For Your Splendor
"Sometimes it's hard to grow when everybody's watching. To have your heart pruned by the one who knows best."
Christy Nockels
I've done social media fasts in the past before. But this one has actually been quite the challenge. Until this last week, I never realized how second nature it had become for me to click that ever present FB app on my dumb "smart phone". Not to mention I've probably put off carpal tunnel syndrome a little longer by crossing my fingers in prayer instead of tapping away on the keys that get me to said social media sites. In any case, life events that may arguably be worth sharing on FB have continued to happen regardless of whether or not I update everyone reading my statuses.
What am I looking for anyway? Well, that was a point I believe The Lord touched on during service on Sunday. Everyone, include yours truly, is looking for acceptance. Oh don't deny it. We're human-as imperfect as they come. And every single human wants to be liked/loved/significant in some way. Sure, some more than others. Personally, I don't feel that I search for validation through FB or other people per say-but it doesn't hurt to check, right? It's a clever trap if you think about it...
Yet all the while, God works in mysterious ways. As I set aside all the busyness that social media and TV shows usually tend to create, I've seen the space and time they used to fill replaced with so many blessings. Don't worry, I won't document every day for the following weeks or anything, but I will share some awesomeness with you.
On day one of the fast, a prayer was answered. I don't really know if the fast itself really had anything to do with this particular prayer of ours. Regardless, I came home to a hubby with news. (Whenever Jeff says he has news it's usually met with a cringe of excitement/hesitant optimism on my end considering "I have news" often precedes "I got orders...".) The news this time was that his orders to Korea were cancelled! Honestly, we didn't think that was going to happen. And though it means our follow on orders to England are most likely cancelled as well, we really aren't upset. Apparently, we are meant to be used here - we can always visit Europe another time. However, realizing I no longer needed to practice saying, "My hovercraft is full of eels!" in Korean was a little bit of a bummer. (See previous blog.)
In other events, I have had the joy and privilege of singing with the worship team at a church event called Celebrate Recovery our church hosts every Friday. Listening to the music over the course of the week in preparation for practice and performance has just been another avenue for so much of God's influence in my life - rather than switching on the TV to see the lack thereof in another ridiculous episode of Lord-only-knows-what's-going-on-there. (I will admit I don't actually watch that much television but sometimes I pass by a channel and it's a smh moment.) Anyway, I was invited to join again with the band this week and I'm quite looking forward to the time of worship.
Quality time spent with Jeff has been a major plus, of course. We started this new 52 week bible study we've been wanting to do. It's nothing overly lavish in terms of reading time and note taking. It just opens up topics of conversation that have brought us to revisit such important snapshots in time. Be it childhood or courtship, lessons learned, or even our individual salvation stories, the sharing has been like feeling the roots running deeper.
But most importantly, and as encouraged by the leadership in our church during this fasting period, is the time I have with the One who loves me most. I don't write about fasting because I want to brag or pressure anyone else to give up something they enjoy. Instead, I would hope my experience in fasting is an encouragement to anyone considering it. Because what I've gained overall, in just one week, is a refreshing of the spirit and a centered train of thought that I sensed was starting to get clouded by everyone else's thoughts expressed on my never ending FB newsfeed. I do enjoy sharing "what's on my mind". I tend to write a lot anyway, in case you couldn't tell. Anything I have to say isn't to merely sound pretty, it's just to share what most impacts me. And that is: music and the voice of the "One who knows best." I can assure you that such things don't just sound pretty... They're life giving.
Christy Nockels
Today, I took the day off from work. Not by plan, mind you. I literally got half way there and couldn't see through the ground blizzard apparently going on to get any further. That was not fun, though I did manage to find my way back home and safely there I stayed. Naturally, the weather subsided and sunny rays cleared the roads long after I had already called out. (Figures.) But I've had a lot of time to think on this rather peaceful day. It's interesting how that happens when one gives up social media for 3 weeks. Such as in the case for me as I continue on with social media fast I started last week. I've done social media fasts in the past before. But this one has actually been quite the challenge. Until this last week, I never realized how second nature it had become for me to click that ever present FB app on my dumb "smart phone". Not to mention I've probably put off carpal tunnel syndrome a little longer by crossing my fingers in prayer instead of tapping away on the keys that get me to said social media sites. In any case, life events that may arguably be worth sharing on FB have continued to happen regardless of whether or not I update everyone reading my statuses.
What am I looking for anyway? Well, that was a point I believe The Lord touched on during service on Sunday. Everyone, include yours truly, is looking for acceptance. Oh don't deny it. We're human-as imperfect as they come. And every single human wants to be liked/loved/significant in some way. Sure, some more than others. Personally, I don't feel that I search for validation through FB or other people per say-but it doesn't hurt to check, right? It's a clever trap if you think about it...
Yet all the while, God works in mysterious ways. As I set aside all the busyness that social media and TV shows usually tend to create, I've seen the space and time they used to fill replaced with so many blessings. Don't worry, I won't document every day for the following weeks or anything, but I will share some awesomeness with you.
On day one of the fast, a prayer was answered. I don't really know if the fast itself really had anything to do with this particular prayer of ours. Regardless, I came home to a hubby with news. (Whenever Jeff says he has news it's usually met with a cringe of excitement/hesitant optimism on my end considering "I have news" often precedes "I got orders...".) The news this time was that his orders to Korea were cancelled! Honestly, we didn't think that was going to happen. And though it means our follow on orders to England are most likely cancelled as well, we really aren't upset. Apparently, we are meant to be used here - we can always visit Europe another time. However, realizing I no longer needed to practice saying, "My hovercraft is full of eels!" in Korean was a little bit of a bummer. (See previous blog.)
In other events, I have had the joy and privilege of singing with the worship team at a church event called Celebrate Recovery our church hosts every Friday. Listening to the music over the course of the week in preparation for practice and performance has just been another avenue for so much of God's influence in my life - rather than switching on the TV to see the lack thereof in another ridiculous episode of Lord-only-knows-what's-going-on-there. (I will admit I don't actually watch that much television but sometimes I pass by a channel and it's a smh moment.) Anyway, I was invited to join again with the band this week and I'm quite looking forward to the time of worship.
Quality time spent with Jeff has been a major plus, of course. We started this new 52 week bible study we've been wanting to do. It's nothing overly lavish in terms of reading time and note taking. It just opens up topics of conversation that have brought us to revisit such important snapshots in time. Be it childhood or courtship, lessons learned, or even our individual salvation stories, the sharing has been like feeling the roots running deeper.
But most importantly, and as encouraged by the leadership in our church during this fasting period, is the time I have with the One who loves me most. I don't write about fasting because I want to brag or pressure anyone else to give up something they enjoy. Instead, I would hope my experience in fasting is an encouragement to anyone considering it. Because what I've gained overall, in just one week, is a refreshing of the spirit and a centered train of thought that I sensed was starting to get clouded by everyone else's thoughts expressed on my never ending FB newsfeed. I do enjoy sharing "what's on my mind". I tend to write a lot anyway, in case you couldn't tell. Anything I have to say isn't to merely sound pretty, it's just to share what most impacts me. And that is: music and the voice of the "One who knows best." I can assure you that such things don't just sound pretty... They're life giving.
Thank you for this. I needed it. Love you.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad! Love you, too!
DeleteI just re-read that comment and "I'm glad" sounded like a random out burst. What I meant was I'm glad you took something from it...or felt moved...or something positive happened. (You get the idea) ;P
Delete