Buzz, Buzz, Buzz

In my opinion, this is the perfect name for Google's new social network. 'Cause that's what it all is, isn't it? Just a fairly meaningless buzzing. Not that I scorn it or don't participate in any of it, but if you really step back and look, a lot of what gets posted is just that. Buzz. "I bought a new shirt today", "Just scooped some ice cream and I'm watching the olympics", and so on. We post this, and people comment.

There's good and bad about this, isn't there? It lets us keep in touch with so many more people. Hubby and I have good friends who are moving out of state soon, and we'll be able to keep up with them and the ministry they'll be doing in their new home soon. I know a couple people who are using a blog to post their readings of the bible and observations thereof. I follow a very famous blogger who is now using her blog as a ministry by talking through all the difficult things she and her husband have been through and what they've done to get through it, how they've leaned on God in many, many difficulties. There are good ways to use the internet, I know.

But then there's all those games and fluff. It has led many I know to take an 'electronic media' or 'social media' fast. It can take up a lot of time! I've gone there myself, to an extent. I've decided not to get my computer out when the kids are awake anymore; instead, I'll only do my online things (including banking and the like) when they're asleep or away. Sort of a half-fast, because I've noticed it taking away teaching and playing time between myself and my kids. And how am I supposed to live this part of my story, the stay-at-home-mom part, if I spend all my days online? I asked myself that today...

Anyway, all of that babble to come to my central point. I think there's a reason why all this Buzz draws us in. Why we have this desire to talk about every little thing that happens to us; to have our '15 minutes'. I'm reading a book by Donald Miller right now, it's called A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. It's very good. It speaks about how if we don't have a story to live, a conflict to resolve, a sacrifice to make, we're not really living. I think the draw of all this talking about ourselves is the need to feel like we're living our story.

Today in this book I read this: "I believe God wants us to create beautiful stories, and whatever it is that isn't God wants us to create meaningless stories, teaching the people around us that life just isn't worth living." Wow, huh? Maybe it doesn't affect everyone in this way, but for some of us, me included here, I think the internet is becoming this thing that will fill our lives with this noise, this Buzz, that crowds out our beautiful stories, the ones God wants us to live, and make us FEEL like we're living something important.

Tax Return

Hooray for tax season! I know, I'm totally insane, but when you don't have a lot of income and you do have a lot of kids and the husband of the family is in college and you own a home... you get a lot of money back. This is fantastic news for us because as little as Hubby made last year, he's making less this year. With this return we'll be closing the last 3 credit cards we had open (yes, we're growing up from being QUITE young and stupid), and paying for our 'new' used Expedition. We're signing S up for camp, A for more dance classes... taking care of a lot of things we would have trouble covering later.

So, it's a pain in the butt. It took me hours to file. But it's SO worth it to us. And it's more proof to me that our Daddy God is taking care of us every day.

Adjusting

Lately we've been adjusting to Hubby's new work schedule. Of course the biggest adjustment has been for him; he has to get up at 4:15 now to get to work before the 5:00 shift starts. He's in charge of a line in the factory where he works for the next 6 months. This is 2 hours earlier than he was used to getting up.

Thankfully, he enjoys the people he works with more than those he left, so even though he's tired from the early hours, he comes home happier and more relaxed than he did. That is nice for him.

I've been adjusting to it, too. I had been going to jog on my parents' treadmill at 6 in the morning (they live next door). Of course, now that Hubby isn't home at that time I can't go then. So now I have to hold on to my motivation until in the afternoon when he gets home. That's not quite as easy as rolling out of bed and going straight there before I can think about how I might not want to. Plus this week I've really been working to kick this cold, which hasn't been easy, so I skipped running for a week. We'll find out today if that set me back seriously or not.

And we've both been adjusting to an early bed time. We were used to some time after the girls go to bed to unwind, watch TV, go online, etc. Now we're trying to get to bed by 9:30. We're still in the process of figuring out how he can get his homework done, spend time with the girls, and unwind after they're in bed with less time to do it all. But it's only been a week, so we'll get it worked out.

I will say it's nice to see him earlier every afternoon. I love that.