Good places to be

Ahem.

I confess I’m quite fond of the 2007 Canadian Blog Awards beaver button settled on the sidebar, the little critter waving the flag has just enough of a glint in his eye, and just a wry enough smile to remind me of how much fun blogging can be.

The organizers of The Canadian Blog Awards are bloggers, their experience doing blogging has kept a sense of community that can be lost in the vast commercial ventures on the intertubes; they put in a lot of hours and take a lot of flack. I commend them and thank them for the effort they put in to showcase this medium.

The instructions last year when BDBO received the button for 3rd in the religious category in The Canadian Blog Awards were that the button was to come down when this years awards took place.

I was going to miss that critter button because it has personally been a happy reminder of the larger conversation and of who really matter here at BDBO – blogging peeps and readers.
I like 3rd, it’s just the right place for this blog to be; there is no pressure to entertain, perform, be religious or wise or right. And so, with gratitude, may I say thank you!
I don’t have to ditch that critter button just yet.

I burst out laughing when I saw the Canadian Blog Award Religion/Philosophy announcement post for a couple of reasons.
While it will take awhile for diverse faith groups in Canada to find the awards, this year was a good step forward.
I laughed because we are a modest group, while all the awards and votes aren’t posted yet, the religion/philosophy categories total number of votes are small. This category may come in with the lowest voting total of all. Very Canadian. Some great blogs were nominated this year, and I hope they’ll be back and bringing friends.
We are just here, running the race and it’s a great place to be.
No whining, no mega, no jotting & tittling, no excessive self promotion, preaching or commercialism – we’re just coming along side.
I laughed because this is a category very much shadowed by our faith blogging neighbours to the south and the CBA organizers kindly tread lightly – the few warm words in the announcement are to me a sign of respect for the rooted and rightful role faith takes in our lives, off line and on.

Dennis Gruending is a man who has worn a lot of hats and his blog Pulpit & Politics took 1st in the category this year. Dennis has been an MP, worked with the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops , and was a print and broadcasting journalist. What comes through at Pulpit & Politics is his keen intellect, love of Canadian history and sharp analysis of the intersection of faith in society. Ethical and plainspoken scholarship represents this category well.

Second went to another professional writer, Ann Voscamp, a prairie farming homeschooling mom of six, whose lyrical story telling style – finding myself wildly adopted through the cross into the family of God (staggering grace) – highlights her expansive love of family and land in her words and pictures. Holy Experience

BDBO tied this year with an church group blog Whatever He Says. This blog showcases a devout community of Pentecostal (pentecostal/charismatic? see comments) believers, scattered and gathered friends raising families, working, networking and doing church graciously. They celebrate their community and their vibrant engagement in it.

Havens and headlands.
Good places to be.
Blog on!