Southern Porch Extension

[Deb Porter]

IMPORTANT NOTE:

You may have noticed that we are closing down all the Neighbourhoods on the forums in the next week or so; however, Southern Porch dwellers will all be safely moved to the Water Cooler. So your discussions can continue without any disruption.

Please spread the word to those regulars you know who may not be back before the move.

This is being done for a number of reasons. The main one is that the message boards are seen as just too big and overwhelming for new members. So this will help reduce the size a little.

The other reason is that the neighborhoods have served their purpose. When the boards were very active (prior to Facebook) it did seem appropriate to provide little areas for chat related to particular countries or regions. However, those days are long gone. Now, the risk is that people feel isolated from groups like this. In fact, that's not a risk. That's a reality. Although the welcome mat is out for all, I know that not everyone realizes that. So this is a way to let others know the door is open to everyone.

Anyway, if I have any problem moving this thread, I will let you know. However, if all goes well, you will find the Southern Porch safely in the Water Cooler sometime in the next few days.

Love, Deb

[ready2go]

Inspired by something that was said during the Women of Faith Simulcast that I went to today, and encouraged by a friend that I was talking to afterwards, I wrote a devotional today. I have written almost nothing since I asked Paul to move out in August, 2010. It felt really good to be writing again. Even more encouraging was that my friend wanted to read some of the devotionals that I was telling him about and possibly use some of them in his work as Middle School Youth Director.

The devotional I wrote would go in the series with the other devotionals I was telling Chris about that fall under to category of lessons learned from my kids' childhood. I entitled this one God's Only Forgotten Son. It is obvious to me that it is not the quality that I was writing before, but it felt good to be back in the saddle.

Please keep writing those devotionals, Joanney. This one is very good, and carries a message we must not take lightly, nor ever forget. Pour your heart and soul into them as the Lord leads, and share them, that all might understand the Truth.

You will be blessed, and your work is certain to be a blessing to others.

Don

[ready2go]

So...our porch, a haven of rest and blessings for many of us, is about to be bulldozed from its foundation. Our porch, one of the most active, close-knit forums on FW over the years, will be moved and tossed in to swim along with a mix of "who knows what".

I am a very private person. Although I realize that anyone with a computer could have read our post entries, over the years I have shared many personal, emotion-driven, gut-wrenching situations in my life that I would not have shared with an "inclusive community" of others. Those things could only have been shared with a few caring, praying, and concerned friends in the "privacy" of the porch as we knew it.

I do not have a herding instinct. I do not open up to, nor am I comfortable with, mingling within a broad community environment. The number of posts I have made on the other forums could probably be counted using the fingers of one hand.

It is difficult to imagine that shutting down only four of the sixty eight forum categories (yes, I counted them) would do much of anything to help newbies find their way. If that is the reason, then, in my opinion, much more will be lost from this change than will be gained, but...I don't make the rules.

FW owns the house, and can certainly paint it any color they wish. However, color me gone from the "new" porch.

I hope someone will take care of Old Blue.

God bless!

Don

[Laurie]

Jess went home yesterday!

Keep praying for a full recovery, though, especially for her kidneys, and as she learns to walk again.

[Laurie]

Don, the way I understand it, from a thread I read somewhere a while back, they will make several changes to the forums here - to consolidate and simplify things - so it isn't just this section. This thread has always been open to everyone, and I think that, all along, people have "listened in" on the porch even if they haven't posted, so we've always had a bit of an "audience". The board overall hasn't been nearly as active in the last few years. I suspect that moving the thread won't make a lot of difference. It's possible a few more people still start posting in it - people we can get to know, minister to, and who will minister to us.

I don't know if this helps at all. But I just hate to see you hold back, Don. I know this thread is important to you. It is to me, too. And I know it means a great deal to others also. I don't plan to change the way I'm posting unless I see some reason to, and I doubt that will happen.

I do read and post in other areas, but not as much as I used to because there simply isn't as much activity anymore.

[Laurie]

Joanney, I enjoyed reading your devotional. Great point that we can all benefit from hearing.

