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Caving into Thesis…

by Lon on May 15, 2009

SolarCrash.com now runs on the thesis framework. I bought into it because I wanted to refresh this site and am planning on doing some site development for others. I’m also really banking on the search engine optimization hype all over it. Finding a promotional discount also helped.

I was exploring Thematic, and some other frameworks at first, but felt that a lot of them were still glitchy and in beta stages. Thesis seems to have reached the tipping point where the kinks have been ironed out and there’s a large support community around it.

It’s definitely powerful, but having said that, I wouldn’t get it if I was completely code-illiterate, unless you’re willing for your site to look like an increasing number of other Thesis-driven sites out there.

This site still needs some work, but I’ll have to let it slide till I have more time to tinker around.

Some changes so far

- cutting the load time by half
- added a social profile icon bar at the top
- creating a ‘brighter’ look with the background
- rounded corners – using some new css features – that won’t work in IE though.
- shifted the nav bar down below the header
- removed redundant links like home / subscribe
- added a intro section hook above the sidebars
- removed some dividing lines for a cleaner feel
- edited the threaded commenting system so it’s a bit more engaging

I still hope to eventually make a new logo/banner, layout the navigation pages better,  and probably remove those google ads once I hit the next payment clip. I’m getting a bit tired of ‘Sexy Christian Singles” ads. Hopefully I’ll get some sponsors at some point (can you believe I made 10% of my income last year, through this blog?)

If you plan on purchasing Thesis, you can click my affiliate link so I can get some cash back.

Let me know if you’ve got ideas on making a better site, specifically this one!

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Blog Action Day: Poverty

by Lon on October 15, 2008

Today’s blog action day.

Poverty, what do you think?  Where do you fit in it all?

Last Christmas my wife and I experimented with funding a few differnet organizations in place of presents for one another.

We bought a goat through World Vision, which sounds cool, but I have no idea what that Goat is doing right now.  We decided to partner with Food for the Hungry for child sponsorship.  I like how they state upfront you can actually meet the child you sponsor.

My favorite organization yet has been Kiva.

Through Kiva we’ve been able to continuously re-microfinance different families all around the world.  I love reading about the different ways entrepreneurs in the two-thirds world are lifting themselves out of poverty – everything from selling vegetables, recycling goods, and making clothing.

With all the places we can donate money to in mind, I believe Shane Claiborne once said something to the effect of how churches and these organizations can be reduced to distribution centers.  Where the poor get their stuff, and the rich feel a bit better, but in the end no one is deeply transformed.

Poverty.  What do you think?

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Church planting wives…

by Lon on February 28, 2008

my husband wants to be a church planter

Some excellent resources I just stumbled across specifically for spouses of church planters…

Free downloadable book, “My husband wants to be a church planter“, discussion guide as well here.
(The book includes chapters by wife of Bob Roberts of Glocalnet, Niki, and wife of Erwin McManus of Mosaic LA, Kim.  HT: Truly Captivating.

Planterwives.com for current or future wives of church planters

Parakaleo – supporting church planting couples

Article by Redeemer’s church planting movement on church planting spouses

Blog entry by Gary Lamb on church planting wives

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