Tuning Out and Tuning In

I, like millions of others, am a huge fan of social media.  It has made living in a foreign country and being so far away from what I know a little easier.  It has made raising my son half a world away from my family and little more doable.  I can update people in an instant and I can check in to see what's going on with everyone else.

It's fun to share in the joys of life with those far a near.  I've always been the kind of person who finds it easy to pick up friendships where they left off, no matter how much time or distance has kept us apart.  

(geesh even now I'm finding more pictures I failed to include in my little collage above.  We had a good amount of visitors last year.  Who could forget about Rob coming over too! )

Ok so where was I?  Right -- technology is awesome!  I can text my friends and family for free!

 I can see them live on my computer screen! 

 (Sorry Mom....there's that pic again coming back to haunt you!)  

And I know there are tons of other apps out there I'm not even using!

But with all of this tuning in to everyone else, and checking things way too many times in a day, sometimes it can feel a bit consuming...

I've been feeling it for a while, and somehow I seem to talk myself out of my thoughts I'm having and justify the things that I do.  We're all so good at that aren't we?  But I couldn't ignore it anymore.  It was time for a break.  So Jordan and I talked about it and we came to a conclusion.  We need a day where we just tune it out.  We've deemed Sundays electronic free.  No computers.  No emails looming over us.  No constantly ogling over Instagram.  Yes, our days will be Pin free.

It seemed weird at first.  What on earth were we going to do!?!?  But you know what, we survived our first Sunday just fine.  And it felt good.  And really it's kind of followed me into the week.  We've read aloud to each other.  We've had dance parties.  We've laughed and talked.  And just enjoyed being together.  I think this is going to be a really great thing!  

I just want to be present wherever I am.  I think that can still happen whilst taking an active role in being involved in social media, but for one day a week we're gonna do our best to forget about everyone else and just focus on our ministry, each other, and the goodness around us. 

What about you?  Are you willing to take a break once a week from all things technology and find more ways to be present where you are?  Does is sound impossible?  I promise it's not...and you might find you actually like it.    

Maybe the modern day version of Lennon's song should be:

Life is what happens to you while you're busy ogling Instagram.