Mariane, I'm so sorry to hear about your pain on top of pain on top of pain. I used to take Ginger in capsule form and it helped my neck/shoulder pain - not that it elminated it, but it did lessen the pain. I can't take presciption anti-inflammatories, either, because they're too hard on my stomach. Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory, and it also has stomach settling properties. It's the kind of thing that wouldn't give immediate results, but could give some improvement given a little time.

Do you have a complementary medicine clinic, or something like it, where you are? We have one here. It's nice having a couple of doctors and an FNP who prescribe medications, but who also suggest herbs and homeopathic, and other natural remedies (homeopathic has never helped me, but herbs have). I appreciate seeing someone who knows if there are any concerns with mixing anything I'm taking.

I do take prescription medications, but I'd be absolutely lost without the herbs I take for my allergies. Anti-histamines give me side effects, but don't help my allergy symptoms. Herbs don't give me side effects, but do help my allergy symptoms. I'm still really bothered, but I can manage much better with the herbs than I could without them.

[Laurie]

As predicted, one family member has been just terrible with the auction prep. and has really shown his true colors yesterday and the previous work day two weeks prior. My mom doesn't need the tension on top of everything else. It's disrespectful to her, and she absolutely doesn't deserve it. But it's been done by someone who knows how to turn on the charm and just watch him play Mom now. Please pray for God's presence tomorrow. We need it for so many reasons. And He'll know what to do.

I know you're praying, and it means so much. Tomorrow will be a difficult day on so many levels.

[Green Leaves]

I don't know how the change will affect us, possibly not at all. We have always welcomed anyone who wanted to join us and they tend to come and go as they wish. But I personally would be lost without the friendships I have made here. I would really hate to see anyone drop out because we all minister to one another in various ways.

I haven't been involved in a lot of other forums cause I simply don't have the energy needed, including Facebook.

[Deb Porter]

I'm really sad to hear the one reaction to this move. This was never a closed society. It wasn't a private group with a "members only" attitude. Unfortunately, that's what people have assumed it to be. Both outside the group and apparently, at least to one member, inside the group (which has shocked me, I must admit).

We have been very sad to see people come to the forums only to use this group and not join in any other conversations. However, we've not done anything to change that situation. At times we've encouraged you all to join in, but we've not pushed that at all. We've left it as it is, and it isn't being changed now.

Anyone who is a really private person shouldn't really be posting on the internet or should only be posting in a locked group with invitation only members.

I really was shocked to read that response as the first one to my message, and I really hope other Southern Porch dwellers will understand and respond with grace. Nothing is really being changed except the location, and I'm even giving you all enough warning so you won't be shocked to visit one day and think we've deleted the thread.

If this group ever becomes a closed group to new members, then we would definitely have to remove it. I know most of you aren't like that at all, though. However, please do try and mingle with the rest of us now and then. We miss your input.

Love, Deb

[Joanney]

My first reaction to the move was that it would give me a reason to check out the Water Cooler a little more often. I am one who has been guilty of not socializing off of the porch for the last few years and I kind of miss it. Circumstances have put me in a more seclusive attitude in the last few years and I am ready to come out of it -- at least until I start grad school in the fall.

Today, my son was commissioned for his missions trip to Czech Republic with a lunch afterwards where we got all the last minute details -- time to be at the airport, what to bring, etc. Can't believe he is leaving in one week! Each of the students also gave their testimony. Paul was there and I pray that some of the testimonies, especially Greg's will impact his life and that he will turn back to God.

[Deb Porter]

My first reaction to the move was that it would give me a reason to check out the Water Cooler a little more often. I am one who has been guilty of not socializing off of the porch for the last few years and I kind of miss it. Circumstances have put me in a more seclusive attitude in the last few years and I am ready to come out of it -- at least until I start grad school in the fall.

Joanney, your post just did my heart good. You've been missed.

Today, my son was commissioned for his missions trip to Czech Republic with a lunch afterwards where we got all the last minute details -- time to be at the airport, what to bring, etc. Can't believe he is leaving in one week! Each of the students also gave their testimony. Paul was there and I pray that some of the testimonies, especially Greg's will impact his life and that he will turn back to God.

