Too Social?

There is so much talk about social media.  With Lent just passed, there were many of my Facebook friends who gave up Facebook for Lent.  There are always people saying they need to get off FB, they spend too much time on there.  If you are one of those people, I'm sorry to be using you as an example here.

Facebook is called SOCIAL media for a reason: it's supposed to be social.  Being on FB and just lurking is like being at a party with tons of your friends, and you are just hiding in the corner, never joining in the conversation.  People have said to me "you are on there soooo much!"  "you are so bad!"  (I find it very funny that they say this....if you know I'm on there a lot, doesn't that mean YOU are on there a lot?  If not, how do you even know I'm on there a lot?)

So let's clear this up.  First off, for those of you who still have a dumb phone, let me explain.  I can look at FB, post on FB, take a picture and upload it to FB all in about 30 seconds.  Even if I do this 10 times a day, I have spent only 5 minutes, see?

I do not now nor have I ever thought FB was bad.  Sometimes bad things happen on FB, yes.  Admittedly, I get in FB fights from time to time.  This, I will admit, is not a good idea.  I must try to stop this.  Yes.

FB has brought me so many good things!  Here are just a few; some of you will recognize yourselves here!  I have been able to keep in touch with people I probably never would have spoken to after high school.  In fact, before FB, I had not spoken to them.  But now I see pictures of their kids, their vacations, their lives.  It's just like seeing someone in person: "What do you do?  Where do you live now?  Can I see pics of your kids?"  I have FB friends I can count on to be excited for me when I post good news.  And I am truly excited for theirs.  I have FB friends who I don't know if I ever even hung out with in high school that crack me up daily.  I have many friends who will send up prayers if I ask, just as I will when they ask.  And I really do, I don't just click "like."

When my niece was brutally attacked, the outpouring of love from my FB friends was amazing.  I had friends and their friends praying for her and our family, around here and all over the world!  How awesome is it that I hadn't spoken to my friend from high school in 20 some years, and she had her church in Japan praying for my niece?  How awesome is it that I "met" a wonderful woman through someone else's FB page as we were making fun of our mutual friend, and she has become my Sister in Christ and prayed for my niece with her church in Mexico?

I have been able to find out what my old college roomies have been doing.  And it was wonderful to see them last weekend, one local, one from California and one from Prague!  To see them and what they have become.  I would have missed out on this if it wasn't for FB!  Oh sure, we could keep in touch via email, phone, letters. But we don't.

I have been able to let others know about Down syndrome and how wonderful Lea is!  I have always had a feeling it's my job as her parent to let others know about it.  FB is a great way to do that.  I have talked a lot about homeschooling my girls and "met" some inspiring homeschool moms via FB that I never would have met in person.  (Still haven't met some of them in person!)  But we share ideas.  People have contacted me, knowing through FB that I homeschool, and have sent others my way with their questions in starting out.

So I stand by my Facebooking with no apologies.  I love my FB friends and they love me!  (And if you don't, you can just hide me.  I'll never know.)