I'm Back...

Being unplugged for a week for someone totally into social networking was challenging to say the least.

But it's definitely a challenge I needed. And I wonder if I need more.

The first couple of days were rough. I had withdrawal symptoms, no joke. It was crahhhhzy!

I am so used to always being connected, always being on Facebook and blogging, and sometimes Twitter... that it meant I had to shift my thought processes away from thinking like a next status update, a next post, or a next tweet.

I would literally think of something like "Rochelle is [insert activity]".

Oh dear.

It meant that every time I went to pick up my laptop, that I often didn't know what to do. It had previously almost always meant social networking or something related to it.

I wasn't even sure I wanted to sort pictures because it's so linked to my social networking. I had to avoid Word because I kept wanting to start some sort of blog post. So I'd often just set the laptop back down.

Which was the whole point anyway.

To stop spending so much time on the computer. And thus my journey began on finding more important things to do with my time.

Things I'd neglected for too long.

I'm really thankful I did it.

Of course, I chose a week we ended up having the 3rd biggest blizzard to hit Chicagoland. 

I always manage to have such nice timing.

It was especially tough not to post blizzard pics, and get on Facebook to talk to family & friends going through the same thing. But it turned out I really couldn't have. We lost Internet access for the 24 hours in the height of the storm.

And I felt like it was a gentle reminder from God... not yet.

I needed this week. Badly. And God really met me this week. He really challenged me.

I was on information overload. Burnt out. Stressed. Overwhelmed by all I needed to think through & do. Was getting a lot of input from just too many directions {no offense to anyone}.

I just needed a chance to step away from it all and sort through things. Just me and God for a week. And close family & friends who know me really well.

What had gotten it started for me was our church's prayer emphasis week, and our pastor's messages the past few weeks on hypocrisy, personal Bible study, and personal prayer time. {We're going through a series called Authentic: Developing the Disciplines of a Sincere Faith.}

I came away from this week feeling quite differently about some things.

A lot of things actually.

I'm not sure exactly how I'm going to reinsert my way back into social networking, or just how much blogging I'll do this week. I'm re-strategizing and thinking over ways to still have it as a part of my life as I do think it's important in it's own way, but I don't want to be all consumed by it again.

I'll continue to keep you posted, but for now, I just want to say...


Thanks.

Thanks for being my friends. My support group. My colleagues. My shoulders to cry on, laugh with, and share life with.

I really, truly appreciate all of you so very much! Those I know in real life, and those I don't. Those I see every day, those I see on occasion, and those I hope to someday meet.

I want you to know that it means more than you may realize. The friendships I've developed here are special in ways I never could have imagined.

It's still absolutely worth it to me to continue this blog. I wouldn't trade it for anything. But I am thankful I got a break. Unplugged. Undistracted.

Where God absolutely met me in a time of dire need.

I'm so thankful for His abundant grace in my life.

And I'm thankful for each of you and the roles you play in my life.


I am truly blessed and grateful.