I wish I knew how…

by Ken Pullen

ACP — A Crooked Path

Saturday, October 5th, 2019

Why the photo of the baby giraffe at the beginning of this on the Home Page? We’ll get to that in a bit, but first some good information for all visitors to A Crooked Path…

I wish I know how to make one of those snazzy “how to” videos as seen on YouTube and other sources. Where a person is doing a voiceover and showing through video how something with  software, a piece of equipment, so on works.

I do not have the equipment to do such a thing, nor do I possess the technical acumen to accomplish such a thing. I do feel a need to post something to help folks coming to this place feel more comfortable with the new setup here.

First, as mentioned in a previous post, I had to make the changes due to an old theme that could no longer be updated and was not behaving well. The change to a new theme was necessary. I thought I selected a theme easier to read and navigate, but as the administrator of A Crooked Path I see all the activity. What is being read. Pages folks are on. How many visits to a certain article. A lot of information on how many people are coming and what they are doing once here is available. Most websites use this to target or increase sales. I’m not selling anything here. I’m presenting a lot of information for free. It’s a website unlike any other on the Internet in many ways.

Yes, there is one book for sale. If you read an earlier posting you know about the books sales. (If you didn’t read that earlier posting? Book sales average 2 to 3 per year. Tops. Period. I’m not doing this to sell books or make money from people. No ads. No bombarding visitors with constant jumping around ads, pleas for money, so on here. Although, I am putting the “Buy Me A Coffee” button on here now to help defray costs of operation, but not for profit or gain — merely to help defray operating costs. And I will be transparent regarding donations in direct correlation with operating costs).

Okay, I can’t produce and post one of those cool “how to” videos with audio but I’ll do my best to help those coming to ACP and not exploring for whatever reason due to this new theme. Perhaps unfamiliarity with the new theme. I’ll do my best, I hope, to help…

Let’s Begin…

The Home Page:

The home page has the name of this site at the top of the page.

Immediately beneath the title there are 3 things a person can click on.

1.) About The Crooked Path — a wee bit of background.

2.) There is a book available — self explanatory for anyone clicking on that.

3.) Buy Me A Coffee — I debated and prayed about adding this. I never sought any kind of monetary donation in the now 9 years ACP has been online, but with constant rising costs of operation, yes, it costs a chunk of money ever increasing money to maintain a website, I added this in case anyone wanted to help out with $3, $5 donation sometime so I can keep this going. No complaints or excuses from me — but I’m in my late 60s, I am physically disabled and on a meager fixed income. All that is actually good and a blessing. It has brought me much closer to the Lord and what the real priorities in this life should be. But a few dollars here, a few dollars there to help out at times would be greatly appreciated, and assure those who like this place it will keep going as long as the Good Lord blesses me with breath and the ability to keep doing this.

Under those 3 things at the top of the page visitors see 3 good size boxes with photos, titles, so on.

This is a grid three wide and consisting of 25 (twenty-five) posts on the full page, in which any visitor can click on and read the individual article or posting.

I mention this because as administrator and seeing the daily activity? People are coming to the Home Page. And they look at the 3 postings immediately under the title and the things mentioned above and that’s it. It’s as if only those 3 postings at the very top, those 3 first visible upon the page opening, are the only things posted here.

Any visitor that scrolls down when on the Home Page will see 25 different postings on the Home Page.

When they have scrolled down and gone through the 25 postings, as they near the bottom of the Home Page, on the right hand side of the page they will see two little boxes.

One box is filled in blue and has the number “1” in it. That’s the Home Page. Next to that is a box that has a white background and the number “2”. Anyone clicking on that is taken to the next page. Or, anyone can keep clicking the “next >” and find there are over 300 pages and over 5,300 individual articles and posts to look through. Going back to March 2011.

The Footer

Once scrolled past the 25 posts on the Home Page and seeing those boxes with the page numbers all visitors will see the footer. With a black background. This is also divided into 3 areas.

