Friday, November 09, 2012

Why Stay With Facebook?


Admit it. Some of you have wondered after my last two posts why I even stay with Facebook.

1. For me to plug my ears and hide away inside Hobbit Cottage with my love-ya-no-matter-what husband and cats would, well, disappoint God. His love connects with people--family and friends at Facebook, included. God's love is not self-seeking (me, my problems, me, me, me), but rather, seeks to understand human nature better so that it can persevere with more true patience and kindness.

Facebook is all a dither with human nature. :) I sit here, peering through its window, fascinated.

2.) Facebook helps keep my fingers upon the pulse of this world so that I know what it's thinking. So that I remain relevant, informed and helpful, able to minister to it through this blog. Blogging: this thing which God expects me to do faithfully and well.

Must a person have a Facebook account in order to stay relevant to a hurting world? Of course not. This is just one means God uses.

3.) Facebook is an encourager's dream-came-true. I can spend hours floating around there leaving messages for people with broken hearts and crumpled dreams and giving promises of prayer for their disasters. Oh, the possibilities!

4.) I can stay in contact with friends and relatives who I 'lost' years ago. I can be silly at Facebook, creative, too. And Facebook can be plain ol' fun (you remember fun, don't you?).


Perhaps it's rather like why I still watch Hoarders and Hoarding: Buried Alive. Those shows often wound my eyes and heart, but oh! I stare at them anyway, for always I step away with more compassion for those whose brains are wired differently, those who experienced a trauma which sliced their hearts decades ago, those who live their days with no respect for themselves, only emptiness, hatred and grief.

Personally, I welcome anything which stretches my compassion levels, making them broader, higher, stronger, for love! Love is the most important thing on this planet. God said that--and He meant it--so it behooves me to seek ways to grow larger in the most important thing.

And Facebook... God through dear old flawed, imperfect, maddening Facebook, helps me do just that.

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"If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails."   ... From 1st Corinthians 13


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Tom and I found a new show to watch on Netflix (!) It's called Wreckreation Nation and oh wow, quirky, indeed. Another series which shows us this world is full of people who enjoy activities we don't--and yet how fun to watch people doing what they do well and love.



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3 comments:

Elizabeth said...

I for one, and I know there are many, am very thankful that you facebook! Reading your post always brighten my day!

Anonymous said...

I'm with Elizabeth! I love reading your posts on Facebook, as well as links to your blog - to remind me to read it! :) SO happy you are sticking around Debra!

Debra said...

Elizabeth and Susan--you both have blessed me so much today and about a million times before at Facebook, here and in email! Thank-you for your encouragement which means more to me than you realize. God bless you both much.... Debra