It’s the time of year for lists. Being a lover of lists, I can’t resist using the year end report from Word Press to create my list of the ten most-viewed Practicing Resurrection posts of the year.
First, a few caveats. As I say every year, the list is a bit misleading since it doesn’t count hits on the main page. There were over 5,000 more visits to the home page than to any of the posts on this list. And if the About page counted, it would be the hands down number one post of the year. But since it isn’t a post per se, I don’t include it. Finally, if this photo was a post it would have been in the top five. But since it wasn’t a post proper, but rather was part of my Tanks post, I didn’t include it either.
So here’s this years top 10.
10. Johnny’s Opinion
Our billy goat weighs in on the Chick-fil-a controversy.
Wendell Berry’s wonderful and provocative poem, which I posted here in February, 2010. Four of this year’s top ten are just reposts of the writing of others. Maybe that should tell me something.
Another great poem from Mr. Berry, who is a primary inspiration for much of what we do here.
7. Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment
I wrote this about the Thursday evening community suppers we are a part of. I had more page views the day I posted this than on any other day since I started blogging.
This essay makes the list for a second year. I don’t think there’s anything special about it. I’ve posted much better essays on the blog, in my opinion. My guess is that students at Wesleyan schools find this when searching for sources to help them write papers like this one.
5. Miracle
The story of our sweet little kid Miracle. Sadly, the happy ending was only temporary.
My review of Shane Hipps’ new book. If I’d known this was going to be read so many times I’d have done a much better job with it.
3. Top Ten Reasons Men Shouldn’t Be Pastors
I just borrowed this from another blog, but it was a big hit here.
2. Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet…
This one is surprising. It is nothing but a quote from Thomas Jefferson, which I posted in May, 2011. I’m guessing its popularity this year was from folks searching for ammuntion to use in political arguments, which isn’t why I posted it. There is wisdom here, which is diminished when a sentence is extracted for use as a partisan soundbite.
And the surprise winner is…
This one was from September, 2011. It is my look at the amazing surge in chicken consumption in America, and some of the consequences that has had on how chickens are raised. This didn’t make last year’s list, yet captured first place a year later. I’m glad this post got so much attention this year, but I really don’t know why.
I regret, however, that I didn’t title the post “Chicken Crazy” in honor of the great Joe Tex, who had no idea just how crazy it would get.
So now on to 2013!
Happy New Year y’all.
Love Wins
Love it! Does this mean we should also dance the Chicken Dance, or does that require a wedding dance? Happy New Year, Bill! I look forward to another year of your posts.
Likewise Teresa. A very Happy New Year to you too!
Wendell Berry’s “Questionnaire” recalls our little exchange about Bonhoeffer and the point at which any of us say, “No”. Berry’s way of putting it is why we need poets.
I just howled at “Top Ten Reasons Men Shouldn’t be Pastors”. I may revise that slightly and forward it to one of my Catholic friends, who happens to be a woman and a bit of a pot-stirrer over there in the RC neighborhood.
I thought that post was so good I just had to share it. Hopefully all who read it have a good sense of humor.
I love the line, “Berry’s way of putting it is why we need poets.”
may not be funny to men who are
only if they don’t have a good sense of humor.