Don't Post that on Social Media!

Emotional posting on social media, right or wrong?

Have you ever felt so upset and the only place to vent was on Facebook?

Did you post personal information and details about your life?

About your relationship?

The pain someone has caused you?

Do you want everyone to know your side of the story?

I had a time like this in my life. 

I felt I didn't have anyone to turn to or anyone to talk to. I made the big mistake of posting on social media while feeling emotional (especially in the middle of the night when I was lonely and upset). I think this is such a terrible exploit. People don't need to know your personal details. Your Facebook "friends" don't need to know your emotions or your side of the story. 

I have been thinking about this because a friend of mine is doing the same thing that I had been doing and it just feels wrong. It makes me uncomfortable. Every time I read something I think "oh no, don't post that." I feel like I'm now on the side of so many others that were reading my posts. 

It also makes me think of the other person in a bad light. Now when I'm around that person I look at them differently. I know I shouldn't but you just can't help it.  I know their personal details even when they didn't post them. I feel like I only know one side of the story and I'm judging the person based on what the other person has said.

I also have another friend that has gone through a difficult time and handled it so beautifully.

I wish I could look back on that time of difficulty in my life and say that I handled it well, like her. I wish I could look back and only see positive posts or none at all during that time. I wish I didn't feel ashamed of the things I posted. I wish people would've looked at me with admiration at how well I handled my emotions.

I know how it is.

 I know you just want support from your friends. 

You want your side of the story out there. You want people to know your pain. You feel wronged and want people to know about it. You have a place to post sayings and verses to make you feel better. You have a place that friends will come along and encourage you. It made me feel better at the time too but it was a false feeling. I would've felt better if I just kept to those few close friends that helped me through this time. 

I go into my, On This Day, on Facebook everyday to see old pictures of my kids and I have come across some things this last month that has really bothered me. It was all my postings from a time of pain and suffering. Now that I read them it brings back that pain and suffering. It's hurting myself more now and I see the wrong in what I did. I have been going through and deleting posts every day from during that time just so they don't pop up next year when I look through my old pictures. I don't want to come across this again in the future and bring up old heartache. 

Even if you are right, even if you were wronged, you don't need to post it for everyone to know about. It's only going to cause more hurt and pain. We are so used to posting every detail of our lives from what we are eating for dinner to how a person made us feel and we don't really know when we are crossing the line. We need to have boundaries with what we post. Some things are better left unsaid. If you need to vent then do it to someone you trust so they can bear your burden with you.

God can use the social media tool through you to reach so many people, if used correctly. You can be a shinning light to those that aren't right around you, to the friends and family around the world. It can really be an amazing thing, but it can also do more damage than good if used in the wrong way. Like in gossiping, instead of conforming to the world, be a light and use your words to build others up.

Psalm 19:14: "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

The Changing Seasons of Life

Happy Fall!

It's the first day of Fall and I'm so excited!

I absolutely love Fall! 

It's my favorite season for sure as it is for many of us out there. 

We can't wait for cozy nights by the fire, comfy sweaters, delicious food and beautiful colorful leaves. 

I look forward to getting out all my fall decorations and beautifying my house. I can't wait for life to slow down a little and to be enjoying the comfort of my warm home. 

This time of year really makes me think about how glorious God really is. It's astonishing how he created the world to change every season. Down to the very last detail. Every leaf is changing and about to start new.  It makes me think about humans and how he has thought about every last detail. He has our life planned out from the beginning before we are even born. Sometimes in the middle of difficult situations I wonder if God really has my life planned out. Some seasons are just tough. I lose faith. I doubt. 

Autumn is a reminder that seasons change. Hot nights change to cold evenings. Green leaves change to colors of red, orange, and yellow. Whatever difficult situation that you are going through it is just a season. I remember one specific hurtful season I thought it would never get better and the season would never change.  I kept reading reminders on how the pain would pass. How I will look back one day and it wouldn't hurt so much anymore but I didn't believe it. When we are in a time of hurt, loss and pain it's really difficult to believe that there will come a time that it will pass. 

It will pass. 

Maybe that means that you have to go through a time of winter first. Where your leaves will change from red, orange and yellow to a wilted brown and fall off the tree. Maybe you will feel empty for a while as a tree does when it's leaves have all descended. That's okay, you will always come back to a season of Spring where the leaves will turn green again and life will spring back. It may come quickly and for others it may take longer, but it will come. As the seasons come and go focus on God, he will hold you up. He will always be there and he will see you through. God loves us and wants us to be happy. When we hurt, he hurts. Let him hurt with you. Let him be the shoulder you cry on and watch as he changes your life into the life he created for you.

The seasons come and go, so focus on the God who remains unchanged and unchanging. "Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God" 

Psalm 90:1-2

. 

I need more!!!!

I need more, more of everything!

Well, I want more.

Want and need are so very different 

and yet sometimes we use those two words as the same meaning.

Are you content with what you have?
Are you always wanting more in life?

Do you desire a new car, the latest fashion, a bigger and better house?
When will we ever be content?

My son was just telling me this last week that he needs a laptop (he's 10 by the way). So we went through the talk about if he needs it or wants it. He agreed that he really just wanted it. It's easy as parents to teach our children the difference of what they need verses what they want but as adults we just don't seem to be able to take our own advice. We never seem to be satisfied with our lives. We live in times where bigger and more is better. So when my son and I, talked about that I realized that sometimes I take these two words the same as well. Most of the time I feel like I need more. I compare my life to the lives of others around me or to the lives of famous people. I know that if I got all the things that I want there would still be more things to be desired. There will always be something new and different but I just can't seem to be satisfied. 

We live in a fast paced world. 
Everyone is always going and going. 
Must have more, have my kids in more sports, go shopping more often, work more hours, do more with friends, more projects, more everything........
What are you sacrificing to get what you want? 
Time with your kids?
Time with your spouse? 
How about your extended family?
The big question, how about yourself?
Is what you want more important than those around you? Once you acquire those items you are working so hard for, will it be too late? Will your children be grown and gone? Will you have anyone left to enjoy those things with?

We seem to look at this only with relationships but it also applies with our lives. We always look elsewhere and say, "if I only have that item my life will be better." We look to other people to tell us when we will be happy. 
When we have a nice, big house like those people.
 When my babies are grown.
When the weather changes. 
When I leave my spouse. 

Why can't we be happy and satisfied with right now? 
Right where you are in your life. 
With your babies waking up in the middle of the night. 
With your teenager stressing you out. 
With the money struggles your having. 
With the family you have.
With the spouse God gave you.
Why don't we look for the happiness right in the place God has placed you?
Even with the seasons. We can't just be happy with what season we are in. Come August they are already putting out Halloween items. It's still Summer people! Can't we at least wait until Autumn? Don't get me wrong Autumn is my favorite time of year so I have a hard time waiting to put out my decorations but why do we rush things. We are making the years fly by, by always looking ahead. Then when the years are gone we look back and wish we were there, wish we would've enjoyed our children a little more, wish we could soak up our family time.

It's not about looking forward, it's not about looking back. It's about paying attention to where you are, who your with, and what you have. 
You are taken care of. God will take care of you. You will be provided for with what you need. 
Just slow down and spend time enjoying your loved ones and what you have right now. 
Learn to be pleased with your life. 


Matthew 6:25-26
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet the heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

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