Why I'm giving up Facebook for Lent

You read that right! I'm giving up everything about Facebook for Lent. Below is the note I posted on my account...I've separated it by ***'s so I can add stuff at the end and not confuse you. :)

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First, I realize many people may not even know what Lent is. Lent is the period of 40 days before Easter...it's significance is based in the Catholic or Lutheran (or the more traditional denominations of Christianity) and is expected to be practiced (giving up chocolate or something else is often what people say they're giving up) by anyone in those churches.

However, I grew up Lutheran and never fully grasped the immense impact a "lenten sacrifice" could really have on the life of someone. That is, until I was 26 and came to a place in my life where I had to either find the truth of the God I said I had committed my life to and let Him have all of me, or continue to wonder what the purpose of life really is. This, to me, was a no brainer...if I was only put on this earth to live, work, love and die and that's the end, then I realized that the only thing that mattered was what other people thought of me because if I wanted to live a good life then I needed as many people to like me so they would want me to be in their lives.

Wow...my entire worth caught up in the opinions of other people based not on who I really am, but on the filters they look at me and all the things I do (or don't do) that have been developed in their lives by the opinions of people who looked at them for not who they are, but for what they did or didn't do through the filters that have been developed in THEIR lives by the opinions of people....get the picture? Seriously? I'm going to live my life based on what the opinions of others say about me? People who have their own issues...with no standard for perfection even though we're all striving toward it?

I decided to figure out the truth of the God I called my Savior and see what I found. I discovered an amazing God who loves me no matter how messed up I am. Who doesn't put up with my foolish self ~ but Who doesn't deal with me as I deserve, but through mercy and grace and perfect love.

I could go on, but I need to get the boys to the dentist, and I want to be able to write this not in a hurry, but focused and honest. So...I'll not be back on Facebook unless it's to post the note I'll write offline as a completion to this one.

If I don't come back on, you can always check my family blog where I'll probably post this also... http://www.trayctalks.blogspot.com

If you've decided there is no God...or decided that maybe there is but He doesn't care about you...I hope you'll take this challenge from me........

Get a Bible. Before you start reading ask that God would help you see the truth. You don't have to believe...I believe and know that He knows your heart anyway, so pretending you do doesn't really fool Him. Say this, "So Trayc says you're real. I don't know if it's true, and I really don't believe it, but if you are help me understand this book and see the truth." That's all you really have to do...just be real.

I suggest reading Psalm 103 to see all He has done...then read the story of the life of Jesus in either Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. (the Bible's made up of many different books all in one book...Psalms is in the middle of the Bible, those other four are in the second part called the New Testament.)

I don't know if anyone will read this...all I know is that if I didn't ask you to do your own searching, your own asking and looking in the one place of absolute truth (the Bible... if you're not a believer in the authenticity of the Bible I suggest you podcast a talk from New Heights Church, Vancouver, WA given by one of our pastors a couple weeks ago about that very topic. ...you may be surprised!) then I will die with one major regret...that I knew where to find peace and I didn't share it because I was afraid of what people would think. That wouldn't be worth it to me...you matter too much for me to not share.

See you after Easter!

Trayc
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It doesn't really explain why I'm giving up Facebook, though, does it? That's what I get for trying to write a note with only a few minutes to complete it before I *have* to leave for an appointment! (ugh.) I kind of explained it in my status update where I wrote "Trayc is giving up Facebook for Lent. It's a huge sacrifice in my life, but a smidgen of the sacrifice given FOR my life. See you after Easter." That kind of explains it....right?

Well, if it just brings out more questions, then I'll expound.....

As I stated in the note, I grew up Lutheran. I was "baptized" (sprinkled) as an infant, and I was confirmed when I was in 9th grade. It was soon after confirmation that we changed churches and left Lutheranism. During my time as a Lutheran I grew to love the tradition and the liturgical church year, including Lent. I never did understand the purpose of it, though. That is, until I was teaching in Colorado at a Catholic Girls-school. It was while I was teaching there that our Campus Minister and very good friend, Lynnae, shared with the girls the importance of sacrifice during Lent. Since then I have looked at Lent differently ~ even though I'm no longer a member of a denomination that observes the practices of "giving up something" for Lent.

So the other day I was having my time with God and pondering the time of year...it was late at night because I had spent WAY too much time on Facebook perusing friends' pages and playing games. I love Facebook! Living very far away from many of my long-time friends and most of my family, as well as having moved a lot and having friends and students who are all around the country and world, it is the most wonderful thing to be able to keep up to date with what's going on in their lives on a somewhat daily basis...instead of just getting the highlights with a yearly letter or an every-couple-years catch-up session. I enjoy the quizzes and being able to get to know my friends and family members through silly little interviews and videos and postings on their walls. Facebook has helped me reconnect with friends who I haven't seen since High School or College...and relatives I get to see VERY rarely because of where life has taken us, but to whom I have so many wonderful memories with growing up. Yes, I definitely love Facebook!

