"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." -Emerson

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Giving grace and other things I've learned...

Here is a two part post for ya today. First, I am sure you are all just dying to know how I am holding up on this facebook fast. I am happy to report that the shakes have subsided and I have yet to sign back on to that online community that so many of us love so much. The funny thing is that more people are texting me or emailing me so I guess we trade one electronic form of communication for another. Oh well, not trying to change the world on this one, just myself.

Here are my facebook fast lessons of the week:
1.) When you don't have access to something, you don't really know what you are missing. I won't lie, I have daydreamed about what each of my friends are posting on their status updates and wondered if I am missing being in the loop, but really I have found more productive uses of my time which included a two hour meander through the neighborhood with my girl yesterday. We actually met a new friend while walking and didn't have to ask her to accept our friendship. Nor did we need to write on her wall to get to know her better, we simply asked!
2.) Technology zaps us of our connections sometimes. Like I said, this is a change me experience, not you so don't go getting all offended or anything. One thing I've learned in this abstaining from facebook is that technology can zap me of my connections: to my family, to my friends and most importantly, to my God. When I am constantly replacing real interactions with face to face interaction with a computer screen, I undoubtedly miss out on those real connections with people.
3.) I am feeling a bit like the Amish. So, yahoo now has a facebook application for your yahoo page, my phone's facebook app has been downed and now the little notification star hangs by its side, enticing me to check back in. With everyone talking about facebook this and facebook that, I find myself sheepish at times admitting I have cut the facebook cord. Most of the time it is simply met with the ol' nod and smile and a hearty, albeit fake, "Good for you!" I find myself in a generation past and feel like everyone else is whizzing ahead. But, the writing ideas that have flowed from this just say no to facebook montage. Oh, the things we will do for our craft...
Well, I am sure more lessons are to come. A counter should be added to this page to see just how long the girl can go without www.facebook.com .


In other news, I had a real lesson this past week or so. I have constantly battled a self-righteous, often times judgmental spirit that I have begged and pleaded with God to break me of. Recently, I think I came across another who shares a similar battle and the result was directed towards me. For days I agonized over this intense feeling of shame and guilt at the thought that I had unintentionally offended someone. It was then that God really put that mirror up to my face and showed me what the receiving end was like of my stubborn self.

I have always heard give them grace, but never quite understood the concept. I knew wholeheartedly about God's grace, an undeserved gift, but how that translated to this human realm I was unsure. Then, it hit me. Giving another grace meant choosing to believe good about them, no matter what circumstances might say. Choosing to say, "surely, they did not mean to come across so unkind" and believing that if they did, it was only the result of their own difficulties at the moment.

For now, I am working heart and soul on this idea of giving another grace. I am going to be looking for the good when people show the bad, forgiving quickly, not keeping count of wrongs, overlooking offenses and trying to live this whole Christianity thing.

Here's to grace and face...book.

Until next time,
-C.

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