As the year began a few of us in our family chose a word for the year. We read scripture, commited it to memory and let God bring that word to life in our hearts, minds and very lives. I am praying about a new word for the new year. I'm pretty sure I know what word He has given me but I'm waiting to be sure.
I plan to spend 2016 enjoying more of the good stuff. Spending less time letting in distractions.
My oldest daughter has invited me to join her in something new this year. Something we've both missed. Reading. Real books with real pages and as nerdy as this sounds, I am so excited! It's been our habit since they were babies to read at night. On laps or laying in bed reading books and letting our minds be swept away into another time and place. Such sweet memories created and instilling a love of reading was something very important to me. She's found a great resourse of the books we will read and I simply cannot wait! The goal is simple and completely doable - one book per month. But, there's a selection of bonus books we can choose from as well.
It's hard to not notice how much screens have replaced face to face in too many people's lives. While I think I've maintained a pretty healthy balance I can do better.
I miss face to face with people outside of my family. I get to spend good face to face with them and only want more of that in 2016. I'm mildly old-fashioned in more ways than ten. While I enjoy seeing peoples pictures on instagram, twitter, facebook and the like, more than that I like hand written notes, phone calls, visits on the couch, lingering family dinners around the table, walks outside, invitations and the personal touch.
So, while I don't think any of the social media is evil, I am convinced it has made me believe there is no substitute for face to face, voice to voice and hand in hand. I don't for one minute want a screen to replace the ultimate! I don't want to trade the best for a substitute. Not for one minute of one day. 2016 will involve me seeing friends I often don't see outside of a post on a social media site.
So, 2016 will be a year I give up social media. I want to add right here, on my phone not my Ipad. But, I won't. I like information that twitter especially gives to me. But, I'm letting it go. I don't care much about snapchat, facebook, instagram and I've never delved into things like Periscope, but I really think not having Twitter may cause a mild twinge of withdrawl for me. But, will I be worse off without it? I doubt it. Time will tell. So, in the eyes of the world maybe I'm going backward. Maybe it's appalling to some who have been so creative to invent some pretty neat social media apps. But, for the better part of 50 years I've done just fine without social media. I think I'll more than survive. I'm reminded that it's not much of a sacrifice if it cost me nothing. I don't want to trade the ultimate for the immediate in any way!
*No condemnation for those of you who enjoy and use social media - this is just something personal to me. Funny I just added that. In a world so consumed with not offending I find myself apologizing for possible being misread. Goodness.
I'm a big believer that when we add something to our lives, closets, homes or the like that we need to remove something. Likewise, when we add something we need to remove something! I won't just be removing social media from my life and leaving a void. I will be adding in what I think is better. I have lots of ideas on what this will look like in the coming year and I'm super excited about it. So, there's that. Stay tuned.
My goals for the new year involve making me a better me, God's best me, on the inside. I've got some projects I'd like to begin and finish. People I'd like to invest in. Ways I'd like to serve. Books begging to be read. New things started and tried! It's going to be fun!
I've got many things to catch up on this blog! I've been lax. But, over the past 14 days having all four chicks in the nest was not the time to catch up! But, in a few days we will resume our routines and I'm going to have time to get back to it!
Happy New Year!
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