Looking back, I realize that he had been there for a couple of years, but I had never noticed him until a couple of months ago.
He wasn't trying to steal money. He was trying to steal something far more valuable than that. He was trying to steal my time.
The thief was Facebook. Facebook was stealing my time.
And after being on Facebook for a couple of years, I have just recently begun to realize how much time I am capable of wasting on it...checking people's statuses, photos, comments, "likes", etc.
One example: Mimi comes to me, asking for a story while I'm on Facebook. My standard reply was, "In a second, Sweetie." That "second" turned into a couple of seconds, then minutes. And by the time I logged off, she was occupied with something else, and I had missed a wonderful opportunity to spend some precious moments with her.
This situation (and many other similar to it where my children needed me and I put them off) occurred more than I would care to admit. Thankfully, the Lord showed me that this "thief" was stealing my time from my children and from my homemaking.
He showed me that I was becoming what 1 Timothy 5:13 calls a "busybody". I would start out by checking my inbox and notifications. That would lead to reading everything on my news feed page. Then I would check friends' statuses that didn't show up on my news feed page. And then..well, you get the picture.
Let's be honest, does it really matter if a friend of a friend comments on another friend's tagged photo of their second cousin's wedding? Or that a family member is getting ready to wash dishes? Not to mention all of the drama on Facebook, as if life doesn't have enough drama already.
It had become a complete waste of time...time that could be spent with my children - playing together, working together....just being together.
So as of Monday, November 21st, I am Facebook-free.
Did I miss it? A little at first: every now and then I had to resist the urge to log in and check my news feed page.
But I am enjoying all the extra time I have with my children. My house is cleaner. I'm keeping up with the laundry. (Yay!)
And I am happier.
Will I delete my account? Maybe. Or maybe I will open an account for my blog. I don't know. But I have lots of extra time to decide. :) And if you have struggled with the time thief, I'd love to hear how you dealt with it.
Psalm 90:12 "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
Have a blessed day,
linking up with www.aboverubies.net
www.deeprootsathome.com
