Bye Facebook!

I'm, how do I put this, a bit of a Facebook addict (wow, ok that was kind of hard to admit).  Allow me to elaborate...


If I see a notification on my app on my phone, I HAVE to check it.  Somebody responded to something I posted or commented so it's pretty important you know.


As if that's not enough, even if I take the notifications off my phone and remove the app, I STILL have to check every minute (ok, maybe not that much) to see if perhaps I do have any notifications.  


And then, I have to make sure that I catch up on my News Feed.  Cause, you know, I might miss something.  And I can't miss out on something (a cute picture, a giveaway, a good article).  


I've tried to cut back the amount of time I spend on Facebook.  I've tried to set certain times.  It works for a short while.  But I always find myself back in the same spot.  I don't want my kids thinking Facebook is more important than them.  And as hard as it is to say, it's starting to become that way. And, I need to simplify my life right now.  With two small children, and hopefully in the future we will have more, I need to focus on what's really important.  And Facebook is not one of those things. I have enough to accomplish in a day without being on Facebook.


I have been thinking about all of this for a LONG time.  I never thought I could actually delete my account.  I'm on it WAY too much.  And my family members can see pictures of the girls and our family and keep up with what's going on.  And I've found some good deals because of Facebook and sold a couple of things because of Facebook.


But then I realized, all of those things are still possible without Facebook.  There used to not be Facebook....remember?  I mean what on earth did I do with my time before that?  


Honestly, I think for me, there's always gonna be a "Facebook" in my life.  There's going to be something else I wanna spend waste time on that has absolutely no eternal value.  I'm not saying every little thing I do should have eternal value.  But when it becomes an idol to me, and other responsibilities get ignored, it's a problem. ("Hold on honey, just one second let Mommy just respond to ONE more post!")  


I've been thinking about these verses recently:

If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. - Mark 9:43-47

I'm not saying getting on Facebook is a sin.  But for me, this concept of being so radical as to cut off a part of your body because it's causing you to sin makes me think; well, if I can't seem to get control over it, it'd be best to cut it off and be done.  I'm sort of a person who is all in or all out.  Apparently, it's just too difficult for me to "dabble" on Facebook. 


There are other reasons I've decided to delete my account.  One being I feel it's a source of  stroking my pride.  "Ohhh, 25 people liked that comment, article, photo, etc - look at ME!"


Another is that I thought to myself, if I had known what I know now about Facebook (not only how addicted I am but also how they keep changing things and absolutely invade your privacy), would I still make an account when I did several years ago.  My answer?  No.


I remember hearing of people going on Facebook "vacations" and thinking, "Wow, good for you!  I wish I could do that.  I wish I could get out".  It was like I felt like I was sucked into this black hole of social media.  


Believe me, it's REALLY scary for me to delete my account.  I feel like I'm, in a sense, deleting a part of my life.  Plus, I am a very social person and I LOVE to feel like I'm connected and involved in others' lives.  (but I can still do that through texts, emails, and phone calls)  I do feel like I'll have a great sense of relief once I do delete my account.  No more pressure to comment, catch up on news, etc.


I will still blog.  And I now have Instagram to post pictures that don't make it on the blog. So...keep in touch, k??  ;)