Day 2

Day 2

We made it to northern Kentucky today to a place known as Three Springs Campground.  We endured a lot of rain and stormy weather, but it felt appropriate to be rained on en route to the ark!  I enjoyed witnessing the beauty of horse country as we traveled in and near Lexington with all its bluegrass.  The logistics of traveling with 2 kids, 2 dogs, 4 kayaks, and a camper is still going well.  Today was a bit more interesting handling the dogs from sun up to sun down.  Our beagle is moody and so sometimes he bays at everyone and sometimes he sleeps through squirrels sneaking up on him.  We took it easy this evening after arriving at our campsite - pizza and salad followed by a brief bike ride and then we watched a video together.  Afterward we hit the sacks in preparation for an early rise.  We hope to be early to line up for our Ark Encounter.

Taking silly pictures of each other

Journey out west

Day 1

Today our family embarked on a journey that will take us out west to the Rocky Mountains.  Hubby has graciously and diligently plotted out each night’s campsite and also each fuel stop we need — and there will be many because this camper makes our SUV like to drink!  We traveled from Huntsville, Alabama to the national park in western Kentucky known as Land Between the Lakes.  Rain plummeted down on us for much of the trip - much needed refreshment in this part of the country!  The precipitation kept the temperatures down but kept the humidity high - our swimsuits and towels would NOT dry hanging up outside overnight!  We are taking these days of travel at a leisurely pace, averaging 4-6 hours of driving each day.  Once we arrived at LBL we set up camp and hit Kentucky Lake with our swimsuits and kayaks.  It was a glorious end to our day, watching the golden sun set behind a nearby hillcrest.  After an outdoor dinner and indoor dessert, we all piled up into the camper - dogs and humans - and bedded down for stories and goodnight prayers.  Tomorrow’s destination?  A campground near the Ark Encounter!

Ekklesia

Social Media Sabbatical…continued

I’ve persevered in my social media sabbatical for over 4 weeks now.  I’m still loving the freedom of it and not being a part of that realm for now.  But I recently had a situation come up that caused me to think a little deeper about this form of “community”.  In the midst of a (rather serious) illness, a friend utilized social media as her outlet for informing her “community” that she was ill and in need of prayer.  In good Christian response, several believers who saw this responded with prayers and offerings of help. My friend also reached out to me personally via text (which I was grateful for).  But it caused me to think about all the times I’ve seen people (including myself) use FB to communicate to others regarding my trials, tribulations, and sufferings.  Personally, I’ve often had many people respond with prayer and promises of aid, for which I’ve been immensely thankful.  It seems that in this digital age and culture, this has become the “norm”.  So how do I, as a Christ-following believer who longs to share His love with the world, stay in touch and relevant to the world around me - with or without social media?  

It is understandable that people utilize social media to spread their news and needs.  That is one of it’s beautiful benefits. It gets a word out quickly and efficiently, like casting a wide net.  But is it the only means of sharing?  In general, do people in our society only utilize social media (and it alone?) for communicating needs?  Is it because of the wideness of its net and the quickness of its response?  Is this what God intended for our lives?  Is this Biblical?  Is this us living in reliance upon His provision and His timing?  Is it also, in some part, due to its no-strings-attached nature with no demands and requirements.  I’m not sure of the answers to all these, but I do have a few thoughts.  

The New Testament model for loving on and caring for believers is within the auspices of the church (ekklesia in the Greek).  Fellow believers in Christ who joined with a local body of believers pledged to give of themselves and their possessions in order to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those people.  Yes, we are to love and serve the world at large.  But we are called to a higher level of service to those with whom we worship.  We are accountable to them, and they to us.  The same cannot be said of the entire world.  In light of this, when they are sick we are entreated to care for them.  When they are without, we offer provisions.  And we receive the same in return when we stand in a place of need.  

So how does social media play into all this?  Not all the Christ-followers in my FB friend list are a part of my “ekklesia”.  Some are, but most are scattered throughout the globe or are a part of another ekklesia.  I’m not saying that believers from different congregations cannot or should not help one another out.  But to whom should I go when I have a need?  Who is responsible for helping me when I need it?  Who has the Lord appointed and provided?  Whoever can type back the quickest?  Whoever is trolling social media at the time? (Since I’m in a FB sabbatical season, I’m currently not privy to anyone’s digital pleas for help.)  I surmise that it is much easier to "exist" in a profile on social media than it is to be an active member serving in a local church, no doubt.  Is it the desire to be free of the entanglements of unlikeable people, loud preachers, music that's not our style, and services that start too early (or too late)?  Maybe.  However at its foundation, Christianity is not a call to a life of ease with no strings, demands or requirements. 

