My Grass is Greener Than Yours?

Last night, a friend and I had a discussion on the negative impacts of social media and how things such as blogs, facebook, twitter, etc., have a huge potential to negatively impact our lives as women, wives, and mothers.

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I shared with her how I personally have struggled big-time with discontentment as an influence of social media. When I first started reading blogs in 2008, I kind of, admittedly and ashamedly, got sucked in. That happens so easily, doesn't it?

But out of time spent unwisely, grew an even more dangerous root. The root of discontentment. I began to see all the great, productive things that these other mothers were doing, and I began to compare myself to them and become discontent with the life I was living. Nothing in my life seemed good enough anymore.

And from the root of discontentment grew a shoot of resentment. Resentment because I homeschooled and, therefore, didn't have the time to devote to the various projects and activities that I really wished I had the time for.

And then grew self-condemnation because I would look at other homeschooling moms who were writing books, speaking at conferences, teaching their kids, keeping house, and I would tell myself that something was obviously wrong with me that I couldn't do those things also. If they could do it, why couldn't I? Why couldn't have God arranged my life so that I could pursue my hobbies and passions fully as well as fulfill His calling on my life as a wife and homeschooling mother?

What I'm getting to is this: The Internet and social media can be really great things. Facebook is a great way to connect with family and friends. Blogging (for me) is a great creative outlet. Email is fast and convenient for communicating.

But anytime social media begins to impact our lives in a way that it becomes more important than our real life or it begins to make us view ourselves in a negative, critical, discontented manner, we're out of balance.

And another thing I've learned and shared with my dear friend last night is that most people only show their really good, put-together face in the world of social media. So even those people who appear to have it all-together have secrets and struggles too, you know.

And that's why I felt the necessity and importance of sharing my struggle with depression, anxiety and agoraphobia with my readers (even though the thought of it scared me.) I never want any of you to get the impression that I have it all together. Because, quite honestly, I struggle a lot at times. In fact, yesterday was a miserable day in our home because me, mommy, was in a miserable, grumpy mood. But God is good. And that's what redeems me and my struggles.

So as we've talked about simplifying and reevaluating our schedules this week, is there some aspect of social media that you need to really limit or perhaps give up totally (at least for a while?) If you've been feeling convicted over this area of your life, perhaps today is the day to commit this to God and ask for His wisdom and strength to reassess and realign your priorities with His.

Have a most blessed day in the Lord.

p.s. - Come back tomorrow for some great links for some meaningful activities and crafts you can do with your children this Christmas season. I had two parameters in mind when I compiled this list: 1. the activities had to be meaningful and 2. the activities had to be simple and not time-consuming.