Fiat Lux: One year later

I launched this blog one year ago today. I had never blogged before, but somehow managed to maneuver through the labyrinth of blogspot.com to get this out in the ethernet. 

My first blog entry was brief, and I wrote this: "I will post here from time to time items I find of interest, either in the church world or in the world at large, and I invite your conversation. Yes, this is no substitute for talking over a glass of your favorite beverage, so consider this to be a conversation starter."

That first post generated six comments.

Since then, there have been 367 posts in this space, including this one. In October, I added a counter, and since then there have been more than 20,000 views of this blog from all over the world and from every continent except Antarctica. Many of you have left comments (for those wondering how, click on "Comment" below each post). Many more of you have sent private emails or mentioned something in conversation about something you saw on the blog.

For me, I've enjoyed this immensely. My journalistic bones get their exercise by writing this blog daily, and I suspect I get more out of this than you do. I am especially appreciative of those who have sent me poems, essays and jokes for inclusion in Fiat Lux. Forgive me if I haven't used everything. There are days when a poem from Karen or joke from Bill or Pat have kept this blog up-and-running. Many mornings I have no idea what to put here until after I've read the papers and my email, and had a cup of coffee.

You may not have noticed: there is a related blog to this one where all of the poems on this blog are compiled in an easily accessible listing. You can reach that blog by clicking HERE or by clicking on the hand-and-pen icon on the left side of the screen.

I've tried to keep things simple; usually only one entry per day. On the left side of your screen are various links for causes and organizations that I support, and a blogroll of various blogs that I enjoy, not all of them church-related. This week I also added a link to the St. Paul's Memorial Church site on Facebook. From time-to-time there will be other additions, tweaks and improvements, and please send me your suggestions for others.

Some have asked about the name of the blog -- Fiat Lux -- which is Latin for "Let there be Light." The phrase comes from my personal mission statement, borrowed from the Song of Zechariah (Luke 1:68-79), quoted to the left at the top. And those with blue-and-gold toenails have also noted that Fiat Lux happens to be the motto of a certain large public university from which all Richardsons have graduated.

Thank you so much for following this blog, for your prayers and support and all of your comments. And, again, as I wrote at the outset, "this is no substitute for talking over a glass of your favorite beverage, so consider this to be a conversation starter."

Photo of Nepal sunrise, credit to REI.