I believe the truest answer to how we should show the love of Christ to those around us and experience the community we were created for is the ekklesia with which we are enmeshed.  The people we sing next to each week. Those we frequently sit in a room with and soak in the truths pouring from the pulpit.  Those we’ve pledged to help raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And those who’ve pledged to help us do the same.  Those we’ve witnessed make wedding vows.  And those with whom we’ve combed through Scripture side by side. Those we’ve rejoiced with as they took steps of faith.  Those who've lovingly held us accountable when we’ve strayed in the past.  The beauty of the church, local and tangible.   When I’ve done life with you and walked side by side with you through seasons of joy and heartache, I want to help you when that little baby is sick and fevered.  I long to bring you a meal when your wife is recovering from surgery.  We’re happy  to mow your grass while your husband is traveling.  Even if we aren’t the fastest at typing a response :-) While relying on Social Media members for help instead of an ekklesia may be easier in some temporal regard, there is much to be missed outside of the community of a local church - including regular worship (as taught by Christ and the New Testament), mission trips (or even missionary commissioning!), doctrinal training, small group Bible studies, a safe harbor, an opportunity to put hands to the plow for the advancement of God's Kingdom, and so, SO much more.

It’s kind of similar to the way neighborhoods work.  When you have a neighborly need, you don’t normally call a friend who lives 2 hours away to ask if you can borrow a cup of sugar.  Local and tangible, remember? God knew we needed this in His design for our lives.

So what’s a happy medium?  Where’s the balanced view?  Perhaps a church who uses social media to communicate with its members.  Instead of a phone tree or email distro list, members post and respond to needs on a monitored posting site (with some level of accountability to help sort out people who aren’t actually attending, serving, or growing and offer them help instead as a new believer or seeker). Perhaps making sure that individually we are reaching as far into our ekklesia as we are into the digital community when we stand in need.   And that we are reaching out to those in our ekkelsia to be the hands and feet of Jesus, seeing to it that their needs are met and not expecting the digital community alone to do the work that Christ called (and established the church) to do.

Movie time!

Summer time = movie time! We went with my parents to see "Finding Dory" this week.  It was a great way to wrap up our year of science -- Apologia's Exploring Creation Through Zoology 2 Swimming Creatures of the 5th Day.

Maiden voyage in the camper

And so begins our family’s adventure of a lifetime…or at least the summer.  With our household goods well on their way to Colorado and our house keys the only thing left to turn in to housing, we’ve taken a Father’s Day weekend camping trip for our maiden voyage with “the Pioneer wagon”.  We chose Land Between The Lakes (think southwestern Kentucky meets southeastern Missouri meets northwestern Tennessee) for our camping site since we’ve been here before.  We’re trying a new campsite this time, Piney Campground.  Our site is right on Kentucky Lake and we were able to put the kayaks in close by.  Our day of travel to LBL was fraught with delays and dilemmas, but after hours of persevering, a closed interstate, and a few issues with the camper we all finally plopped into bed around midnight.  In our tired stupor the next morning we awoke to an incredible view as we realized that we were right on the lake - couldn’t see that the night before!  The kids are enjoying the great outdoors.  D is “carving” things with his pocket knife and 

J is pretending she is her favorite character from an adventure book series.  After lunch and a nap, we all hit a local bike trail.  The view was beautiful, until I saw a black snake!  We are enjoying life in the camper with its different rhythms and requirements.  It definitely requires an extra dose of grace and patience to be living so closely communal!  For now, gotta run.  The sun is setting and I don’t want to miss it!

Yes, we burned the biscuits!

