Because I've set a boundary for myself in my activity on social media to contribute nothing but encouragement (hopefully), I choose to not get involved in the comment sections there in what may be considered to be controversial issues. So this is my space for sharing some expounded thoughts on what I see there.
Although to be honest, I have left a couple of comments here and there. In any event, on to the update:
Sitting: At my desk, with uncomfortably cold feet, giving side-eye to the dusting of snow I can see out my window. While I don't like to complain about the weather (God knows what He's doing with our seasonal changes) I also don't like the discomfort of cold related pain all winter. Some folks can't handle the heat, while other folks can't handle the cold. I'm the latter, and praise God for wool socks & heating pads. 😊
Been busy with: prepping & packing Christmas gift baskets going in the mail and going locally. Lots of goodies this year with freeze dried items, dehydrated & powdered items, and home canned items. Time got away from me this year and I didn't get the chance to experiment with homemade soaps, candles & lip balm as I had loosely planned for. Those three DIY homemade projects will be on my list for learning & perfecting for next year's baskets - Lord willing.
Re-evaluating: the entire layout of my walk-in pantry (also known as the back half of the laundry room). I created it and built all the shelving during one of the many covid lockdowns, entirely with discarded lumber & shelving I had on hand. It's never been pretty to look at, but it's been incredibly functional so I'm redesigning it with both elements in mind. I have a few sketches already done & a short list of materials made up and I'm hoping to get it started immediately after Christmas. I'm planning on doing a before/during/after pictorial series on the project with simple tips & tricks on how to start one & keep one stocked for your family's needs.
Feeling: Satisfied that I have finally been able to replace all seasonings, spices and spice blends from their plastic containers, into 36 wee glass 4 ounce Mason jars. I loathe plastic, so I've been trying to get it out of my kitchen storage as much as possible. All the left-over containers have been replaced with glass, and all of my bulk items such as flour & sugar have all been replaced as well. All of my dried fruit snacks, dried veggies, honey blends, syrups, fruit & veggie powders, rice, herbs, nuts & seeds are in glass as well as the last of of the spices. I'd be over the moon if I could replace all plastic with glass, but I'm happy with what I've been able to do so far. Funny thing is, it was Beth's post on twitter about how often you should replace your spices that reminded me that all my spice blends were next on the list to be replaced with glass jars. You just never know where your twitter posts will end up having an impact 😂
Thinking: Quite a lot about this quote I saw on social media recently:
"By God’s grace I have lived my whole life in community with other women who are jolly, and joyful, hardworking, kind, smart… and for the most part so busy with the things they love that they don’t care about the internet fussers." - Rachel Jankovic
Several things stand out to me about this quote. First, that there are women who have this testimony of being part of a faithful Christian community their entire lives. I did not have that, and I love it so much that some women have had that. It's incredibly encouraging to me. In my own family, two of my grand daughters have been growing up in the same local church that both of their grandmothers are in. I can only hope and pray one day they both have a similar testimony as Rachel Jankovic.
Secondly, the way she describes these women in her community: jolly, joyful, hardworking, kind & smart. In our age of social interaction online being what it is, it's very very easy get drawn into this big deal or that big issue. But to be a woman described as jolly, joyful, hardworking, kind and smart, means these are the ladies who are directing their attention, energy & creativity to worthwhile things in their own homes or communities (both offline and online). If you'll notice, there are certain ladies on social media that you'll never see embroiled in any of this sort of thing. Never leaving unkind, catty, antagonistic comments. These are wise women. This is an example I try very hard to pursue. Which brings me to the third point she made in that quote that stands out to me, that also coincides with my next thought that falls into the category of the Social Media Comment Section.
Wondering: If "internet fussers" is an accurate description of those who (while not exclusively, it's usually women leading the charge in this) also often tend to be involved in some type of internet "ministry" for lack of a better phrase, where the entire point of the ministry existing, is to point out all the things wrong with all the people they think are wrong, about, well, all the things. Or at the very least, supporting and promoting those ladies doing that. If you've read this far, you probably just had someone come to mind.
[Disclaimer: I'm partially qualified to write about this only because for a short time in 2005-06 I was part of a group of bloggers collating resources & articles of all the different leaders & churches that were part of the Emergent Church movement. Initially the goal was to educate on this new movement within Christian circles. After a short time, the goal shifted and I could no longer be a part of the group blog and it shut down shortly after. This was a few years before watchbloggers was even a thing, but our own blog was headed in that direction for sure.]
These folks usually have their "ministry" named after some variation of their own name like "The Carla Files" or named after the person or church they've targeted such as "Investigating Joe Heretic". Back in the early days of blogging in the mid 2000's these folks were called "discernment bloggers" or "watchbloggers", a play on the phrase watch dog. Tim Challies wrote a really good article on this 10+ years ago: In The Crosshairs of the Discernment Bloggers that is still quite timely, as it describes the length some of these folks will go to even in 2024. While blogging isn't the platform it used to be, this kind thing is definitely still around. They just use a different tool to get their messages out there: social media.
When I read Rachel Jankovich's quote the part of about "internet fussers" really, stood out to me mostly because at one point, I would have been called one and it would have sadly been most accurate. When I see a post from one of these folks now I always have to wonder... if they spent half the time in prayer asking God to reveal their own sinful opinions, attitudes and motives and helping them to overcome that and grow in grace, as they do pointing at other people, if they'd even have time left at the end of the day, to be an internet fusser?
When the blog I was a part of began to shift from education to (graceless, uncharitable, antagonistic, argumentative, ugly, opinionated obnoxiousness) condemnation I had to ask myself the same (very uncomfortable) questions. And because the answer was so painfully convicting, I knew I had no business being part of anything like that.
I guess you can call this short thought-ramble "Confessions of a Former Internet Fusser". 😊 I sure don't have all the answers, but I know Who does, and humbling our hearts and seeking His guidance, wisdom and conviction is always the best way to begin finding those answers.
And with that, this month's Status Update/Social Media Comment Section comes to a close. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have an incredible, blessed and fantastic day. 😊
If you have any thoughts or questions, please feel welcome to leave a comment.
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