On the left hand side visitors will see “Subscribe to A Crooked Path”, which if any visitor likes this place and would like to receive an email newsletter of recent posts sent to their inbox just type in the email address and they will begin receiving the newsletter.

In the center of the footer is “Recent Posts” which is self-explanatory.

To the right hand side is where the most useable things are located. On the right hand side of the footer visitors will see “Contact Ken”, which anyone can do by sending me an email at the address found there.

Also, visitors will see in the middle of that section “Categories”, which if a visitor clicks on the drop down menu they will see the 12 categories listed, from “Contemplations” at the top on down to “Today’s Verse.” This takes a visitor directly to all articles and posts in that specific category.

At the bottom of this area on the right hand side of the footer visitors see “Archives”, which is a great little tool. When clicking on the drop down menu visitors will see each month listed from March of 2011 to the present, and also see how many posts were posted in each month. A great tool and resource.

Lastly…

When clicking on an individual article (EXAMPLE), or posting on the Home Page, or anywhere on the website? Once taken to the individual posting or article visitors will then see, on the far right hand side of that page some Bible verse at the top, and then as they scroll down they will see “Links”, which is a large and great resource for further exploring, research or study. There are as of this writing 47 different “Links” available for all visitors. From historical information, Bible resources, to sermons, to maps and documents, hymns of individual hymn writers, as well as books available from individual well established (many now passed on) and Biblically solid pastors and Christian writers, as well as a few very good, well researched organizations to check out. “Links” can be a wonderful resource and tool for all visitors.

Also, anyone can leave a comment under any posting or article. Feedback is very much appreciated and I will respond to every comment left on an article or posting. Any profanity, just being contentious, so on will not be replied to and will be put into the trash and deleted. But any comments on subject not resorting to vulgar language, so on will be replied to by me.

Oh, why the photo of the baby giraffe? Because I love giraffes. I always have. Since a little kid. I love all animals. I have an affinity for them and many seem to be drawn to me. Just how it is. I really love giraffes. They are incredible creations by our God and Jesus! Not too long ago, my wife and I had the great pleasure and opportunity to visit the Columbus, Ohio zoo and we toured the giraffe barn and area where the giraffes are examined, taken care of, and learned about their individual diets, likes dislikes, foods the eat and so much more — it was most interesting and enjoyable. And after that? I got to feed a beautiful, oh, so wonderful giraffe named Nigel. I was hand feeding Nigel romaine lettuce, which giraffes love and I was within inches of his beautiful incredibly large head and body! I was so happy! (So was Nigel)!

I hope this helps a wee bit for anyone having questions or perhaps not enjoying this new theme as they did the older one. I wish I could have kept things as they were, but that old theme was problematic every day. In more and more ways. I had to go to a new theme. I hope in time visitors get used to the changes and come to see how much easier it is to read things here, and very easy to access all the resources available as well.

Lastly, please pray for me to increase in faithfulness and be measured out to serve the Lord as I ought to, need to, according to His will in my life. To live the Beatitudes and instructions of Jesus and the apostles. To be led to put here what assists believers in their walk with the Lord, and perhaps unbelievers, so in some small way hopefully by something found here point them to the Son, to the Lord, to the King, to the High Priest, to Jesus Christ and they will immerse themselves in the Word and become regenerated, transformed, renewed and a disciple of the Lord’s — the salt of the earth, a light unto the world!

Keep me in your prayers to be a Biblically sound vigilant watchman on the wall increasing in faithfulness and the spiritual discernment, the spiritual wisdom and genuine Christian love as God and Jesus provide, to do Their will. Not grieving the Holy Spirit. To always turn to and entrust all to the Holy Spirit to lead me.

And, even though I only know a wee bit about some of you? I keep all of you in my prayers as well. I pray for all the saints, all the believers, and also for those walking in darkness they are brought into the Light, into the Way, into the Truth, into the Life.