It is for that very reason that I have decided to give it up for Lent. I realized that Lent is preparation of my spirit for the culminating event of the life of Jesus Christ, and it is through the immensity of His sacrifice that I can live my life in confidence and hope knowing He has saved me by being crucified, dying, and rising again. Studying the extremes of what He went through speaks volumes about Him:

*the lies and the manipulation of the system by people who felt threatened by Him so they alone could be more powerful and seen as wise and important

*the picture of One who loved so deeply, cared so freely, accepted and challenged all while not compromising on right and wrong, spoke hope, truth, peace and confidence to those who trusted in Him being whipped with multiple strands of leather interwoven with bone fragments designed to bring ultimate pain and rip flesh to shreds...

...all of it for the sake of saving any who would believe in Him and accept His sacrifice and live for eternity in a place with streets made of gold.

With a Savior who made THAT kind of sacrifice ~ giving up glory and the praise of Heaven to become human and live within limitations of that body ~ I can't help but want to know Him more...love Him more...give Him more. So what can I give Him for the next 40 days that would require much of me? As strange as it sounds...Facebook.

I've heard people say that Christians are people who simply need a crutch and can't live their lives on their own. I find this humorous and ignorant knowing the Christians I do. Business owners who are very successful and respected in their fields; men and women who did have extremely successful careers "by the world's standards" and gave them up for the opportunity to minister to others the truth of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit; Intelligent people with multiple degrees and brains that constantly amaze and astound...to know the people I know and to understand why they believe what they believe puts that statement about needing a crutch to rest pretty deeply.

I've also heard people say that Christians are just judgmental and rigid in their moral standards and don't accept people who don't believe as they do. I am sad to admit that this is a true statement for some people who call themselves Christians...and I don't doubt that they really are...but I can't help but wonder as I see the changes in me as I get to know the TRUTH about WHO God is if they really understand and know HIM...or if they just think they can use Him to justify their hatred. That's not Christ...that's not the character of a person in love with someone who sat down with the dregs of society and reached out to those no one else would touch.

It's also not the character of Christ in someone who says they are Christians but condone and accept actions, activities and lifestyles that are in direct opposition to what is written in the Bible. Jesus loved all. He also loved all he came in contact with enough to expose what was wrong and what was missing in their lives as He pointed them to what would fulfill them. That has never changed. He continues to point out in me all that I need to work on...the things that keep me tangled in messes that destroy and hurt. But He does it so beautifully...so tenderly and lovingly...firmly, yes, but with persistence and patience that goes against what so many think.

Knowing Jesus Christ, the one and only Son of the One True God, and the other part of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, (If you don't understand let me explain...I'll never understand that either, but I know it to be true nonetheless) I can't stay in the place I am...comfortable and happy...while the church prepares for Easter. If He can make a sacrifice of giving His very life for me, surely I can give up something that tends to draw me as well. I'm not giving up my friends (although I wouldn't be surprised if I had fewer friends on my friends list when I come back after Easter), but I am giving up something I love for the sake of my One True Love.

And that's why I'm giving up Facebook for Lent.

As I finish this post up I want to lay the same challenge out to you that I wrote in my note on Facebook....

If you've decided there is no God...or decided that maybe there is but He doesn't care about you...I hope you'll take this challenge from me........

Get a Bible. Before you start reading ask that God would help you see the truth. You don't have to believe...I believe and know that He knows your heart anyway, so pretending you do doesn't really fool Him. Say this, "So Trayc says you're real. I don't know if it's true, and I really don't believe it, but if you are help me understand this book and see the truth." That's all you really have to do...just be real.

I suggest reading Psalm 103 to see all He has done...then read the story of the life of Jesus in either Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. (the Bible's made up of many different books all in one book...Psalms is in the middle of the Bible, those other four are in the second part called the New Testament.)

I don't know if anyone will read this...all I know is that if I didn't ask you to do your own searching, your own asking and looking in the one place of absolute truth (the Bible... if you're not a believer in the authenticity of the Bible I suggest you podcast a talk from New Heights Church, Vancouver, WA given by one of our pastors a couple weeks ago about that very topic. ...you may be surprised!) then I will die with one major regret...that I knew where to find peace and I didn't share it because I was afraid of what people would think. That wouldn't be worth it to me...you matter too much for me to not share.


If you're wanting reliable resources that have more information here are a few sites to check out:

"http://www.equip.org"
"http://www.insights.org"
"http://www.christianitytoday.com"

There are many good Christian leaders, but I honestly believe that simply opening the Bible and asking God to help you understand...getting to know ALL of Him (it's easy to take parts of a book and twist it to be something it's not within context)...is the best way to get to know God. It's pretty logical, really...do you think reading books about someone who lives with you gives you a more realistic view of that person than, say, reading something they themselves wrote? or sitting down with them and asking them to help you understand them? No? I didn't think so either...so if you want to know the truth of who God is, read what He wrote...the Bible. Don't take that as you can't read anything to help you understand... all I'm saying is don't rely solely on books written about the Bible instead of getting in to the Bible itself.

I hope you'll take the challenge...even if you are a Christian...get to know God better over the next few months by opening up your Bible and spending time with Him.

Here's to being more of who we were made to be......