Goodbye to "Social Networking"

In the last six years, Facebook has grown to over 500 million users. It has become a great way for people to reconnect and share their lives. Families have reunited, people have found long lost friends. We've even connected with family that we've never met.

But it's also become an addiction. I recently read an article about how addicting it's become. I know that have been times when I have become addicted to it. I've burned a few dinners while chatting online with "friends".

Lately though there have been times when I've questioned why I have an account. It seems to have become a place for people to rant, talk about what they are eating and everything in between.

I also feel like it's a way for people to hide behind their computers. But that isn't what God wants from us. We were made in his image... which means relationship is important. He wants us to have relationships with each other. And not just surface relationships but deep, intimate relationships. How can that happen when we're all hiding behind our computers?

It's also a way for people to "tout" how many friends they have. I think I had over 200 friends at one point. But do I really have relationships with all 200+ of my friends? I can barely maintain a relationship with my husband and my daughter let alone all my Facebook friends! So I went through an "de-friended" anyone who I don't have a day to day or week to week relationship with. Yes it sounds harsh but I really want to be intentional about my relationships. But then I realized I still had like 179 friends!

So today I took the plunge... I deleted my Facebook account. Shocking I know... but necessary. It was becoming a place for me to escape. A place that would trigger irritations. A place that is just not needed. I want to connect to people, not to a screen. I want to have conversations with people, I want to hug and poke people for real! I want people to know that I cherish our relationship for real... not just because I sent them a virtual hug.

As I was deleting my account... it brought up like 6 people's names and pictures and told me that they were going to miss me. Huh?!? It's not like I am dead! It's not like I'll never see these people again! Talk about a "scare tactic"! I did it anyway! If those people really miss me... they know where to find me. :-)

So to all those who were counting on me for nails, mystery gifts and more... I send you my apologies. But if you ever need a nail in real life... call me and I'll meet you for coffee and bring you a whole bucket!