Every Day is FryDay: Day 31 Lenten Journey

Wow, a week from tomorrow will be Palm Sunday! How is that possible?? Then Holy week....Then: TA DA! EASTER! My "Lenten Journey" is a bit more than 40 days this time, which is fine with me. I'm already thinking, what will I do when the 40 days are up???? Will I blog as much? Will I return to FaceBook every morning? Will I slip back into old habits, like not doing Bible Studies as before? Do I still want to try to publish something????? To answer a few......

What will I do when the 40+ days are over? Hopefully, I will go forward with a huge SPRING (haha) in my step! Seriously, I hope I have learned some new things about me. Dropping some old habits and getting some new ones.
Will I blog as much? Not as much, but I have so enjoyed the discipline of getting on this computer, while still dark and typing like a madwoman while awaiting the sun to rise in the window in front of me. It's a new habit I am thoroughly enjoying.Our DOGS get us up so early but I'm really glad b/c I have so much more day to enjoy!
Will I return to FaceBook every morning? This is one habit I'm breaking. I will get back on, I enjoy seeing my friends too much not to, but definitely not the first thing I will do when I get up, while drinking my coffee.... When I first started my FB absence, it was hard. I hit the FB app automatically for the first few days until I realized what I had done! That's not normal, haha. I love it when people say,"I don't get on FB much". Liars, haha! If they are trying to convince people, they are trying to convince themselves! (and , hello! I can see that you were, indeed on, on the friends list! LOL! )....I'm not blasting FB now just b/c I haven't been on these past 31 days. ~~I love going on there and seeing what my friends post~~. Most of the time. Until elections. Except during football season (I confess, before you roll your eyes, yes, I 'm the worst Bama fan on the planet and I've been horrible at times about defending my team! LOL!)And other times where people love to opine. Let me say here, AGAIN, that people are NOT going to change their political/religious/football/sports and whatever other loyalties, because of what you write. Ain't' gonna happen.

What WILL happen is people will get their feelings hurt/ their panties in a wad and on their high horses to defend those things they believe to be gospel. (I know, I've had it happen to me!). I'm not saying not to defend your loyalties/your political party/ football team or faith! BUT, if you want to change someone's opinions, don't be a coward and hide behind a computer and talk trash. Talk sensibly , face to face. I know I'm not talking "face to face" here ,either, but no way I can . But I can tell you right now that I won't post controversial things on FB. I have strong feelings just like everyone else about politics/religion, so how can that work on FB? Get off when that happens. Walk away. HEY, even PRAY! ....And what about emotions on FB?

As I mentioned, I learned the hard way not to write certain things b/c , again, people read into things that are written sometimes that aren't even about them--then, feelings get hurt people delete you or get off FB and so on and so forth. It's insane and work of the devil, I swear. I learned that lesson a couple of years ago. Don't cut off your own nose to spite your face , either. Most times comments are not a personal attack (and if so, it would be better to just let that person go in your friend list). Sometimes, sadly,friendships can be broken (over remarks on FB!) that can never be restored. And that is a tragedy . I will try to avoid many of those scenarios, when I return, that are controversial and if that means another "break" from FB, so be it...... Last night, watching the horrible mob in Chicago, I was reminded that the same thing happens on FB to a lesser degree. People would probably try to throw punches if they could. (But, then, you'd bust your phone/iPad or computer. LOL)!! It's sad that people go to such lengths to offer/defend their political opinions. Does that really help??? Defending the faith is one thing,

but defending stands on other things can be a slippery slope. Because it could potentially keep someone that God wants you to connect with/offer hope to/ even potentially bring into the faith, because you try to convince someone that your opinions are the only "right ones". It's also not our place to judge! We can't say someone isn't going to heaven b/c of their political loyalties. Um, that would be stepping in Holy Shoes... I will definitely be more careful of my words and I will not be getting on every. single. morning. Because, if for no other reason, I'd miss the sunrise over Lake Cyrus! One more thought here and I'll leave the FaceBook (or maybe Twitter is your social media addiction. Yes, I can see it can be an addiction!) debate alone. Instead of complaining or leaving cryptic statuses/tweets or posting words that you know are going to incite someone else, simple solution: stop tapping the keys. Write it on a piece of paper and then throw it away. Oh and my pet peeve, PLEASE, for the love, quit posting retaliatory remarks. It only makes people more angry.Sometimes I think the devil is more happy over FaceBook/Twitter posts than anything else he does these days . I bet the devil has the biggest FB page/ Twitter account of all! He loves stirring pots and there is so much in social media for him to use. Scary, really. Maybe I shouldn't have even written so much about FaceBook/Twitter on my blog this post but it is one thing that has really been in my mind these 31 days. How free I feel when not on it! It can be such a great place to visit old friends/ see pictures of new babies/ re-connecting with old friends/posting pictures, (yes, I know I post way too many of my sweet family). But be aware! there IS a dark side to Facebook and Twitter and there IS an evil that runs rampant through it because it is very evident and real. Just be careful.
Will I slip back into old habits of not doing Bible Study every day? To be perfectly honest here, probably. EEEEKS. I am truly going to TRY to continue it. One thing in my favor is that I teach every other month, 4-5th graders Sunday School. So that makes me have to delve deeper in scripture then, for sure. But, that's a place I truly need working on, still. I have a hard time just settling down to do a lesson. Maybe it reminds me of being a student where I hated doing homework! LOL! Whatever the reason, I sometimes have a hard time focusing on things.
which brings the last question. Do I want to still try and get something published? I don't know. I'm not sure if I have the energy anymore. when I had all 5 kids at home, with all the chaos that brought, I still had more energy than I do now! (YOUTH!). I could still find time to write on my very first APPLE computer, back in 1986, and LOVED the way that I could tap on the keys and write to my heart's content. And I did just that. (I have a whole closet full of life with 5 kids, lol). But now? Not sure. Too many reject letters have hurt my feelings! But then........to be continued!