Moving and musing

There’s just something about being forced to sort through and lay hands on ALL of one’s worldly goods.  Kinda grabs you around the throat and causes you think one of two things.  “Man, are we blessed to be part of the 1%.”  Or,  “Man, why do I have so much stuff?!?!?!”  Me?  I tend to vacillate back and forth between those polar opposites when we have to move.  The Lord, by way of the Army, is sending us on.  Sending us out west.  (We’re traveling with a camper with the word “Pioneer” emblazoned on it!  Ironic?!)  We’ve moved 5 times in the past 7 years since my husband followed God’s calling into the Army (3 moves before that!).  2 of those 5 times we moved ourselves, also known as a DITY move (do-it-yourself).  Some people say that building a new construction home with your spouse can bring you to the brink of divorce.  I say moving all your earthly possessions yourself with your spouse can do the same (and costs less! :-)  I’m kidding (sorta), but it is stressful and back-breaking for sure.  

Through observation, I’ve learned a few things in the midst of these different types of moves.  First, LET THE MOVERS MOVE YOU any time you can.  Second, when one has to move oneself, one tends to NOT go through one’s belongings meticulously the way one would if someone else was coming to pack them up.  I do not know why.  I have just observed this in myself.  This time, moving so many hundreds of miles and knowing that someone else was going to pack up my stuff made me WANT to go through each thing we owned and hold it up to this light: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” (William Morris)  Now, my husband and I are not on the same page about this (after all, he’s a guy — and that’s what I like about him!) but when it came to things that are specifically mine or under my responsibility (and wouldn’t affect him), I used this quote in my decision making process.  I am happy to say that we are lighter than we’ve ever been.  We (as a family and a society) accumulate “stuff” at SUCH a fast rate! (We’ve only been in our current home 15 months.)  Even thought we’ve moved 5 times in 7 years, I still ended up making 5 trips to the donation center and throwing away 3 times as much trash as we normally would in one week.  I’m amazed.  And quite frankly appalled.  

Being a chaplain family, we function as a special type of missionary.  The Army sends us where they want when they want, but we firmly believe with all of our hearts that God is sovereign over that process (even when the Army sends us to one of our top picks, we believe that God made us passionate about that “pick” from the start - quickening our hearts to that location as we prayed and sought His will).  I never feel more “missionary-like” than move week.  I’m a global thinker, so this process makes me question EV-ER-Y-THING.  Are we still called to do this?  Is this still what we/God want for our family?  Are we still walking in His will?  Do we really want to do this for the next 10-15 years???  This is a good thing, though, because as long as my heart’s answer is still “yes” to all those questions (okay, not sure about that last question because I’m taking life one year at a time!) then my life is built on a firm foundation and I’m not just going through the motions in a lukewarm manner.  I’m doing this because He’s called me and because I want to!  Passionate obedience.  

Many more lessons and observations to come throughout this move, I’m sure.  But this was what was on my heart today.  And just to keep it real for you…this is a picture of what our “do-not-move-because-we-are-taking-this-stuff-with-us” room looks like.  You’re welcome.  Makes you want to watch an episode of hoarders, huh?

Social Media Sabbatical - 7 days so far

In an effort to rest, relax, and reframe my thinking, I'm taking an out from social media for the time being.  I'm on day 7 (made it a whole week!), so here's a catch-up log on the first 7 days.  Personally, I really like the direction this is going!

*Note:  Several of these entries were recorded in the car with my kids and husband present.  My hubby, not wanting to miss an opportunity to joke with me, decided to shout out random hashtags.  Soon after, our kids followed suit.  I wish you could hear these recordings.  They're much funnier in audio format!

Social Media Sabbatical, Day 1
So far I'm enjoying the silence in this black out. It's like detox for your brain. At my first sign-off from FB, I experienced a moment of panic realizing that I no longer had access to that outlet and venue. But I reminded myself that most of what is experienced on those sites is, as my husband calls it, "Fakebook" -- not authentic, not genuine, not real.  So, I'm in it for the long haul.  I'm also inspired to experiment with cutting out and cutting back in other areas of my life. I hope to stop speaking in hashtags by day 5 :-) Captain's log, over and out!

{Wish you could hear my husband in the background saying, "Hashtag life detox!" It was hilarious!  All hashtags noted from here out were randomly shouted out by chaplain.}

Social Media Sabbatical, Day 2
Things are still going well, although I did awaken this morning and while coming down the stairs had an early morning impulse to check FB, not necessarily for the purpose of wanting to know what was going on with others but to see if anyone had commented or posted on anything from myself from the day before.  Which I think is indicative of the majority reason that most people use it, very self-focused, me-focused.  So just realizing I was seeing it in myself was eye-opening.  Just had a few impulses to go check on it today and then just reminded myself, "Hey, you don't have that."  It was  almost like a liberating, freeing thing, followed by the realization that I can go do something else that's real life, not virtual, but real.  Honestly the first place it has opened up the ability to give more attention to is my kids. So, that's a good thing! And I'm not talking in hashtags. :-) Social Media Sabbatical day 2, over and out.

