Confessions of a Blogging/Facebook Addict:
When my sister was up here visiting this weekend, we were talking (surprise, surprise) about our blogging/Facebook habits. We realized we were both spending way too much time on the computer. Our houses, kids, husbands, work, pets, health and even or relationship with God have been suffering because we've been spending too much time on the computer. I think that is why I've been having a lot of neck and shoulder problems. We realized that as stay-at-home-moms whose husbands are gone frequently, we are craving relationship with friends/family/blogging friends. We were actually feeling a pull towards the computer all day long. I want to be clear: Blogging/Facebooking isn't a bad thing in itself. It is just that we need to bring the time we are spending on the computer under control. With our addictive personalities (we are "all or nothing" kind of gals), we understood that we needed to limit our time on the computer.
So after we prayed and confessed, we asked the Holy Spirit to help us bring this thing under control. We immediately came up with a plan. We are only going to open our email/blog twice a day - once in the morning and once at night. Since surfing the net isn't our problem, we wanted to be able to have access to the Internet for shopping, checking weather, banking and homeschooling if we needed to during the day, therefore we are going to shut off our computers only at night. Thank you, God, for revealing this to us! All weekend, we held each other accountable. We'd go by the computer and say, "Feelin' the pull". I praise God for giving me a sister whom I can be so completely honest with. Thanks, Stacie! You're the best!
So what about you? Are you feeling the "pull" to check your email, blog or Facebook homepage too often? Are you telling your kid's "to wait while I finish this or that" too frequently? Every time you hear the computer "ding" are you checking it even during meal times or when you are on the phone? Are your neck and shoulders killing you because you've been on the computer too long? I hope that unlike me, you can answer "no" to these questions, but if you can't, please consider confessing to the Lord and asking him to show you how much time He wants you to be on the computer. I don't want to get legalistic about this. Depending on life circumstances or personality differences (it may be more or less than what He's laid on my heart), but the point is, search your heart. If you are open with Him, He'll reveal to you what He wants you to change. This has been hard to admit and a little embarrassing, but I hope and pray that my being honest about this topic will help some of you take a hard look at your own Internet habits. Maybe you'll like what you see, maybe you won't. Please, just take it to the Lord in prayer. Now I better get off here!
God Bless You All,
Jackie
13 comments:
I get it because I've been there too; what I don't get is the part about 'shutting off your computers only at night'. I DO shut off my computer at night, but why wouldn't I? Or have you gotten in the night to check them? I know when sleeplessness arrives it is nice, after some prayer, to blog. I applaud you two and am thankful for your diligence and accountability with each other. Thank you for sharing!
What a great post Jackie! I think I go in phases, love/hate. I also have my computer downstairs so I will hop on it if I'm touching up a load of laundry in the dryer, or waiting to add the bleach or something, like right now. I'm also on the computer a lot at the Corps (work stuff) so I can get sick of it real quick! Plus I have to share our computer with Paul and his stock trading/research, and the kids when it's their computer day. I find myself getting annoyed though when they're all hogging it!
Yes, I think this happened to me in the begining of my blogger days, especially when I would see something new, like a background or something. I usually check while the kids nap or when they go to bed. Lately thought that 4am snack is when I check. I think blogging can be a great thing to network with other moms and stuff but we definitely need to put our kids and husbands first. I think we've all been there :)
Thanks for the post, Jackie. I do not Facebook because I know where it would lead me. I'm trying to spend more time with my friends who live near me. Friends who I could invite over for a cup of coffee. I like your solution - once in the morning and once at night. You and Stacie are blessed to have each other.
Yes, I'll admit it, I'm addicted too. Basically just to blogging though lately. I don't do facebook because it's just not really my thing. I started to try it and stopped and now I have like 20 people who all want me to be their friend.
But lately I am trying to limit myself to when and how long I am on the internet because I did recognize that it was consuming me. Thanks for adding that post and confirming that I am not alone!
I hope though that you will read the post under the prayer request one when you get on tonight. I'm on the day we visited you.
Jackie,
This is an awesome post, and you are an awesome sister! Not many people would be as honest as you have been. I'm proud of you.
I love it when God convicts us of something at the same time. It is so nice to have an accountability partner!
I have to admit that I check out all of your guys'' blogs I go on several times a day to see whats going on with you. I am addicted to hearing about you and seeing the kids. So yeah what a eye opener. Instead of going on Blog.Put my Lord first and pray or read my word.Thank you Jackie. I still love to hear about your family maybe i'll check less often. love candy
Cat,
The only time I've ever shut my computer off was when I'm leaving town. If I can't sleep, sometimes I'll come out here and blog, which isn't good because blogging doesn't make me tired.
Everybody,
Thanks for your kind words and support!
I am on Facebook way too much, and keep finding more and more to do on there. It really pulls you in. When I first got on, I had only wanted it to keep in touch with family and friends. Then I found games and other things to do on there, and now I am on there every day. I really need to get my priorities right, and cut back on what I do there. It's not good. I need to clean my house before my folks get here, and spend less time on Facebook!
Yes I do feel that pull partly because blogging is new to me and my summer fun.
I had been saying to myself to set limits. We start homeschool Monday, I think my 'addiction' will be solved. LOL
By the way..is that your Harley?
Parsley,
It is actually my husband's Harley. What a guy! How many husbands would let their wife learn on their bike? We've decided to share it for now because we can't afford another and one of us has to stay home with the kids anyway. On the rare occasion where we do get to ride together, I don't mind riding behind him. It is actually kind of romantic.
Oh yeah. I know the time-wasting of which you speak. :)
Which is why my poor blog has been so painfully boring of late.
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