Life without FACEBOOK

So for the month of January, God laid upon my heart to give up Facebook. See I was spending WAY TOO MUCH time on it. I would check on my way to work (very dangerous), I would check after work, and then when I would come home from work, and "just check" things out, I would be on until 11 or 12, then I would be nodding off during my personal time with God. On weekends, I would get sucked into silly applications with no purpose or eternal value and my weekend would disappear.

So during this past month, I gave up Facebook.

I have had more time to spend with God, my family, relax and reflect. It has been very hard, even now my natural instinct is to type www.fac and then I remember NO and delete it. As I check my e-mail I have pleas from well-meaning friends that miss the inspirational quotes that I send daily, and then I am quickened that maybe the too will turn to the ultimate source for inspiration - the Bible.

So in my life without Facebook, I have read two books, cover to cover. I love reading, I just thought I didn't have time. I have completed a one month devotion on the Bait of Satan: Living Free from the Deadly Trap of Offense. And I learned I did have unforgiveness in my heart, and I was set free from it.

I have spent more time in God's Word and listening to praise and worship. I forgot how wonderful it is to spend time alone with God as a first thought instead of a last resort.

I have spent more time with my children. We have played games and watched movies together, without the interference of the computer. I have enjoyed more time with my husband, although he took up Facebook during the month - hmmmmmm.

I have gotten caught up on paperwork, and cleaned house. Of the things that I have accomplished, this one was my least favorite, but also one of the more needed things. As Joyce Meyers says something to the effect of "It is hard to take authority over things in your life, when you don't have authority over a sink of dishes."

I have written more. I love to write, and since I could post it to Facebook, without going on Facebook, it was a way to send little pieces of inspiration throughout the month. I always say I don't have time but the truth is that I do if I make it a priority.

I talked to people more on the phone. I realized just how dependent I am on Facebook as a method of communication, and how much it has taken the place of face to face communication and even phone communication in my life. There were days I felt cut off from everyone as I knew the information I missed was posted on Facebook.

So during this time without Facebook, I have realized that I need to make God and family a priority. They need to come first, not last to Facebook. I have realized that I have a lot more interesting interests than being on useless applications so much. I have learned how important human, not computer connection is to me.

Tomorrow I will go back to post my morning quotes, and checking in on friends that I have lost contact with over the years. I will keep up to date with the happenings of my family, and check-up on what my kiddos are doing on-line, but I will not allow Facebook to be the center of my world. I will have all things in moderation, and know that there is Life without Facebook.