In our amazing era of digital immediacy, I can tell the world where I am and what I’m doing while I’m doing it. I can present myself as a busy man living a rich and full life. I can take pictures of my meals, log my locations, snap photos of the people I’m with, and weigh in on what’s happening around the globe 140 characters at a time. But none of these things mean I’ve been paying attention.
-Russ Ramsey, in an article entitled The Courage to Put Away Our Cameras
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( I want to pay attention, don't you?)
I think about this a lot, actually. I want to be present in each moment. I truly want to pay attention. But I don't just want to pay attention to whatever is in front of me. I want to be wise about what I choose to put in front of me.
The world offers MUCH in the way of distraction and I want to be faithful to what God has entrusted to me. I want to be intentional to pay attention to those things. (Specifically, those things are: my husband, our children (and their education) and our home.
The other stuff? It's all extra. The extras often distract me from what God has clearly called me to. I want to flourish here, in these relationships, with my wonderful man and my sweet children. These are the ones God has given to me. I choose to devote my time and attention to them. They get my best.
There's not a right number of "extras", but I think we must be careful and selective. The psalmist reminds us that our days are but a breath. (So, then, let us be wise with the decisions we make with our time and attention.)
Obviously that's going to look differently for each individual. For me:
It's one of the reasons why I deleted my Facebook account nearly a year ago. (I don't miss it.)
It's why I haven't joined Pinterest. (Even though I bet it's right up my alley. :))
It's why I don't have a fancy phone with internet/email access.
It's why I try to be careful about how many shows I watch. (Just a few.)
It's one of the reasons why I struggle with the whole idea of blogging, and really try to limit my time on the computer. (And I try to limit it to time when the kids are sleeping or during quiet times.)
***
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you. 1 Thess. 4:11
Wow. Thank you for this.
ReplyDeleteAll of this has been on my heart this year.... thank you!
ReplyDeleteAnd may I selfishly say thank you that you have continued to share your thoughts here. You are a real encouragement and example to me to be a faithful mother and wife. Thank you for your kindness on behalf of my Kate. I left my thanks to you on my blog, but I wanted to come here and say it again in case you missed it. Love you and your family!
ReplyDeleteThis is really great! Thinking a lot about this recently also. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Stacy (:
ReplyDeleteThank you for this wonderful reminder. I, too, pray daily that the Father will allow me to see... I don't want to miss a single thing He has set there in the days and moments.
Love & hugs
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ReplyDeleteThank you for this. I've been thinking about this a lot lately.
ReplyDeleteThank you for giving your time to this blog. It blesses me very much! In an age of technology, this is a different kind of mentoring. You are being the Titus 2 women to those of us who read here! Thank you ;)
ReplyDelete{thank you for your kind words, friends.}
ReplyDeleteHi, Stacy! I, too, struggle with these same issues. These are some of the same reasons I don't have a FB, Twitter, or Pinterest account. I have enjoyed blogging for years, but feel the pull of the busyness of life pulling me away; praying about what He would have me do. Thanks for your honest thoughts presented with grace and humility.
ReplyDeleteI struggle with all of it. daily. even just toting around my camera can distract me. I mostly feel all alone with a love/hate relationship with my blog ... but that's exactly what I have.
ReplyDeleteLove this, Stacy. I've had to make some big adjustments to the way I interact with social media as well. This post from Desiring God had some good thoughts along this same vein: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/fight-the-poverty-of-attention I want to save my best attention for God and his Word and the people he puts right in front of me!
ReplyDeleteJodi~ That was an excellent link; thank you. And- AMEN! God and His word are definitely at the top of my list, although I didn't mention it in this post, I don't think.
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