that's it. I hope to bless you in some way, and I even hope to be blessed by you. Be of good cheer, for it is the Father's pleasure to give you the Kingdom.