Social Media Sabbatical, Day 3
Still surviving, and thriving!  I did not think about getting on social media at all this morning, even left my phone upstairs while I was downstairs having coffee {#freedom} and reading through my quiet time material.  I'm no longer turning on my phone and instinctively looking for that app  {#whereisit?} It's been very freeing.  I have somewhat isolated from what others may be doing. {#wheredideverybodygo}.  My husband is still here!  As a result of that I've been more intentional about direct communication, for more personal contact. {#canyouhearmenow} I think it's working well since we are on the tail end of our time here at this duty station and we are sort of backing out and packing up {#peaceout}.  But I can imagine that it would be hard not to be able to be connected going into a new place, so we'll  have to see what that part of the experiment is like.  I'm doing well, finding other creative outlets like resurrecting my blog, and that's a good thing! Social Media Sabbatical day 3, over and out.

Social Media Sabbatical, Day 4
I'm really not thinking about Facebook or know what's on it, or get on it at all, or see what others are doing.  It has resulted in me being able to be more focused and get more done during my day.  I feel less distracted and more focused. {#ultimateproductivity}.  Still working on my husband's hashtagging!!! {#annoying}. And so I continue on.  Social Media Sabbatical day 4, over and out.

Social Media Sabbatical, Day 5
I found myself wondering how I had time for Facebook, trolling status updates and pictures. {#timedrain}. I'm busy doing a lot of other real life stuff.  I can see where that really used to be a time-sucker for me. {#reallife} My family is still stuck talking in hashtags! {#geterdone} I did miss out on seeing some pictures of an important even that our family was a part of and was honored for.  I realized that that's going to happen from time to time.  I wasn't really sure how to handle that, if I should expect others on FB to download and send me the pics or show me at a later time.  For now, I'm just rolling on.  {#needy} {#dontknow -- that was my son!} {#dontevencare -- now my daughter!}  Next up, getting my family to speak in English! {#ESL} {#USA -- my baby girl AGAIN!} #socialmediasabbatical

Social Media Sabbatical, Day 6
I'm still enjoying the rest and great pause that this break is giving me.  I really have not thought about FB today at all, except for wanting to sell a few items in preparation for our move.  I don't have the outlet of FB to sell them.  But I do have craigslist and that has worked really well.  I don't find myself missing really anything on FB.  It's interesting how it leads you to scale back and instead of having 200+ "friends", there are about 15-20 that I'm really thinking about, really interested in connecting with personally, either phone, text, or in person. Instead of working with that wider net of 200+ "friends".  It's kind of refreshing, not feeling obligated to keep up with everything.  This was something that I noticed during this last season was the expectation people have that you know what they post and to see all their pictures. This is all great, there's nothing wrong with that, but when your sphere of influence has grown to over 200, 300 people it's really hard to do without causing a complete priority shift in all the other things that you're supposed to do during a day.  The more "friends" the more to keep track of, the more info to manage, the more info you're expected to know = MORE TIME! I began listening to a Bible study on DVD called "Becoming A Woman of Simplicity" by Cynthia Heald. It's fitting right in line with scaling back, slowing down, being intentional and being a single-hearted woman for God.  Stay tuned. Social Media Sabbatical day 6, over and out.

Social Media Sabbatical, Day 7
I've made it an entire week!  It's going well.  I'm feeling good on the inside, refreshed - like the detox is working.  I have today begun to wonder what other friends are doing.  Not necessarily in a comparative way but wondering, "How is this family doing? How's their kid?"  I'm also realizing that their hasn't really been any communication from them to me either.  Something things are definitely lost when you step outside that social media circle. There's a lot of information lost, a sense of community that's lost when you step outside that circle.  But there's also a lot of chaos and clutter that's lost.  And so I'm just sort of evaluating, "Is it worth the chaos and clutter to have the other?"  Stay tuned for my heart's answer on that one.  For now, I'm continuing on with week 2 of this sabbatical.  Social Media Sabbatical day 7, over and out.