Wherever you are, be all there.

This past Thanksgiving weekend Jeremy and I traveled to TN which gave quite a few hours in the car. We entertained ourselves with free music from Sirius and 90s on 9 as well as some 90s trivia with some theological discussions sprinkled in between. In the many, many down moments that one would expect on a 12 hour drive one way,  I found myself turning to that dreaded social media outlet of Facebook. At the end of our round trip, I realized just how much time was spent scrolling the endless newsfeed of Facebook. In short, time was wasted. Moments in the car could have and should have easily been spent having conversations with my husband. Don't get wrong, we talked a lot! But even while in TN, I found myself scrolling the feed. But even on the regular day to day when not in TN, I find myself scrolling the feed.

And what comes of that? I fail to live in the moment. I fail to treasure what I have now. I fail to be content and begin to compare myself to everyone else. Here I am standing on top of the Empire State building and I'm jealous that someone in NC is going to a favorite restaurant of mine. What is that? It's the seed of discontent and comparison that is sown when we allow ourselves to dwell in it - That dwelling in a Facebook newsfeed continues to grow those seeds.

Saturday night I was reminded of Jim Elliot's famous quote, "Wherever you are, be all there." I'm certain the Lord brought this to mind as I began to realize just how often I can be consumed with comparing myself to others. It's a dirty little mind game the enemy plays when he has us captivated in the world of faces. We begin stacking up our lives next to everyone on Facebook and compare ourselves, our husbands, the romance between us, the children or lack of, the jobs, the houses, the clothes, the fun things everyone else seems to be doing when we are just at home watching a Hallmark movie (because let's be honest, that's been my life for the past couple of weeks.) Because I believe Jesus has come to give us abundant life both eternally and while we are on the earth, the enemy has used Facebook to detract as much as possible from that abundant life He has given. John 10:10 says "The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy; I have come so they might have life and have it to the full!" Whatever way he [the enemy] can rob us, he will - If he can rob us through Facebook, then he will by all means. But this is what HE gives:

Abundant life is a morning spent with the Lord reading His Word, without a perfectly placed journal and cup of joe.
Abundant life is the romance of a husband who puts up the Christmas tree and plays Christmas music and is not defined by a fancy dinner or carriage ride through New York City.
Abundant life is being a couch potato with the one you love while wearing sweats and it being okay.
Abundant life is serving your church.
Abundant life is loving your girlfriends and an hour long chat.
Abundant life is a run .. a walk.. a good porch sitting.
Abundant life is where the Lord is and the contentment He gives in the smallest of ways.
This is life to the full.

And so, at least for the remainder of the year, I will be leaving Facebook behind and making my account inactive. I want to be present. I want to be content. I want to be in His presence and enjoy. I want to be all there - with my husband, with my family, with my friends. Wherever I am, I want to be all there!

Though I plan to leave behind Facebook, I will continue to post on here frequently - writing is what I love. 

Romance doesn't always look like what most pictures on social media portray. But

Sunday night - Jeremy romanced me. He put some Christmas music on Spotify and assembled 

the tree. He also helped me spread out all the branches, which I don't love to do. Romance

comes in all shapes, sizes and forms.