Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Things aren't Always What they Appear to Be ~


This past summer on our wonderful road trip
I shared something with a friend, something I sometimes struggle with in my life.
To my surprise,
she immediately felt better about her own situation.
She was so glad to hear my life wasn't perfect!
I was so taken back, "why would you think my life is perfect?"
 Basically she was basing it on my Facebook posts.
I assured her my life was far from perfect,
I have struggles and challenges always, and we shared
some of those things with each other, privately.
Thank you sweet friend :-)
Friends are good like that.... I love that she shared how she saw it
if even just through Facebook :-)
 It really became important to me that people know
me life is not without challenges as that is not what I desire to project.

~
To be clear, I have thought about it several times since.
I try very hard to not share negative thoughts or negative feelings on Facebook.
If someone upsets me I don't post it on Facebook.
You will not know if a friend has hurt me,
if I'm upset or disappointed with a family member.
If my hubstir and I have had a disagreement.

I try not to let people know when I have been let down.
I will not share financial worries.
 Yet all of these things have occurred or may occur.
 I will share on a negative subject if I believe it may help someone
by doing so.
Sometimes it's good to know we aren't alone in the muck.
Okay, I may share how over this hot weather I am.
Over and over and over, I may share it :-)

~

Facebook for me is a place to keep up with my friends and family,
where I'm able to keep up to date on their children and grand children. 
A place I can follow road trips others take and live it vicariously through them.
Especially Judy and Elmer :-)  

Facebook for me is a big Namaw's brag book where I will flood you
with photos of my little loves and I will tell you how much joy they bring to my life.

I will post photos of my friends, because they are forever memories that I choose
 to relive often by a quick glance at a post I've shared. 
 It's a great way to share the memories with those in the photograph as well.

I will post photos of the beauty I often see, when I take the outside in.
Older people (such as myself), become much more aware of God's beauty each year we remain.
Anyone else notice this??

I will share my faith because it is what's most important in my life.
 Share, not insist you believe the same so please don't think otherwise, or feel you need to 
defend yours, or attempt to tear mine apart.
My page, my share :-)

I will share funny stories or thoughts, because humor is good for everyone!

So, life is not perfect based on the joy I share on Facebook or otherwise.
Many like myself choose to keep private things, well private.
Not everyone needs to hear my woes, my anger or my disappointments on Facebook
Not everyone needs to know when I've had a hard day or week, when some have hard lives.

The world has much to much negative to toss at us daily, I choose not to add  to it.
It will never mean my life is perfect.
I am not immune to fears, stress, worry or cellulite :-).

I'm living a real life, and that comes with stuff.

If something is happening in life I may ask for prayers for myself or for others.
If something is happening in your life, I hope you will ask the same from me.
We're all in this together.
~
My intent is never to project a life other than what it is,
it's just a portion of my reality I share publicly .....

Problems, Joy and all other nouns that describe life,
 its what echos from my heart today  :-)

7 comments:

  1. I think its so easy to think everyone has it all together... but I always remember a saying I heard that says social media is the highlights of someone's life :) There's always another story ... :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I certainly agree with everything you've written today, Debi. I'm the same way about FB, and mainly I go there to see if any of my relatives who don't live here, or live here and I don't see, have shared a little of what's going on in their lives. I especially enjoy seeing the photos of how things are in their world especially my farming cousins over in W. FL.

    If the occasion arrives and I need prayer, I might say just that "an unspoken prayer request".

    I admire your honestly, and I know your life isn't perfect as there are none. Yes, we all have a story, and that's the truth. :)

    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  3. P.S. And, of course if others ask for prayer, I'm there!
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  4. As the others said...'there's always another story'! Like you, I share the joys of life, an encouraging word and the positive stuff on facebook or my blog. The ugly stuff that happens in my life is only shared with a few...those who can be trusted to help me with that part of my journey and will pray for me. I really don't think social media is the place to air those things....especially since they almost always involve others as well. I have to think of Phil. 4:8 'Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.'

    PS Always glad to have you join us on our road trips...via 'My Front Porch'. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I wish I could give you a "high 5" for this post Debi. Just wonderful and I agree 100% with everything you said it's pretty much my same thoughts about FB. Life is just plain tough and we never know what curve ball is headed our way and NO one is exempt and we are foolish to thing they are. Hats off to you!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I honestly can relate to every word you have spoken here. I am a pretty much what you see is what you get type of person in that I blog from my heart and at times I know my frustrations, worries, fears, and anger at situations are there to read in black and white [just on my blog NEVER on Facebook] but then so are my joys, loves, passions and faith in God. But there are limits. If anyone had a real clue to some of the hardships or situations or family conflicts we've been through over the years I am sure their jaws would drop. I've wondered at times if anyone thinks there is more to my life then what I SAY in print or pictures I post. Well the answer would be a great big YES! And I can imagine it is probably true of most. For me a real concern is that I don't cause someone else to stumble or struggle or somehow miss how much God plays a role in my life. Truly without Him I am really not much at all. I love your blog. I always feel inspired here to be a better Christian. I enjoy hearing of your joys and your love of your family and of your God. Perfect? No not one!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I thought your life was nearly perfect. It always seems to be. I don't post real problems on FB, but I do on my blog. My blog is my journal of what is happening in my life and my feelings about it. I probably am waaaay too open. But, that is me.

    ReplyDelete