LDS.org - Mormon Messages
What a special day in Christendom. I'm sad that illness kept me from going to church today, but not overwrought. After all, I am in church most every Sunday, and I am certain that my daily actions and weekly attendance mean a great deal more than missing this one Sunday.
That all being said, I am grateful that we have an Easter Sunday to celebrate, because for Christians it is Easter that gives us hope. Hope for repentance; hope for salvation; hope for returning to the side of that Father which sent us forth into this mortal existence to be tried and tested, to grow and learn, to fulfill the full measure of our creation. To be: to be all that He had hope and expectations that we could be, and to become more than our finite minds can ever imagine. Praise be!
The Intercessory Prayer
My Easter Season
I am a Christian of the Latter-day Saint denomination. We do not, as a general rule, celebrate/ participate in Lent. However, this is my third year to do so anyway. This year, I "gave up" sodas (Coke in particular) and Facebook.
Friday, however, in seeking out some comfort from a stupid cold that caught hold of me this week, I had a Coke. It was pretty good, though perhaps not as great as I used to think. You see, I do not drink coffee, non-herbal tea, or alcohol, in any form (except that awful cold medicine I've been on this past week). I exercise regularly, I don't regularly gorge myself on sweets or smoke. Coke is really my one "drug," and I've hated feeling like I was controlled by a daily craving for anything---even if it is only 16 measly ounces of caramel coloring, caffeine, and high-fructose corn syrup! Sadly, I have felt that way for about 10 years now! Still, this fast from soda has been a good mental break for me to undergo, a mental break with a spiritual reason- to prove to myself that I can do without.
Nevertheless, it has been a disappointment, too. Not a pound dropped in weight, and I can't say that I have physically "felt better than ever" for going with out Coke. Why did I bother? Well, I can say that my will power is better than I thought and, if nothing else, I will strive to keep its consumption to a minimum in the future.Bottom's up!
Wait! Regarding Facebook, well, I've decided to keep that one out of my life for good. I truly vacillated on this one, but I kept coming back to "No."
One of our great challenges in this life is to discern good from evil, bad from good, unhealthy from healthy- all to lead to the betterment of our spirits (and bodies). In this past 46 days, I have decided Coke is better for me to consume in moderation than Facebook is for me to "consume" at all! Who'd have thought that? In looking back, there have been countless productive hours I've wasted at the feet of Zuckerberg's monster in the years I've been on it. And not a mere few arguments produced there as well. I can truly say after 46 days: I was more addicted to FB than Coke. Sad...
I started this blog several years ago, thinking it would be a great outlet for my writing and my opinions, but then I found that Facebook was even better for that- and I was assured that lots of people would see my posts. Now, 4 or 5 years later, I'm certain lots of people actually don't need to see my posts, though I may feel compelled to write them.
Not only that, but I'm even more certain that I don't want more than few to see what I write (and bother to respond). I want to feel compelled to do productive consequential things, not waste time arguing or discussing.
In the end, and for all its good (getting me in touch with old friends) FB became far more about emoting (particularly about politics) for me than actually writing! Ugh! Time to get back to the beginning of my online existence. I'm sure if I have to actually write more, I will, in the end, write less.
We shall see.
Congrats on breaking the FB monster, although-it does serve a convenience . I wrestle with that superficial connection/society because so many of my friends are scattered about the globe (I now have two in New Zealand)-and it takes a LOT of effort to write letters (this was a New Year's resolution and in April I am at 3.) So I will not strike down the Goliath that is FB, despite the fact that I now get advertisements in my timeline (WTF.)
ReplyDeleteI will not be shy in saying that I consume an above-average amount of alcohol, and my larger concern in the mixer of Coke. Perhaps its your abstinence of caffeine that makes you not realize the addictive properties of Coke-although that seems counter-intuitive. I am TRYING to wean myself from Coffee, and alcohol (but frankly, my days of frustration at work literally have driven me to drink.) As far as the weight loss goes-you really have to push yourself 125% (I have started running to work instead of biking-about 9 miles a day total, and I feel a difference.)
Regardless, I will miss your FB posts (and intelligent, if heated, discourse) on FB, as they frequently brought if not something I found flawed, then different from the usual flow of media (I swear, sign one moveon petition...)
I'll try to keep up with your blog-but right now I'm paring down my distractions again, so no promises. Send me a letter and let's see what penmanship can accomplish
Chris, it is so appropriate you would be my first commenter.
ReplyDeleteI totally get the frustration-alcohol connection. I have felt similarly about Coke (due to my darling kids, usually :)), and can absolutely understand why people seek out such "calming" substances, even in the form of stimulants. Talk about counter-intuitive.
Regarding the FB monster, yes, I have slain Mr. Z., but I do miss its most useful function: bringing people together. Unfortunately, it also makes driving people away quite simple, too. I do like the keeping-people-out part though. So many pluses, too many minuses.
I hope you do stay in touch. I know reading a blog isn't as instant as FB, but I'm hoping it will force me to write more & post less. Personally, I read few blogs with any regularity. So, who knows! It may be me on here talking to myself most of the time. And, well, that's OK. Pretty much business as usual! :)
Here's to 125%!
D