Last week (Saturday to Saturday) I took a Facebook break for multiple reasons. It was an interesting week for me. I can't say that I found myself with loads of extra time but it was a good break and a time to reflect on what's really important in life. I missed letting people know I was praying for them and/or thinking about them. I missed laughing at the funny moments people have and share about. I missed the encouraging posts that fill my newsfeed. BUT I did not miss all the dumb comments, complaining, and basically all the drama that is Facebook these days. We all have our bad days and it's okay to share when we're sad or had a not so great day but my goodness, we all have so much to be thankful for and life is way too short to spend it being grumpy! Not to mention all the status updates and comments that people don't properly think through before hitting the enter key. Filter people, filter!!! :) Anyways, I am back in the "wonderful world" of Facebook but for now the Facebook app will remain off of my phone. If you need to quickly get in touch with me your best bet would be phone, text, or email. :)
This brings me to another item that's been on my heart a lot, specifically in the last 6 months or so. I got a devotional some time ago that was titled "Clear It All Off" and it talked about the importance of gathering around the eating table. The kitchen/dining room table can be a place of connection in so many ways if we allow it to be. "Food, eating together - it's not just about nourishment of the body, but also of the soul." This is SO lacking in the world today. I am so thankful I didn't grow up without this needed daily gathering. Even as Scott and I got older and started getting busy (as were our parents), we still all made time to come together daily around the supper table. It wasn't a burden or a chore. It was just us, catching up and caring about what was going on and how each person was each and every day. This is something that Chris and I have made a priority since the day we got married. It may just be the two of us but it's a vital part of the "us". No distractions (TV, cell phones, etc.) and sometimes moments of quietness as we process the events of each of our days.
Chris and I have randomly discussed just how caught up people are with their phones and tablets these days. You rarely see people just sitting and talking. Or if they are talking, it's second fiddle to whatever is deemed much more exciting that is happening electronically in front of their face. Please hear me when I say that I am a BIG technology fan. We have iPhones and tablets. We each have a computer and we both love electronic gadgets. The pace at which technology is advancing in our lifetime is unreal and it makes our world fun, interesting, and unique and I am thankful for that. BUT....there has to be a balance. I don't consider myself a super outgoing person so for me sometimes it's a challenge to make that step and put myself out there to say hi or strike up a conversation. I'm learning that it's lacking and I'm afraid someday we will be sorry that we wasted so much time with a phone in front of our face or a TV on in the background constantly. Do we really care about the people we relate to on a regular basis? Do we really want to hear their heart and be involved in their joys and sorrows alike? My challenge to myself this year, be present in every single moment and soak it all in for these moments may be the last ones I have with each and every person I am blessed to spend time with.
