Do I stay or do I go?

Sounds like lyrics to a song to me.  Yet that is the question I continue to debate on  this Monday night.  I remember the decision to start a blog and that cold Sunday afternoon in 2009 when I followed the instructions and put this little adventure together.  So tonight, realizing that this blog has been around over 6 years, I am asking, do I stay or do I go?

The background for those unfamiliar is simple.  I was taking in so much Catholic knowledge and spiritual growth as I approached ordination in 2008 that I began to send out emails, about twice a month, to my e-mail list.  That list grew to include my formation classmates, soon to be ordained with me and one suggested, get a blog.  And so I did.

I've loved it even though I must admit with all candor that blogging can take some time.  I always thought this would be a simple thing, one of many things to be involved with as I began life as a Permanent Deacon.  Little did I know that I would build on personal essays and homilies to include Catholic material from a variety of sources.  I love doing the Saint of the Day and when I get it in a timely fashion the daily homily of Pope Francis.  Over time, I was posting 4-5 articles a day, being read 250-300 times a day and getting hits from countries as far away as Europe and South America.  I currently have 78 followers.

I've been seriously entertaining moving over to WordPress because I was told by some blogging deacons I respect that the support is better, you can link more easily to things like Facebook and Twitter and track stats for every blog visitor, not just article readers like I currently experience with Blogger.  Couple that with some unexpected drops in readership, down to 160-200 per day from the previous high described above and the sudden loss of some URL site feeds that were among my most dependable.  Trying to get Blogger support is not worth the time.

I've begun putting something together over at WordPress but I must admit, it is a very preliminary, very fledgling effort.  If I pursue WordPress, what you would see today is far from my final work.  And yet, there is something tugging at me to stay here, on Blogger, which has been my home since 2009.  All I can tell you is sit tight and keep following me as only time will tell!

If you want to see what I've started it's over at: https://abitadeacon.wordpress.com