10 Reasons Why I'm Sick of Seeing the 10 Reasons I'm Getting it Wrong

Lemmetellyou, Facebook is the devil. Or at least it can be. Just this morning while scrolling through my news feed I see links to the following articles:

7 reasons why a wife injures her husband and doesn’t even know it

10 ways to teach your daughter to be kind

5 secrets to a better marriage

8 ways you shame your kids

10 ways to balance work and home life

10 reasons why you’re losing the battle and don’t even know it

5 ways to pray for your husbands

10 ways to pray for your kid

20 ways to pray for the world

50 reasons why you’re not enough

15 ways to get your kids to listen to you
20 reasons why your kids aren’t listening to you

....you get the point. It. Is. Ridiculous. I'm losing battles I didn't even know I was fighting, I'm ruining my husband's life without realizing it, I'm shaming my kids, my work life and home life are out of balance, and my kids will never listen to me.

I did not need 50 articles on Facebook to tell me this.

It has never been more obvious to me that this is a fallen world and we will never get it completely right because we are human. We are sinners. And we need grace.

I fear that we have become more dependent on Facebook links to give us life advice than we have on the bible, or our church community, or our trusted mentors.

Which begs the question: Is Facebook becoming our bible? Our community? Our main source of wisdom and guidance?

If I'm honest with myself I would have to say....I can't even say it. It's just shameful.

So here are ten reasons to quit depending on Facebook as your main source of information.

1. For the love of God, it's Facebook.

2. None of the articles on Facebook are inspired by God. (but the Bible is!)

3. Facebook is a time sucker. 

4. You can't believe everything you read. One person's personal experience can be powerful and       inspirational but should not necessarily be taken as law (Case in point, this blog post).

5. It's all just so stinkin' guilt inducing.

6. Self-help articles are not a replacement for real help. If your marriage is in trouble don't depend on a two page article to fix it. Get some help!

7. Nothing should replace the advice, divine help, and inspired, living word of the Bible. Period.

8. No matter how hard you try, you aren't going to get everything right. You're just not. And that's okay.

9. You're never going to be content without the grace and freedom that Jesus offers. 

10. See number 1.

I'm preaching to myself here. I'm not going to click on any more Facebook links that promise to make my life easier, my waistline thinner, or my kids happier. I'm going to seek answers to life's difficult questions from the One who made my life. 

And I'm also going to fail at this occasionally. And that, too, is okay.

There comes a time in every mother's life when she starts to enjoy Saturdays again.

My friends, there is hope.

I remember, not too long ago, when Saturdays were just a good day. A good day because if the delicate balance of the Universe was just right, you had an extra set of hands (not before 9 AM, mind you) to help you get through the day. These hands were attached to a man that you married, and at one time found irresistible (which got you into this mess in the first place), but that's all kind of a foggy memory at this point. And if you're super lucky, a couple of these Saturdays involve a grandparent or two, which makes it easier for you to scrub dried crusty stuff off of the high chair and shave both of your legs in a single shower period.

I get it. I've been there. And still, on occasion, am forced to revisit.

But recently I have come to look forward to Saturdays again. Not look forward like "I'm gonna party, shop, eat at the newest restaurant, and stay up all night giggling with my girlfriends." Let's not be ridiculous. (When I find that place again, I'll let you know.) But, look forward like "I can sleep past 8 if I want to and I don't have to negotiate a deal with the husband to go for a run."

It's awesome. This 9 and 6 year-old stage of life is, dare I say, glorious. They can basically keep themselves alive for a couple hour stretch and don't yet hate the sight of me (or me them).

Take this morning, for instance. I hear something about 7:30 AM and stumble into the kitchen to find this:

My oldest sitting at the breakfast table studying her bible bowl questions sipping a cup of hot tea (be still my heart, except the tea thing. Tea's for pansies.)

And this is the least surprising thing I'll see all day. Bode pretending (and by pretending I mean actually believing) that he is an NBA superstar.

Since the house isn't on fire, I will stumble back into bed where I will stay until I smell something burning or a child can bring me proof of blood.

Will it be quiet enough for me to fall back to sleep? Probably not. Will I have to fix/clean/rearrange several things. Absolutely. But, to me, it's totally worth it.

I'll admit that I was interrupted 6 times while trying to write this post. So things are still a touch crazy.

And I can live with that. In fact, I wouldn't want it any other way.

Want to read the bible this year and don't know where to start?

I know exactly how you feel. I know I need to. I kind of want to. But that's usually as far as I get.

If you're interested, read the New Testament with me! Go here to download the New Testament in 60 days. You can read it online, or if you have the YouVersion app you can add the plan to your phone.

It only takes about 25 minutes a day (or 12.5 minutes if you break each reading into two days). You can lock yourself in the bathroom for that long and no one will die. Trust me, I've done it. A lot. 

I quit parenting the last couple of weeks, consequently, I also quit blogging.

It turns out when I don't parent, I have nothing to blog about. I think there is a connection there somewhere...

This Christmas break I simply checked out of the whole mother thing. No bedtimes, no reading, no fruits and veggies, no limited screen time, no flossing.

It ruled.

It's no surprise that when my kids are left to their own devices one spends all her time creating tiny little masterpieces and the other just eats a bunch of crap.

They were both using their gifts to their fullest potential.

The lesson my kids learned this Christmas break is all good things must come to an end. Abruptly.

Last night I got my act together enough to set alarms and lay out school clothes. This morning I served fruit and yogurt (the kids acted like I was forcing arsenic down them), I dug out the back packs, and located exactly one lunch box.

I've had three cups of coffee and two Excedrin Migraines. So, basically what I'm trying to tell you is, I'm baaaaaacccckkkk.