Facebook Freedom

For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

2 Corinthians 3:17 NLT

The first thing I'm thinking of, is freedom from what?  I came to the computer this morning, thinking about how fake facebook is. What's really going on in peoples lives? Am I escaping my reality and running to facebook as another friend? I've told my wife several times, I like my life, so I want to share it with everyone. But, not everything. An article I came across the other day on FB ignited these thoughts. It was entitled "stop instagramming your perfect life" http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/tech/stop-instagramming-your-perfect-life.

It really wasn't about just instagram but about all social media. And what is being social? Is being social, escaping? I remember going to church to escape my reality and not bring it, into my reality. I remember when I lost a business I started last year. I didn't want to be at home, I needed to be in public. I didn't care where, just get me out of here. I didn't know why? In the past, people had to drag me out of my editing room, now I didn't want to be anywhere near it. I had editing to do, which was fine, I just didn't want to be alone, but in public. I just didn't know why? Then I saw others the same way. I traveled between starbucks, I began to recognize the same people day after day. Sure people came in and out, starbucks definitely had its regulars.

Is facebook a chance of freedom, or do I need freedom from facebook? I read and think, God is always pulling me to freedom, regardless of whats going on. The media has become social. It can be a source to express my freedom or a source to freedom, or by getting away from it, its freedom. But what is the spirit really speaking about? Its this freedom, of what really is entangling me, in life. The one thing that holds me back. That one thing is failure. Before the social media's ever existed, I fought failure. I can easily escape from the reality that I need to be freed.

Hits me, God wants a relationship with me, he's relational. I have to be free to really experience that. Regardless of what happens in my life, he's always tugging on me about freedom that he gives. I'll get out in public, get on facebook, instagram, linkedin, etc. To just simply find that freedom or share the freedom I've found and how I found it. And sometimes, I just want to hold it, and keep it to myself and experience it. That's really tough to do too.

Support your local Sheriff

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

Colossians 3:23 NLT

I'm tired this morning, we had a nice picnic with some of Susans old friends yesterday, but for some reason I didn't sleep well.  I got the movie "support your local sheriff" for Christmas. And for some reason I'm reminded of it with this scripture. Sip some coffee, I read and think. the town of Calender, Colorado, springs up over night when a woman discovers gold in the grave during a funeral.  Word gets outs and the once peaceful town become's chaotic. and that to ship out all the gold they are mining, they must pay a hefty fee to the Danbys, a family of ranchers/bandits who control the only route out of town. Most people are too busy digging to take time out to be sheriff, and those who are willing to put down their shovel quickly die. This all changes with the arrival in town of Jason McCullough (James Garner), a calm and exceptionally competent man from "back East" who says he is passing through town on his way to Australia. While in the town saloon, he sees young Joe Danby (Bruce Dern) gun a man down. Needing money after discovering the town's ruinous rate of inflation, McCullough demonstrates his uncanny firearms ability to the mayor and town council, and becomes the new sheriff. As I watched McCullough's tactics on fixing this town, I couldn't believe how I would do it differently. How many times when I want to work for God and do things for his glory do I lose track and go the other direction. When McCullough saw a muddy street full of fighters being roudy, he didn't shoot a gun, he recognized that they were acting like kids and like a bunch of animals therefore he hosed them down. When one gunfighter came in to try to take him down. He commented "this is just getting childish". So he treated the gunfighter like a child and just started throwing rocks at him.
How many times have been in a setting and been able to focus the way that God wants me to so I can serve him? Depends on the moment. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the moment, I don't listen to my instinct. The town gave McCullough a jail house but it didn't have any bars. So he used common sense and was able to keep a prisoner in it living in fear of escaping. His first resort was not to join the fight but to assess what the town was all about. What is my role of life all about? The purpose of today all about? Is it to pick a fight with my problems? Or is it to live in the freedom that God has given me? McCullough made it clear to the mayor that this sherriff job was only temporary and that he was on his way through. He ended up and didn't leave. I usually can assess a situation and know whats going on with it. What God is challenging me with. Its still very hard to do the right thing, because i don't believe it.

Hits me, McCullough was not planning on being sheriff when he arrived in Calender, Colorado. He just discovered that he needed a job pretty quickly and that the town needed help. Am I living this life for myself or for God? Usually when God pops something up, I don't like it. But I have no choice at times. He wants me to live and do everything for Him regardless of how I feel things are lined up.