What a huge thing this is for your son (and for you). Praying for a safe journey for him and for great success on this missions trip.

Love, Deb

[BeachGrandma]

I personally don't see this move as anything but a location move. Nothing else will change. Don, if you look at the huge number of people who view the Porch but never participate, it proves that more people than just our small group read our posts. I don't see how it will be any different after the move. People love to surf and often look in to see what's happening.

I feel bad that even one person views us as a clique, a tight group that really doesn't want new people to join us. I've tried very hard to make everyone feel welcome, even writing them personal Emails after their first visit to enourage them to return and be part of the fellowship. Sadly, my success rate has been less than impressive.

I frankly think everything about Faith Writers changed with the advent of Facebook. FB is structured like a 24-hour chat room, all-embracing, making available to each of us new and old friends, relatives, anybody! It's an internet community center where you can drop in at any hour of the day or night to chat, get the latest buddy news, anything. I chose to join because I have two nieces in Africa as missionaries and every day we are in contact with each other and many other family members.

I encourage all of you, including you, Don, to make the move Deb suggested with anticipation rather than suspicion. We all want new people to drop in and become part of our fellowship and this may turn out to be a big plus, given the larger exposure we'll have.

That being said, I have been guilty of not posting as much at the water cooler because after I finish with FB and FW, I'm pretty beat. My health is of considerable concern to me but if we're already going to be positioned in the Water Cooler, we're much more likely to be involved in what else is going on in FW than in just our own tightly-knit group.

FW brought us all together. We 're grateful for that.

[Carole L]

I agree with Mariane, I don't see the change of location as a problem.

Don, please don't let this drive you away. We would really miss your sense of humor and your wonderful stories. We would also miss knowing about how you and Carol are, because you aren't on FaceBook, we would lose any way to stay in touch. While we would continue to hold both of you in our prayers, we would really rather have you with us to keep us updated.

I have often posted things here that I wondered about the advisability of, and wondered if I was being too public. It is very easy to forget that this isn't a private porch because we have become so close and share so much. We have come to love one another, and to agree to disagree on the few issues we don't share the same ideas on. It has made us all stronger and brought us closer. We have prayed together thru so many family and health issues, and laughed at jokes together and shared interesting articles and YouTube and become a family of our own. We have always had visitors reading our posts, we just forget about it. We may have a few more in our new location, but we may also get some new friends that will soon become as loved as all of you are.

So, I join the others in asking you, Don, to please not leave us. But to help us move forward.

[ready2go]

Well, I have not bailed out of the porch yet. I'll likely hang in there to see how the winds blow around the water cooler.

Maybe it's just me getting old, but I find myself disliking change more and more as the weeks and years pass by. I am often skeptical whenever I see "new and improved", or "same great taste" on a label. More often than not, it isn't as advertised, nor is it as good as before. I find myself needing to vent and lash out occasionally at unwanted change in my life.

After a night of very little sleep I read the "porch relocation" post this morning, and it hit me the wrong way. I am truly sorry if I caused a problem or concern at FW with my earlier comments.

Also, I don't mention this very much because of the many who have it much worse, but I am so very tired every day...I don't feel good much of the time...and I can't even think straight on most days. There are days that I don't know which way to turn. But, in spite of those things, my desperately ill bride of almost 49 years needs me to care for her 24/7 until the Lord calls one of us Home.

Don

[Deb Porter]

Popping back in quickly.

First of all, glad you're sticking around Don. My prayers are with you and your wife.

Second thing, though, we do realize that a lot of Southern Porch Dwellers don't always see what's happening in FaithWriters generally, and some things may actually apply to you (if not now, but maybe soon).

The most important thing now is that the first of the re-branded Challenge books is in production. I'm in the process of finding all the authors, so as I don't know who regularly spends time here, I thought I'd best point you in the direction of the thread about this:

viewtopic.php?f=58&t=35214

If you are on the list, or know anyone on the list who hasn't responded (the updated list is on page 3 of that thread), please either let me know if you haven't received a release form from me (in the last few weeks) or help by contacting anyone you know who is still on that updated list.

Thanks so much.

Love, Deb