Monday, April 5, 2010

Lessons from my Facebook Fast

After much consideration, I gave up Facebook for Lent. We don't really celebrate Lent, but my heart was overwhelmed with conviction of the "hold" that  the social network had on me. It was something that needed to be broken. What I found was, it really broke me- in a good way.
The noise of it was beginning to swell up into a chaos in my head, and I felt consumed with the update statuses, profiles, opinions, of the 300 + people that had befriended me...and no, it was absolutely NOBODY'S fault, but my own. God's ability to do a work in me was slowly being extinguished by late nights of paying no attention to Him but making sure I was keeping up with every acquaintance, and latest application on Facebook. My ugly narcissistic tendency was fed off of each witty comment or status update that I posted, or pride swelled up when I had something to gloat about and I could do it via the instant soapbox of my Wall. How LAME-O is that???
But really, the fast broke me from the virtual trance it had on my social well-being. How easy it was to find my social outlet through reading up on "friends" profiles, commenting on their updates, and worse, conjuring up tone and infliction to become insecure or offended by their virtual expression and impression of me! The dead of winter grew a big ugly monster in me, one of insecurity, obsessive compulsiveness, and pure ol' pride. But, during the 40 days of keeping in touch with my old friends by old-fashioned means, I was able to get to know newer friends face to face, and find my value back in real, live community! And as winter melted away during this lenten season, I established fresh roots in this Iowan soil, realizing that I am more settled here than I originally thought.
Never-the-less, you will see me on the website daily, because what I did find to be true, was my appreciation for the convenient way to keep in touch with old, old, OLD friends, newer friends, dear friends, and family. And how I missed being in the know, no matter how small and superficial, just to feel connected to the precious people that have crossed my path.
Overall, I can confidently say that Facebook definitely has a place in my life, but it doesn't have my time like it used too.

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