Taking a Break 🔑

I’m giving up Facebook for lent. I sat at my very first Ash Wednesday service this week (that I can remember). It was so powerful. I had this sick feeling in my stomach as Pastor Bill mentioned it…giving up something. Could I really do it?

I love chocolate, potato chips…could I choose those?

Pastor Kathy said I could choose to add something instead. A little more exercise?

No…it had to be something harder…something that could change the way I think about things…something I needed to desperately change…Facebook.

How would I know what was happening?

Would I feel as left out as I did growing up?

I lived in a small town with only one house I could see from our windows. We had no cell phones…my friends were all long distance. My sisters were grown up and didn’t live with us anymore. I felt alone.

I longed for the day I could drive so I could finally see everyone.

I was disappointed on my sixteenth birthday when I opened the small square package my Mom handed me. I was convinced it was a set of car keys. Instead, it was a beautiful thick gold necklace. I wore it everyday for the next five years. I sported a lot of sweatshirts back then. I’m guessing I looked like Mr. T. 🤪

Anyway…every time I come across that necklace in my jewelry box I think of those car keys I never got.

Don’t get me wrong, I was thankful. I know my parents spent a lot of money on it. I think I was just emotional because my Grandfather had died that same week.

A couple of life’s biggest disappointments all at once.

Looking back with my new eyes, I see things a lot differently.

Although I didn’t get my own car. My Mom let me use HER car all the time. She gave it up for ME. It was much nicer than anything they would have bought me. I didn’t have to buy gas or insurance. Wow…I’m so glad there were not keys in that box!

As for the necklace….I wonder now how many girls were envious of it. I hope I didn’t make them feel bad about themselves.

My Facebook addiction sometimes does that to me. It’s easy to be jealous of things that others have. The way people look or things they get to do.

So…I’m taking a break from it. Six weeks of reflection, prayer and thanksgiving. A time to be thankful for what has been given up for ME. A time to see what a beautiful sacrifice has been made for all of US!

Talk to you soon💜

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