my husband, who doesn't really seem to care about having an "online presence," always said he didn't like to bother with trying to reconnect with the past. he, since i met him, has never been especially fond of social networking sites, and prefers to live in the now fostering the relationships that are right in front of him. i always understood what he meant, but being a woman; which often times means being either nosy, curious, overly connected, and overly committed, i continued to embrace social networking because i felt like i could manage those relationships and my family.
alas, i was finally convicted to deactivate my accounts as i feel the time and energy spent is no longer edifying to me, my marriage, and my time. some of the comments or very belabored lip service that is tossed around on facebook and myspace would all but make me gag.
Additionally, my mom and i decided that, there is a chance that having those accounts could become more about self gratification than the easy answer, "oh, i just like to stay in touch." which is probably a genuine reason for most people, but my conscience was telling me that it was no longer legitimate for me. (although, people who really want to stay in contact can text, call, or email me, and vice versa.) my friend wendy was holding me accountable so that i wouldn't spend time on the internet while my hubby was home, that way he felt valued, but after much prayer and peace from the Holy Spirit i knew that wasn't enough.
i am not going to judge my family and friends who still have accounts, but i know my character is affected because i am more susceptible to buying into and believing certain things simply by being able to lurk around on people's profile pages. i am done with past relationships; certain friendships, ex-boyfriends, etc, and have really no room to stay connected just to save face or for generosity sake.
also, i have the extreme potential to become puffed up with pride regarding people's picture comments to my current appearance as if that matters in the grand scheme of things. i want to be beautiful in Christ. i want to be fit to for health reasons, not for affirmation. satan uses lies in my head against me to shift my focus from Christ to myself. i am done with it.
and, i am too sensitive to all the little connections other people have to either my past or to caleb's. it is simply not edifying. and other couples, other individuals will not have this same rationale because they don't struggle with it as i do, and that is okay. we talked in our Bible study this last week about a podCast from Mars Hill that encouraged us to "restrict ourselves from certain freedoms." because the Bible says that, "all things are permissible, but not all things are beneficial," so where i do not have any issue with alcohol potentially causing me to stumble or become a vice, i can easily waste time on a social networking account. i am more prone to passing judgment, or forcing a frivolous relationship, when i could be reading or writing, or spending quality time doing something else. i am restricting myself from something that is a free option, and yet a stumbling block.
caleb was right all along to leave certain people, and seasons of life for nostalgia. i know that now.
alas, i was finally convicted to deactivate my accounts as i feel the time and energy spent is no longer edifying to me, my marriage, and my time. some of the comments or very belabored lip service that is tossed around on facebook and myspace would all but make me gag.
Additionally, my mom and i decided that, there is a chance that having those accounts could become more about self gratification than the easy answer, "oh, i just like to stay in touch." which is probably a genuine reason for most people, but my conscience was telling me that it was no longer legitimate for me. (although, people who really want to stay in contact can text, call, or email me, and vice versa.) my friend wendy was holding me accountable so that i wouldn't spend time on the internet while my hubby was home, that way he felt valued, but after much prayer and peace from the Holy Spirit i knew that wasn't enough.
i am not going to judge my family and friends who still have accounts, but i know my character is affected because i am more susceptible to buying into and believing certain things simply by being able to lurk around on people's profile pages. i am done with past relationships; certain friendships, ex-boyfriends, etc, and have really no room to stay connected just to save face or for generosity sake.
also, i have the extreme potential to become puffed up with pride regarding people's picture comments to my current appearance as if that matters in the grand scheme of things. i want to be beautiful in Christ. i want to be fit to for health reasons, not for affirmation. satan uses lies in my head against me to shift my focus from Christ to myself. i am done with it.
and, i am too sensitive to all the little connections other people have to either my past or to caleb's. it is simply not edifying. and other couples, other individuals will not have this same rationale because they don't struggle with it as i do, and that is okay. we talked in our Bible study this last week about a podCast from Mars Hill that encouraged us to "restrict ourselves from certain freedoms." because the Bible says that, "all things are permissible, but not all things are beneficial," so where i do not have any issue with alcohol potentially causing me to stumble or become a vice, i can easily waste time on a social networking account. i am more prone to passing judgment, or forcing a frivolous relationship, when i could be reading or writing, or spending quality time doing something else. i am restricting myself from something that is a free option, and yet a stumbling block.
caleb was right all along to leave certain people, and seasons of life for nostalgia. i know that now.
