I used to journal all the time, and it really helped.

I was able to process through all the random thoughts rolling around in my head (a small miracle!). If I was stressed, I wrote about it. And generally, I'd feel a lot better once I'd regained perspective. If I had a new theological insight I was pondering, I could write out my thoughts and reason through it much more clearly. If I was upset or confused or doubting, journaling made me reason directly with God. It seemed that when I would write out my questions and frustrations to Him, most of my worries suddenly seemed silly. I would know the answer to my question before I could finish writing the sentence. It was therapeutic.

And then I started blogging.

I never intended for it to replace journaling, but it has. A "blog" is supposed to be an online journal. A "web log." A diary for all the world to see. But it's a rather difficult thing to pull off and I'm not sure I've come across a true personal online journal. This blog certainly is not one. How do you write out your thoughts and not alter it in some way knowing that other people are going to open your journal and read it?

And so, instead, we use blogging to share our thoughts on a particular subject, give our our perspective on life, keep people informed about something (www.addingasmith.blogspot.com), or to sell things. By the way, I think these are totally legit and good reasons to blog. I follow about 60 blogs myself...none of which are actually journals.

I'm not sure how to pull off a true online journal, but I'm thinking of giving it a whirl. I'd have to leave things out, of course. Names, for instance. Or awkward situations with people who read my blog. And I know that I even as I write this sentence, I'm probably altering it some way because I know people are going to read it. But I need to get back to actual journaling...for my own sake.

I realize I could just pick up my old journal and start writing again, and I have. But I think there's a lot of value in reading what other people are thinking, so I'm going to put it out there. I think. We'll see how this goes...