Fasting From Facebook

"You think you're looking at Facebook too much? You know what that means," the priest said.

No, I didn't. I had no idea what that meant. If I could have fixed the problem myself, maybe I wouldn't have brought it to confession.

"You have to fast," he said, offering the answer.

"But," I started in dismay, "I'm a writer. I write things."

"You have other places to write," he said. He knows me. He knows I have other places to write.

Ah. He had me. And so, I'm off Facebook and writing here.

Fasting was his recommendation, not the penance. The priest made that clear. And without that strict mandate, my fast is open ended. I didn't choose a date to end. It's not a perfect fast either. I had also protested to my confessor that I was running a 40 day consecration that several people are following. He said I would have to try to run it without checking the progress constantly (as I was previously likely to do).

Out of Habit

I have to admit, it's very hard to stop a habit. I went to the store and gleefully took a picture of an Oreo-flavored coffee creamer. I would have posted it on Facebook because I frequently post Oreo-related things. I think it's funny and ridiculous how there are at least 25 different flavors of Oreos and all sorts of Oreo spin offs. Are people really that obsessed with Oreos? I took the picture out of habit. But then I couldn't post it.

And then my kids get into the car from school and tell me funny jokes, and I start to think about how I could post them on Facebook. I am not sure why I have a great desire to tell jokes on Facebook. People affirm me by telling me they regularly check my page looking for jokes. Alas, there are no new jokes on my page right now.

And then I am filled with contemplations from my times of prayer each day and long to write them on Facebook. People also tell me they check my page for these. I have previously felt affirmed. But I am only writing the consecration and the school homily on Fridays.

Do you "like" me?

The affirmations about my Facebook page were always a source of happiness for me. But I find that I care too much for people's reactions. I am always wondering whether I am liked - in the sense of people clicking the "like" reaction and also in the actual sense of being loved and received. I think this latter part is one of the reasons God is telling me to step back.

So, now I am telling God I think it's funny there's an Oreo-flavored coffee creamer. And I'm telling God the joke and hoping He thinks my delivery is on target. And I am telling God about my musings and asking Him where to put them.

Facebook has to stop being an idol in my life. The Lord is a jealous God. He wants to be the source of my joy and affirmation. May I have no other gods but Him.

#Facebook #idols #Oreos #Fasting #Penance