Facebook - Adieu.

If you sense an urging that calls you to service or sacrifice then there is a very good chance that urging is from God. The Creator. The Alpha and Omega.
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Many years ago when Facebook was newish, not everyone was on it, I went to a photography seminar where the speaker said, "If you are not on Facebook as a photographer then you are missing the boat." I came home and the first thing I did was open up a Facebook account. That moment my life changed. Some for the better, but mostly for the worse.

Some of the greatest blessings that have come through my time on Facebook have been a connection with my family, the one's who live outside of Abilene, and the one's who live mere miles away. Along with, keeping up with good friends in a busy world, finding great recipes that someone else has posted or put a link to on their wall, sharing great recipes, finding out who is sick, finding out who is well after being sick, a link to a great commentary on scripture or even a funny You-Tube video. All these little tidbits of information and connection have brought good things to my life.

All that information, however, has led me to information overload. Last week I linked on FB to an article that spoke to the modern human condition of being too connected, leading to a compassion overload that in turns leaves the individual less compassionate in the end. It leaves the individual desensitized to all the bad or sad or even glad things that are happening to friends, around friends, to friends of friends,...or to a friends' neighbor..you get the idea. That article has not left me, it has stayed with me because I can say with utmost truth that I saw my face staring out of me from that article. I have so much in front of my eyes with FB that I tend to not feel anything for more than the 2 seconds it takes me to read the post, next scroll down and I have moved on to a celebration post for something good that has happened.

My focus has been lacking when I need to read for long periods of time for school, even when I pick up a book for fun, I still take a break to check FB periodically. I don't like it. I feel like my lack of focus that has developed over the years is hurting me.

For a couple of years now I have toyed with getting off FB, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. But now it is time. My twins are 12, and when they are 13 they want a FB account. I am not sure what direction we will encourage to go with that, but I feel sure that if we do allow them to be on FB, I will get on to keep up with what is happening on their walls. So this might be a 9 month sabbatical, or it might be forever. But for now, to my closest 500 friends. I bid adieu.

I say that in jest, but truthfully I will miss so many with whom FB is my connection. Many blessings have been posted on my cyberwall, and I am grateful.
I might feel as though I am dropping of the edge of the earth, most probably wont notice or care, but I wont actually be dropping off the earth, just social networking. So if you want to keep up with the Marcelains you can always keep up with us on my blog at www.tammymarcelain.blogspot.com (I might actually start posting again on a regular basis now that I am not on FB), or you can email me at marcelain5@sbcglobal.net.