Much like dieting is so very difficult because one must still eat for nourishment - my addictions are a necessary part of my life as well. With food you can't simply go 'cold turkey' like you would from, say, cigarettes; drugs; or liquor. In the same way, I am tied to Facebook and Pinterest because I have committed to living the Holy Father's challenge of using electronic media for proclaiming the Gospel.
Facebook - not only have I made many great, Catholic friends during the past years but I have also committed to sharing what I learn from them. These friends of mine are a valuable source for many great articles and posts - I'd never have time to find them on my own. In return, I moderate two pro-life Facebook fan pages and distribute the information I find. I also help out on a couple other pages.
- Right to Life of Owensboro, my first fan page creation, now boasts 1,431 fans - not bad for a group in a town of 56,000 or so people! This is a non-denominational group and I also serve on their board of directors.
- Gospel of Life Committee - Diocese of Owensboro is my new baby. I am proud to be a member of this Committee that serves our entire diocese. With only 181 fans, to date, I'm working hard to grow this little haven of unabashedly Catholic/Pro-life content. You don't have to be a Kentuckian (or Catholic) to join (hint, hint); we welcome anyone who appreciates what the Church is doing for the cause of life.
- Catholic Bloggers Network - 'In acknowledgment of the Vatican's strong interest to embrace social media for evangelization, this Catholic Bloggers Network was created to enhance communication of Catholic social media users. Here Catholic bloggers can connect and share efforts to bring the Catholic faith into the social media discourse. By creating this webpage directory of Catholic bloggers and connecting the online portals they use, our Catholic community grows larger. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!' ~ Catholic Bloggers Network
REMINDER: "Cutting out prayer time with God because you want to blog about Catholicism is like saving time on a long roadtrip by not stopping for gas: it may seem smart in the moment, but it won't end well." ~ words of wisdom from the creators of Catholic Bloggers Network
Pinterest - now don't laugh. This is actually a very good medium for the distribution of information. I am a contributing 'pinner' for several Catholic groups and you'd be surprised at how many blog posts receive increased traffic due to a 'pin'. I also work in a faith formation type of pursuit for ideas ranging from homeschooling to Church Seasons.
As you might imagine, though, since I do work within these addictive circles for my daily evangelization efforts, it's very tempting to stray - until my strained eyes tear up and I get that Zombie look of addiction. So my goal is to do virtuous posting and pinning while leaving the other 'stuff' behind for a time...it will always be there after Easter!
Yesterday evening was much more difficult than I would have imagined. This shows me that it was high time to address these addictions. My trusty iPhone makes it way too easy to constantly check things out - Facebook, text messages, email, Pinterest, television schedule, Netflix...these are my sins, laid bare for me to face, head on. With my small meal quickly consumed, I focused on some of my 'positive' activities for the day and called it an early night...and fell asleep feeling good about my choices.
Wishing you all a glorious, grace-filled Lent!
What is it about Facebook and the like that cause such addiction? One minute I am just keeping up with friends, and the next thing you know, I am checking to see what silly photos have been posted in the last couple hours. It gets silly fast!
ReplyDeleteGood luck cutting back :)
I'm not sure what causes the addiction, but trying to do without was definitely an eye opener for me. Wishing you a wonderful Lent and thank you for stopping by!
DeleteI'm coming over from the Lenten Link up with "Day by Day in Our World" While I'm not on FB or Pinterest, I do struggle with too much internet time. I agree that going cold-turkey would be a set up for failure. I wanted to mention that I read the book "The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brain" and he does talk a bit about the addictive nature of computers/internet (not specifically FB though).
ReplyDelete(for some reason blogspot is not letting me post with my WP account these days)...
The internet provides a tricky balance issue for most of us. While we cannot be expected to fully do without the good that can come of it, in terms of information and communication, it presents an addictive nature in its ever-evolving stream of new things. I find that working on a computer only compounds the temptation to obsess about 'just checking in'. The fact that many of us carry smart phones of one type or another, with their incessant 'dinging' and 'chiming' only makes us more like Pavlov's dogs! I hope to find that worthy medium and to stay aware of the admonition I so often heard from my dear mother - 'moderation in all things'! Have a blessed Lent and thank you for stopping by!
DeleteI love your approach to not totally give up electronic media, but to use it for God's glory. He can redeem our technological time if we allow him to. Blessings to you on your Lenten journey!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Although it does increase the temptation to over-indulge, I'm working on my goal of wise use of this medium!
DeleteIt is way to easy to be drawn into those things and often too hard to us it for His glory.
ReplyDeleteMay you have a blessed journey in the coming weeks.
Facebook does have a way to suck you in and make you wonder where the time has gone. I love the ability to be connected, but also struggle with spending too much time on the computer some days. It's one of my things to work on this Lent as well.
ReplyDelete