Ganns gets it. He understands what we Christian bloggers are striving to be all about.

SUBJECT: The MereMadness Christian Blog Award Winners

Before anything else, I would like to say that every Christian blogger is a winner in my eyes, because when a person blogs for Christ, he blogs what is truly most worth blogging!

I’ll second that one Mr. Chairman!

Ganns started his award post while the blogosphere was in an uproar over other awards and issues, in one of the most gracious gestures I have ever seen.

Most Inspirational/Encouraging Blog. Posts Bible quotes, lessons, ideas and stories. Personal and motivational.
Craig Tanner. Avoiding Evil. Craig regularly posts Christian ideas and lessons, which serve to edify and help growing Christians like myself. I find his blog informative, yet not preachy. He also posts on what happens in his life, which lets me know that he’s human (he should be).

In the next category, I can understand why it was too hard to pick just one!

Most Educational Blog. Posts on Christian issues, ideas, commentary. Politics and apologia optional.
Mark Byron and David Heddle. He Lives (tie). Dr. Byron is that rare mix of high-brow intelligence and down-to-earth cheekiness. I love how he can make apologia so understandable, and reading the comment boxes that follow, only serves to edify me more. His “Edifier du Jour” is also very good.

When I was ill with a high fever and posted about seeing broccoli growing out of the walls, Paulo of How Now Brown Pau took the time to make a template of his blog with broccoli on it. I don’t know if he is aware of how wonderfully funny and identifying that was, and how grateful I was for his creative empathy.

Best Designed Blog. Attractive design, conveys blogger’s personality and uniqueness.
BrownPau. How Now Brownpau?. Pau’s site can upload more than 30 different skins, such that you get a new skin every time you refresh. I find this awesome. The little blurbs that accompany each refreshing are also witty and enjoyable. It truly reflects his relationship with God and how incredibly smart this fellow is. All them Dating Daan folks can shove it.

Mark Morris is a blogger who is definitely on his own quirky edge. I think perhaps because he has overcome so much, and because he has battled the seriousness of a biological panic disorder, he has learned to appreciate humour, his faith, and his own humaness in a warm and real way. Mark doesn’t suffer fools gladly.

Most Humorous Blog. Posts are witty, intended or otherwise. Elicits laughs, chuckles, groans on a regular basis.
Mark C. Morris. The Gospel According to Mark. Mark is a hilarious fellow. Other than Bene Diction, no one can link to the strangest news and issue such hilarious, biting commentary. He’s also about to get married, so consider this an early wedding gift, bro.

Irene looks at life with a rare balance. I’m facinated by her world view, and find her personal posts on Malaysia far better than any geography lesson or travelogue.

Most Introspective Blog. Posts emotional, thought-provoking text. Personal and family life optional. The Musings of Irene Q. Irene speaks her mind, and this can be a boon (or bane, depending on who reads her blog). I find her insights fresh and real, and am often amazed by her thoughts on her life and faith. Hers is a journey that I am honored to be witnessing.

Giving all the leap blogging I do, I confess I’ve missed this one. The great thing about the MereMadness Awards is an opportunity for all us to find new blogs.

Most Feeding Frenzy Blog. Interesting comment boxes, great discussion.
Esteban DaCubanGuy. Bakura.org. Esteban is very, very firm about his beliefs, and will stand up for them. Sometimes, the discussion can get heated, but I don’t think it’s so much out of closed-mindedness as much as it is the desire to stand up for what one believes in, and it is that spirit that I think makes him a great Christian who refuses to let the world sway him.

I recently had the opportunity to introduce Blabbin’ with Elijah to MereMadness, and am so pleased to see this category in Ganns post.

Most Enjoyable Filipino-Christian Blog
Keren. Keren. Keren’s development in the faith was something that I’ve enjoyed for quite some time. Her contains her comments on her faith, her school life, her years… she is a young Christian growing into a strong Christian woman, and I give praise to God for making Himself manifest in her life.

And you’ll have to link up to Mere Madness for his most favorite blog of 2002.

So, who is Bene Diction?

Just a blogger.
One of my all time favorite childrens books is ‘You are Special’ by Max Lucado. It’s about the wooden people called the Wemmicks. They plaster each other with stickers that stick.
Stars for pretty, dots for ugly. Stars for talent, dots for Wemmicks that don’t shine. Stars for smart, dots for those who aren’t high achievers. Stars for good. Dots for not being a good wooden person.
Punchinello didn’t get stars, just dots. He was so discouraged and ashamed by all the dots plastered on him, he hid. He meets a Wemmick that had no dots or stars stuck to her and she tells him to go to the wood carver. She went to see the wood carver every day.

You get the idea. Ganns gets it too.
Bene Diction is a blog that I try to make a safe place for atheists, catholics, protestants, orthodox, denominations, westerners, easterners, and dwellers in the southern and northern hemispheres.
It is a blog of information from a citizen of the world, a member of the human race, and a person who has been to the cross.
It is a blog where ideologies of left, right, centre, liberal, conservative, neo, have little room to stick.
It is an ageless blog where there are no boomers, seniors, genX, or tweeners. Po-mos, or traditionalists stickers aren’t a big deal here.
It is a blog where I strive to see you are listened and linked to, where my personal identity stickers (married, single, divorced, kids, no kids, ambitions, economic tally, gender, job, stuff) take back seat to your worth and value.
Bene Diction is a meta-blog.
Bene Diction is a ‘brand name’ blog.
Here, stickers are dignity, respect, worth, avoiding loshun hora, value, and grace for other bloggers and readers.
And when I fail in this, there are wonderful people like Ganns and you to lift me up and blog along side.

So who is Bene Diction?
I’ll continue to leave you wondering about my age, sex, looks, and all that jazz ’cause maybe, just maybe, I’m sky blue light pink with black stars and purple polka dots.