He actually lives and responds!

So I've been off facebook for 5 days now. I really want to know what's going on in the world, how many new comments or photos have been posted, events coming up, wall posts, I want to tell the world about what I'm doing - even if no one cares. I want someone to LIKE something I'm doing.


Apparently though, I'm not addicted (at least, according to this massively credible .. internet survey)

1. You lose sleep over Facebook

"If you're staying up late at night because you're on Facebook, and you're tired the next day, Facebook may be a compulsion for you," Lipari said. "You shouldn't be neglecting yourself because of Facebook."

2. You spend more than an hour a day on Facebook

Pile says it's hard to pinpoint exactly how much is too much time to be spending on social networking.

"I can't imagine that anyone would need more than an hour a day on Facebook, and probably no one needs more than 30 minutes," she said.

3. You become obsessed with old loves

Reconnecting with old friends is one of the great attractions of Facebook, and there's nothing necessarily wrong with "friending" an old boyfriend or girlfriend. But Pile warns that it can get out of hand very quickly.

"One of my clients met up with an old boyfriend on Facebook. They started spending hours and hours into the night talking to each other on Facebook. She made some really inappropriate comments about how unhappy she was in her marriage," Pile said. "Her cousin saw the comments and told her parents, and the parents told the husband, and now they're in the process of getting divorced."

4. You ignore work in favor of Facebook

"If you're not doing your job in order to sneak time on Facebook, you could have a real problem," Lipari said.

5. The thought of getting off Facebook leaves you in a cold sweat

Sarah Browne, who writes the Guru of New blog, gave up Facebook for Lent last month when she realized that she had a "mild" addiction to the site.


Of all these things, I have.. zero. Unless you include being constantly on Facebook "more than an hour of Facebook". But I'm not primarily on Facebook, I'm always 'studying' or chatting or youtub-ing or eating or.. multitasking.


Ideally I would be studying, but thats a different story. 
Very glad that I am not addicted though :)

Short of that, God has been nothing but amazing lately (though what am I saying, He always has been).


Started a new devotion book "Hearing from God Each Morning" By Joyce Meyer (and despite it's girly look it is a unisex book thank you very much.)

Getting into this whole Bible study routine and giving God my time and focus has been super rewarding!
Despite being raised in a Christian family, quiet time has never been a priority or a routine. It just lacked.


So really spending time with the Creator has been incredibly refreshing, and I love it!
Not only that, but coincidentally (more like, choreographed by God), each of my devo's have been directly related to the events of my day. Not like, "oh yeah, I guess that COULD mean that its related to my friendship problems", and twisting the message to suit me. Instead, if a primary school kid had a diary of my life and a calendar, they could draw the direct link between the chunks of wisdom and comfort that God has been giving me through Meyer's devo book.


Example:


June 11th - Talked about hearing from God and tangibly getting a message of wisdom or knowledge from God. I had an exam that day.



June 12th - Talked about Abraham and how "no disbelief or distrust made him waver, but instead he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God". I had actually begun to start doubting and losing a little bit of steam since Jubilee the night before. Also exams sort of pull you away from God a little.


June 16th - So, I'd been literally learning. Not cramming. Learning. For the first time, Business Finance. In 1 and a half days, I tried to learn the entire course. Today was the day of the exam. And I was utterly exhausted, physically and mentally, and exceedingly stressed.
What did today's devo talk about? "The Source of Your Strength". All I did was smile and pray and everything left me. I honestly believe it was God's peace and comfort coming over me, but it was also a combination of the "there's not much more I can learn, I've hit a wall" resignation.


At the same time, I've been having this nagging question of how to love others. And through BSF and studying John, through reading "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" by Joshua Harris, listening to sermons about Evangelism, and through prayer, God keeps repeating the message that it comes back to the cross - the life and death and resurrection of Christ. To love like He did, through his actions and sacrifice that He made for us. That's how to love.


And God has really engraved that into my mind and heart lately, "THIS is how to love, Ashley".


So definitely something I have to try and work at, persistently, everyday - to love humbly, and serve everyone around me.


What a great God though, worth my time, my effort, my life, because He gave His for mine.




Continually thankful,


Ash