Cynical Here

Until Mademoiselle Poirot comes over and asks me to remove this quote, I'm going to leave it here.  It represents my Valentine Day philosophy better than I can myself!

I believe that we don't need a set day to say "I love you". I also don't fancy sitting in a restaurant amongst other "loved-up" (or arguing or simply silent) couples who think that having a meal out on this one pre-prescribed day is the absolute height of romance. Don't get me wrong, last year Monsieur surprised me with tickets to a classical Valentine's day concert and it was lovely. 

However, this year we've decided to simply not bother much with the whole thing and keep it pretty low-key. We have a few days this week to ourselves and a chance to spend some real quality time together doing things which might have nothing to do with hearts, roses or chocolates but will ultimately mean more to us.

In my opinion, one potential negative outcome of social networking and technology is the opportunity for comparison and competition  to invade and circumscribe our lives.  At almost every level.  We look OUTSIDE ourselves for clever and awesome ideas to bring INTO our personal experiences.  Many of them are beautiful, creative, and tempting.  Some of them are unrealistic, expensive, and artificial.  

If we're not careful, before long we are changing our mantels daily, rearranging our rooms weekly, and painting our walls monthly! We're disappointed when a new recipe DOESN'T turn out to the the key to our husband's heart, but we put on a good front and don't report that.  We select a "word" for the new year,  but in mid-February we're ready for a new one.  We don't report that either.  Restlessly, we look for a NEW bandwagon to ride--a little like the women described in 2 Timothy 3:17:  "always learning something new, and yet...never able to arrive at real knowledge of the truth."

Maybe its just me.  I'm feeling just a tad cynical here.
Can you tell?
Maybe YOU can talk me out of it...

So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. 
Your strength comes from God’s grace, 
not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them. 
Hebrews 13:9, New Living Translation

13 comments:

  1. Oh I so agree with you about the effects of social networking. Facebook seems to be offensive and drama filled for those under the age of 40. I am constantly reminding myself: it's not a popularity contest and it's not high school! Sometimes I even declare a moratorium on social networks and don't even log on.

    This was a great post Rebecca!

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    1. Phew! "It's NOT high school." Well said, Tamara.

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  2. Good post. I am not changing my life, but adding to it. I have never changed out my mantel each month, I am not setting dishes on my table, unless the mood hits and I want to, I am learning to enjoy the blogs and Pinterest, while staying true to who I am....maybe I am just too tired to add any more things. I hope I am learning...I do know that I stay off of Facebook because of all the bragging that goes on on mine...all the presents they got, the trips they are on...etc. That is my problem, so I stay off. I notice that I can become envious and unsatisfied...and if I notice that coming up at all I don't do whatever brought it up and then go around thanking God for what He has provided. I even stay off of blogs it start to make me feel unsatisfied....again that is my weakness not the writer of the blog.

    I think my comment makes sense...I know what I am meaning to say...thanks for the thoughtful post

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    1. Yep! It makes sense to me. And you're right to point out that it's not necessarily the "fault" of the writer of the blog. Nobody puts a ring in my nose and makes me GO there :)

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  3. So much truth in what you have written. I knew of someone who was often changing everything in her home from her kitchen counter tops to her furniture. Her poor husband worked just to keep the house "re-done". But, I have to admit, I felt envious and had to pray to put things in clearer perspective. What an unsatisified spirit to have to constantly change. My Mother kept her furniture forever, she taught us to respect it and it always looked good. She made the home, not things.

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    1. Aren't you thankful for the good model you had? I HAVE noticed a few people who literally DO repaint their rooms several times a year! (Not to mention completely change furniture styles along with it.)

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  4. Paraphrasing a well-known quote: When we stand before God, our "stuff" and our "style" won't matter, but how we loved God and others on a daily basis will. We'll stand before Him . . . transparent and maskless!

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  5. Things can sneak up on us...even changing the mantle...if God is first in our life..there is no problem with changing the mantle. :)

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  6. Ditto to what Glenda said!

    I have to watch my attitude about this subject closely. Blogging & Facebook have suction cups like an octopus'! When I begin to feel compulsed or compared, I know it's time to fall back, regroup or lay off. Sometimes it all feels like High School Year Book signing.

    BUT, on the flip-side & when kept in perspective, it's also been a great joy & blessing, if not a powerful means of staying connected to people I might otherwise lose touch with.

    Confession: I don't have a great fondness for the blinged out, decorator/chef sites. I much prefer those that are devotional, thought-provoking or comedic in tone. Now you know why I drop by your place! :)

    Blessings,
    Kathleen

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    1. And I'm SO glad you do, Kathleen. I believe it's like "iron sharpening iron" when we interact.

      I confess to enjoying a broad spectrum of sites - but within all categories, there is potential for temptation for me. I also see extremes that serve as warnings to me.

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  7. Morning Rebecca,
    I so agree, I don't think there needs to be one special day either, if we are living and loving others all the time, but I have to say it is a fun way to celebrate that love, and we enjoy that! We enjoy every reason there is to celebrate because God is a God of celebration.

    I do know what you mean about all the stuff that goes on online and on blogs...........I think the key to it is in what you said about not comparing ourselves to others, that will always cause anybody problems because there is always someone better off than us or worse off than us,
    and I think if we keep that in perspective and determine that we are
    gonna be happy for the person who is better off and have empathy for the one who is worse off.......we will be better off!! lol

    but I totally agree also with some of the ladies that say they just don't go to those places because it causes them to become dissatisfied with their own lives, which is great wisdom, cause if it is gonna
    tempt us, then by all means don't go there. I think we have to be true to who we are, and we also have to remember we are at all different stages of growth, so what may seem okay to us today, might not seem okay to us in a couple of weeks as the Lord changes us.

    You aren't cynical, cause I love that you are always postive and happy
    when good things are happening for me, and I love that, cause you know what that is a rare quality among believers, unfortunately!!!
    and we can all use some work on that!!
    The bible says to mourn with those who mourn, and to rejoice with those who rejoice, Romans 12:15
    We seem to do a pretty good job on the mourning with those who mourn, but the rejoicing..............ewww, not so good I'm afraid.

    Anyway, good thought provoking post my friend,
    Love and blessings, Nellie

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  8. Oh yea, love your new blog look, very pretty!
    Looking forward to changing mine next week too.
    Blessings for a great day hon,
    Nellie

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Writing a Song a Week #3

Writing a Song a Week #3
♪ I wait for the Lord; my soul waits and in his word I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning ♪ (Psalm 130:5-6)