on day 2 of my social networking fast. didn't think it would be this difficult. im not even allowed to go to the site to peep around..nope! deleted the apps from my phone and it's definately not easy. i almost feel...pathetic. i was thinking when i woke up, "what a great revelation i just had. i should share it on twitter." out of the question! and then my mind started thinking...what did you do before you started this social networking nonsense? WRITING! i was an active journal/diary writer, and since the fast started, i've had at leats one entry a day in my journal and posted here so im on a roll! it's not like i can do anything else...
but the fast was much needed. it came to me that between the social sites/apps i visit, almost daily, i've totally neglicted my need to read and devote more time to quiet time. spending that 10-15 minutes just browsing those sites left little time to just be still...in my God space and totally disconnected. so im going to try and stay as committed as i can to this and not find something other than my purposed resources to fill those spaces.
in the meantime, didnt know God was going to start working so soon...three things struck me this weekend to become my week's focus. nothing that i had planned to find something in...it just came to me.
(1) the movie Limitless
(2) Day 12 "Death...and your good clothes" of the Book A Call to Die
(3) Pastor's sermon today "Go Fish"
Not gonna lie, Limitless was a good movie! At the end of the movie, I really couldn't grasp if I should be learning something from this movie or whether it was just a display for pure entertainment and nothing to really take from it. If you haven't seen it, I'm definately going to spoil it a little bit, but I'm concerned whether this movie gives a false since of security that a certain staus is equivalent to happiness. That money and power can solve all of your problems. What in fact happened is the people who took the pill totally became different type of people. It reminded me of someone who had a few drinks. That might be totally mellow otherwise, and a few drinks turns them into a different type of person. They become addicted to that person they are when they drink that having fun without the drink is almost impossible. It isn't reality, and it's just a cover up. I thought at the end of the movie...did he kill the old person he was in order to have this person? It made me wonder how do I value success? How do I define my happiness? Saturday, I was riding down Richmond. Windows down, music going and I'm genuinely happy. I have no worries, and I regret nothing. I have no envy for what others have because I'm aware that if God wanted me to have it, I'd have it. I may not make 100k, but my life FEELS LIKE I make 100k. It's worth more to me to have that joy. Even more so, that joy attracts great things that are for you to happen in your favor. So why need a miracle pill for something God's already lined up for you? Good movie though. Plus, I hate pharmaceutical drugs, so I'd pass anyway!
Sadly, I'm still working on the book A Call to Die. A 40 day read, and I'm three months in. Really sad, but I do plan to finish it this time. Day 12 focused on Colossians 3:5,9-10. It seemed to reiterate the reason I decided to do this version of my fast. Kill the earthly nature in order to indulge in "renewed knowledge in the image of its Creator". This book has really been challenging me to be a more mindful thinker. To be aware that growing is a different process at different staging in our lives. My growth process now is different than 2-3 years ago so when I read that Scripture saying find "renewed knowledge"...I was confused at first. Now, I'm aware that one lesson observed in the Bible maybe a few years ago is totally different to my life now. In fact, the way I react to understanding the purpose is different. I'm consistently grateful to the revelations of this book. It's not an easy read though especially because it's all about bringing awareness to where you need to develop better. But how fun would life be if it was always comfortable anyway?
Pastor started a sermon series today. I wasn't even going to go to service today, but I was reeled in by my conscious/Holy Spirit ...however you would like to call it. His lesson came from a familiar Scripture in Luke 5..or is it 6? One of them it is when Jesus was with Simon (Peter) when he went fishing to cast his net off the boat. The sermon really solidified my confirmation that my social networking fast was not only necessary but in alignment to take my networking to a different level not only with God but with people. Pastor continued to reiterate that Simon didn't understand the purpose why Jesus requested him to cast his net again even though he'd been fishing all day and didn't catch anything! I totally understand Peter's perspective. Sometimes the purpose of something that God places on our heart isn't always going to be in full vision at that moment. Is that what faith is for? It takes the place of fear. Wow, irony that we've been teaching the kids all month about having courage.
So it seems like every year is becoming a new lesson about allowing your senses to be awakened in a different way. In the movie, his senses were opened in a pill. In Scripture, Simon's senses were awakened after Jesus showed his committment to Simon even though he was doubtful of Him. It's all about being awakened and not losing yourself in order to superficially fit into a mold that doesn't (1) bring joy (2) reconcile your place with God. Casting out our nets to totally find exactly what we need in order to get everything we want. Taking the chance on trusting God on His many promises and making ourselves step out of the norm in order to fulfill those needs. In the end, without the two, it's impossible to totally be free. Freedom is in death of self.
