I'm a people person. From my perspective, my personal connections are some of the greatest blessings God has sent into my life. And as my older sister tells me, "Liz, you're a 'carry with.' Everyone you meet, you remember, and you will carry them around with you in your heart 'til you die. You don't let people go." All of that was true. If we ever connected and had a great time together, we can experience a 3 year gap, but on that 3-year-and-a-day date, if we run into each other again, I will pick up right where we left off.
That's who I am.
So, not surprisingly, I of course have a Facebook account with hundreds of "friends." My goal for creating a Facebook account was to maintain my "carry with" relationships. Also, my family is spread far and wide (well, not so far. Just to SC and GA, but it's far to me!); I wanted to be able to keep them up-to-date on the kids' highlights, our family updates, and my random daily thoughts, observations, and outbursts. Good motive. Good choice. Good start. But all things change.
I won't drag you step-by-step down the journey towards my epiphany. I don't feel like typing it all out. Here's the bottom line. Every one of my FB "friends" is not a "carry with-er." The connections and communication I desired were not always present. There were times when I reached out personally and there was no reciprocation. I realized that what I wanted and why I signed on was not the same motive and use as others. I wanted to share my life with those 500 folks. That wasn't going to happen. Well, I was baffled, and being an ex-emotional mess, I was on the verge of "going off" (I hadn't committed to whether I would go off in tears {my old go-to move}or in a rage {my new favorite move}). Thankfully, God kept me from doing either one. Instead, He taught me a lesson.
You can't take everyone with you into each new stage of your life. It was as if God asked me, "If your arms are filled with the old "carry with," where are the new friends I'm sending you going to fit in?" Great question, God. Always with the great questions.
Here are some of the answers God helped me to discover for my situation:
1. Liz, if you want personal connections, go out and make some. That one pinched me a bit when He spoke it into my spirit, but it is true. After having taught for 16 years, my personal connections were waiting for me whenever I arrived at work. I had 100s of folks with which to interact, not to mention the students. But, when you are called out of one area into a new journey of faith and joy, you miss out on your daily circle of loved friends. So, I have joined a book club at the library to meet some new local ladies, and I am grateful for the relationships I have formed at my new part-time job. There are only 3 of us who work at my job (a big step down from what I used to have), but the other 2 women are wonderful and fun and a blessing, too.
2. Liz, don't focus on what you expected to get from your FB connections. Can you focus on why I allowed you to reconnect with them? Hmmmm.....Ministry. Oh, yes, God. I had lost sight of that for a little bit. FB isn't just about what I want from it, but how can I use that network to show/share Him with others? I got You, Father. Yes, I am saved to SERVE OTHERS, not the other way around. My bad, she said with a sheepish grin.
3. Liz, remember your Girl Scout song: Make new friends and keep the old. One is silver; the other is gold. Gotcha, God! Thanking You for who is already here. I will seek to serve and minister to them while You minister and meet all my needs. And in the meantime, I will gladly receive the new connections you are sending me. Speaking of "new connections," against my initial desire, I opened a Twitter account (at the suggestion of my marketing consultant). Surprisingly, I have been getting an enormous amount of feedback, responsiveness, and new twiends (*wink, wink*) from Twitter. So, I'm enjoying the gold and cherishing the silver.
So, readers, I conclude this blog at peace. I've learned some important lessons which will be applied to my life, effective immediately. And know that you don't have to comment on this blog, respond to my posts on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, or subscribe to me on YouTube. Whether silver or gold, you are always precious to me. No response required.
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