On Social Media

Web 2.0. Social networking. YouTube. Blogs. Facebook. Pinterest. Twitter. You get the idea. The beauty of social media is that it allows people to create content on the Internet for other people to see, share, admire, hate, whatever. It helps us connect with people we haven't seen in 20 or 30 years, or in the last five minutes. Or who we've never met. It gives us the instant gratification of being noticed, appreciated, liked. It's addicting, especially for someone like me, who thrives on approval.

There are ugly sides to social media, too. There are privacy concerns, for those who actually are concerned about privacy. There are marketing issues, for anyone who has tried to market themselves and their products through social media. There is the sheer time and effort involved - time and effort that we could, and maybe should, be spending on other things like, oh, I don't know, real relationships with real people. It's time consuming and a little bit risky to put yourself out there, where everyone can see what you did today, what you really thought of that movie or that actress's dress, or what so and so did or said, or what you ate for dinner, or how cute your kid looked on his birthday. But we keep doing it. It's become a part of our culture, who we are, how we define ourselves. And that's one of the beauties of social media: you get to craft your profile, your posts, your persona, just the way you want it to be. It doesn't have to be real or genuine, if you don't want it to be. But that's part of the fun, right?

I'm not saying that social media is good or bad. It just is. Like the internet, television, video games, and any other amoral source of information or entertainment, social media is what we make of it. Sometimes I make too much of it. Sometimes I rely on comments and likes on Facebook, views on my blog, and favorites and retweets on Twitter for my sense of worth and accomplishment. And honestly, that's wrong. As in, sinful. My worth, my identity, my meaning in life comes from who I am in Christ. My purpose is to glorify His name, bring Him attention, impact lives by drawing them to Him. Not to gather my own followers and fans. Reality check.

So I won't be deleting my Facebook account (although don't get me started on Facebook - but I'll save that rant for a later post) or deactivating my Twitter, and there's a good chance that there will still be times when I get carried away with thinking my internet presence is somehow important. It's not. There are moments when it's a good idea to stop, look around, and remember what truly is important. God. Family. Friends. The relationships that last forever. One thing I love about social media is that it allows relationships to grow and flourish everywhere. I just want to keep it real, and keep it all in perspective.

What about you? Do you ever get carried away by social media?

On Plot Wrangling

There are times when writing is fun. When the words just flow, the story seems to write itself, and characters take on a life of their own. When I can pound out 1000 words in 45 minutes or less, when whole chapters come together in the space of a day or two. When I get so into the writing that scary parts give me chills, funny parts make me laugh, and poignant moments bring me almost to tears.

Then there are weeks like this one, when it seems like nothing is working, when I stare at the screen for what feels like hours (it's not - I never have whole hours to sit and stare at the screen), and I think I may never finish this book. And even if I do, it will probably be crap. This week, I've hardly written a word but I've spent all this mental energy wrestling with my plot. I've rearranged scenes, added them, deleted them, thought of new ideas and rejected them, asked questions that may or may not have answers, and at the end of all that, I've decided I should just stop wrestling with this book and go back to writing it. It is in the writing that I find my voice.

Here is something I've learned in life: Just because you can write, doesn't mean you should. If there is anything else you can do that brings you joy and gets you up every morning, do that. I keep coming back to writing because I love it, but also because I have to do it. Sometimes I think it's going to drive me crazy, but really, it keeps me sane. I don't get paid for it, and I may never get paid for it, but I'm learning that it is one of a few things I have to do every day to stay grounded. Spending time with God, reading my Bible, praying, having spiritual conversations with others, and ... writing. If I don't, I regret it. So I guess what I'm to say is that no matter how many times I have to chase this plot down and tie it up, I keep at it because, well, I have to. And because there really isn't anything else I'd rather do when I grow up.

On fresh starts

It's a new year. New start, new blog title, new resolutions...or goals...or adjustments...or whatever you decide to call them because calling them resolutions dooms them to failure by January 2nd.  Oh wait, it's January 4th?  Oops.

Here's what my year has looked like so far: By the end of the day on January 1st, I was starting to feel a little panic about all the things I was supposed to have started on, but hadn't yet.  But really, New Year's Day is a holiday, so if you don't get to your resolutions until the 2nd, that's okay, right? So by the end of the day on the 2nd, I was starting to really feel bad about myself. By the end of the day on the 3rd, I was starting to think I might as well write this whole year off as a failure because I'm already so behind, I'll never catch up. Welcome inside my head. It's a scary, scary place, right?

So today is the 4th. This morning I realized that every day is a fresh start. We don't always get a chance for a do-over, but we do get a clean slate. Every single day. Two verses come to mind that testify to this: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:23-24) and "Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning." (Psalm 30:5). God, in His mercy and wisdom, gives us second chances with every new day, every new week, every new year. We are always one decision, one right action, one merciful word or repentant thought away from something new.

I want to make changes this year. I want to eat more vegetables, eat less...well, eat less. I want to lose a little weight, tone up my core, be more intentional about the way I use my time, finish my novel, blog more often, write a Bible Study, be a better Mary Kay Consultant, Tweet every day, improve my finances and my meal planning, and establish better daily habits. Looking back on that sentence, here's what I see: "I want...my...I..." Since when do I think this life is about what I want?

So, it may not be January 1st, but it's still a new year. I don't know what it's going to look like. I do have goals, desires, ideas for ways that I can improve, and I can decide right here to do my best. But ultimately, 2014 is not up to me. I trust God to write His story through me this year, and I'm looking forward to see what that looks like.

"For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland." (Isaiah 43:19)

So if you're like me and you have started this year out frustrated and overwhelmed, take a deep breath. Let it go. Thank God that tomorrow is a new day, and offer it back to Him. That's what I plan to do.

What do you plan to accomplish in 2014? Have you already been frustrated with yourself and your failures? Please tell me it's not just me!