No Facebook, Lent the Ana G.G. way

For many years now I have participated in lent MY way, I don't give up red meat or chocolate, instead I give up things or parts of my being. For example, the very first year I did it my way I gave up soaps (television soap operas) In El Salvador there are soaps for kids, men, older women, teens, you name it, its on. The next year I gave up music, I listened to only christian music. another year I gave up make-up, I went through a phase where I needed to wear layers upon layers of makeup, but that year I gave it all up except for mascara and lip gloss.

This year I gave up facebook, with the technology so advanced these days, and we all being "busy", schedules never aligning, it just had become automatic for me to check my facebook from my smart phone while I nursed or even while I went to the bathroom! My gawd, how sad is that!? -I am sure I am not the only one, but I realised I don't want to be one sad cookie, I do not want to lose touch with reality, the face to face world, my friends, etc. I also refuse to become a complete slave to electronics.

During these past weeks I concentrated on reading, writing, praying, thinking, connecting with my true friends through a simple call, even if just for a minute. The first week was a bit hard because I had fallen under the sad and pathetic ways of keeping up with friends and family mainly through facebook and text. But by the second week it was so good, being able to speak to my family, getting more calls from my awesome friends and making a point to call them too.

I also had a huge eye opener, something I already knew but truly hit me during these last weeks; the "I am too busy" card is a complete BULLSHIT excuse. I really wanted to make all my blogs completely clean and free of cursing, but I know that a lot of readers out there wont get the complete effect of things otherwise. If I say that the "I am too busy" card is nonsense, it sounds so neat yes, proper yes, lady like yes, but not loud enough. I have in the past when I was more immature and inexperienced sans kids, fallen into that bullshitters club. I had my priorities backwards, and procrastinated a lot, I didn't give the deserving people the front spot in my life that they deserved, and I gave half-assed "friends" far more attention than they deserved.

Through this lent 2013 I discovered I have been "too busy" for myself, leaving what matters to me on the side for tomorrow and tomorrow gets pushed aside to another day. I also realise I sometimes sacrifice too much for people that are not deserving and it should not be that way, I need to set boundaries not only for myself but for others too. I need to place myself and my babies first at ALL times, and than the people that truly have time and love for me.

The most important time I need to make is for God, I am sometimes "too busy" to read a verse, or to pray. I usually converse with God throughout the day, but just as I take the time to have a private moment in the bathroom to take a dump, I truly feel God deserves at least two minutes of a private moment with me too. Although I don't go to church often, I have a fantastic relationship with God and his world. However there is always room for improvement.

For the last days of my lent what I decided to do was reactivate my facebook account and practise self control, I gave myself permission to check facebook in the morning and at night, but not before saying a prayer and meditating. I am boss of my actions and I am in complete control.

I learned so much through my lent, mainly to be real with myself, but the main lesson is that we are NEVER "too busy", we make time for the things that truly matter. If this topic has striked a nerve - ask yourself why is that? take it all in, go to bed and reflect.

Let's all slow down, be truthful, and make time for our loved ones, for God and for ourselves!