Are You Consumed?

I will be the first to say that I am very thankful for technology. I'm thankful that I can text when I may not have a lot of time for a phone call at the moment. I'm thankful for facebook so I can connect with so many old and new friends. I'm thankful that I can search the internet to find information quickly when needed.

However, I've found more and more lately just how much we allow it to take over our lives. Just yesterday I was having a conversation with a friend and during the conversation they picked up their phone and started scrolling through their Facebook newsfeed and checking texts. I pray I have never done this to anyone (and if I have, I am SO sorry!), because it basically says, "I don't care about what you are saying. You are not important."

We have become so attached to our phones and iPads that it has hindered us in many ways. I know I've picked up my phone before to check notifications and a few minutes later I'm looking at it again, without realizing what I'm even doing. I've been in restaurants and looked around and instead of people having conversations, everyone is on their phone checking email, facebook, and texts. I've watched parents on their phones while they allow their children to play at the park when they could be spending time interacting WITH their children. I've been guilty of all of the above at different times.

I know I've had to make a conscious effort lately to be more aware of when I'm on my phone or iPad. Am I allowing it to interfere with time with my boys? Am I so caught up in checking facebook and texting, that I'm missing out on time with my family and actually having real conversations with my husband? Do we hide behind texting and facebook and think we really know how our friends are doing because we saw them post about having a good time somewhere, so we think we know how they really are but we never stop anymore to ask them what's going on in their lives? Are we so consumed with technology and spend so much time using our phones for social media, that we don't allow time in the Word to grow in our relationship with Christ? I know I've been convicted lately about this topic for sure. I caught myself the other day trying to respond to a text, while Micah was saying "Watch me, Mommy." My reply, "Wait a minute, baby." Oh my. While there are times a phone call or text needs to be returned in a timely manner, my children should be my priority over a text that could have waited five more minutes.

My prayer for myself is that I will be more aware of how I use technology and social media. That I will make sure my priorities are certainly in order. That I will be available to have actual conversations with others and never make them feel that I could care less about what they are saying to me. That I would be all there for my family. And that I will use social media to encourage others while living out my faith, praying others can see Christ in me.