Social Media, Adieu

It has been around three weeks since I got rid of my most used application on my iPhone, which many of you are familiar with, called Instagram.

While in Nepal, I would occasionally sign onto Instagram when wifi was available, and post a picture of something we had done recently. But I didn't have the internet capabilities to scroll through my feed and look at what the rest of the world was doing.

I also had absolutely no interest in what the rest of the world was doing.

Who was drinking what at Starbucks.

What the weather was like in inland California.

Whose cute kids were wearing what.

Or what a sunset looked like over Lake Michigan.

Sorry to say it, but I had great things going on right in front of me.

People hearing of Jesus, girls being taken out of sexual slavery, playing soccer on dirt fields with very talented street boys, walking through downpours to visit those suffering in the government hospital, and even watching sunsets from the tops of hills that would kill any #skyparty I could ever partake in here.

It allowed me to be present.

To not worry about what was going on anywhere else but where God had me.

So when I returned home, I was conflicted as to whether to jump back on the Instagram train or not. So, I gave it a shot.

And I hated it.

Because guess what? There are absolutely splendid and wonderful things happening in front of me right here and now. Things just as wonderful as I saw in Nepal, but here I find that I have to look harder for them sometimes. I find myself needing to push aside my instinct to focus on materialism and fix my eyes solely on Jesus.

I want to be wholly present and completely invested in what is going on in front of me. Not staging pictures, constantly thinking of what would be a great way to share with the world what I am doing.

I was not dwelling in what the Lord was placing in front of me. 

I let Instagram get between myself and Jesus.

And heck, so did Facebook.

So, they've both been gone for a few weeks now.

I have gotten rid of Facebook before, for almost four months last summer, and it was my absolute favorite summer. It allowed me to be at home, support my family through the craziest of seasons, and get more involved and in love with my small church.

They're gone and they're not coming back.

So I am sorry that my Nepal pictures are gone, I will put up some on this blog sometime soon.

But if you want to keep in touch, I want to see you in real life. I don't like the feeling that people can "keep up on my life" by creeping on my Facebook profile or my Instagram feed. I'd rather they have to text/call/e-mail/show up in order to be invested, because being invested in those around us means showing up.

Not creepin' around.

It's also a challenge to myself to reach out and show up in the lives of those I care for.

So, keep in touch, friends.

And not-friends.

Let's do life together.