Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Of Bailing Out Of The Net


Of course, we all feel like bailing out of Blogland at times. Facebook, email, email groups, too--the whole general online overwhelming-ness of it all.


I've felt like leaping away (hiding?) myriad times. I totally understand if that is your temptation because it's certainly been mine, especially me with my hermit-like tendencies. 

I so understand the desire to escape.



But. (You knew that was coming right?) I think God told me a valuable secret recently. I'm thinking He said I only become overwhelmed when I'm 'computering' my way, not His.

Like, when it's all about, "What's in this for me, me, me?". You know, when I write emails to receive emails or blog posts to receive comments or when I shop to receive stuff for me, me, me in my, my, my mailbox. 

Or when I Facebook to see how many of my friends care about what I'm saying (which becomes skewed, translating to, "Who cares about me?") and when I blog out of pressure to 'keep up,' to create new, unique posts lest I lose my readership numbers (and your interest). And, of course, when my viewing of everything online becomes downright compulsive.

Really, I'm thinking it's the me, me, me of being online which exhausts, well, me.



So is the cure to hide and play hermit? No, I don't think so. Oh, a week or two of vacation is fine, for everybody needs vacations! But beyond that? Here's what keeps me from bailing out forever:



You. You, you, you.

When I use my keyboard to send encouraging messages to you, I feel joy. Be it here at my blog or in emails or on Facebook, a joy from giving (and from obedience to God) infuses me with strength, renews me, then encourages me to anticipate doing it all over again tomorrow.

And now I can't bail out of being kind online, at least, not without an alternate non-online plan from God. So in the meantime, I'll be here. And hopefully I'll remember that it's about giving to others rather than to myself.

If I can, I just may remain here, happily, forever.



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Luke 6:38
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

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I'll be fine online as long as I don't get all tangled-up in the Net.  ツ

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Oh! If you'd love to see a beautiful, unique home and tons of gorgeous flowers, go here. Keep scrolling down and down and down and --.... A special thanks to Pearl for linking to this lovely blog.



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2 comments:

Pat said...

Another great post.
I'm back from my mini blog vacation, I missed reading my friends...like you...lovely blogs. I'm thankful for being able to connect through the internet, it brings the great things of this world a little closer!

Laura said...

you're so smart. I've had times of pulling away from the online a world a bit and it was so refreshing, but I also miss the connections with others so far away that I love so dearly. And you're right, a kindly spoken word somewhere on the web makes it such a nice place to be - so glad you're not jumping out of the net! I wouldn't have met you otherwise outside of your blog and boy, what a loss that would have been.