40 Days without Facebook

I'm not sure if you're suppose to fast from something for Lent if you're not Catholic.  I'm a protestant, but decided I wanted to give up something.  Not just any something.  I wanted to give up Facebook--for forty days.

The Facebook Fast: What I Learned

1. Think twice before composing a new status update.  It's not necessary for all of my cyber world to know every semi-funny thought I have or answer every parenting question.  I found that using an internet search engine or asking a real-life friend is still pretty effective--go figure!

2. "Stalking" someone on Facebook is a lazy way to be friends with him or her.  Calling, texting, and hanging out take more work, but the pay off is much greater.

3.  I really miss seeing pictures of my loved ones on a regular basis.  While 40 days is clearly not an eternity, kids change a lot in a short time.  I'm looking forward to catching up on what I missed.

4.  Facebook is a really good way to keep myself broadly informed.  Weddings, funerals, and pregnancies are all commonly announced online and it's easy to miss out on news with out it.

5.  Two weeks into the fast I thought about not reactivating my account, but as the fast comes to a close, I am eager to sign back on and catch up on everything I missed.  I just hope I won't too quickly forget the value of building relationships in real life! 

Have you ever taken a break from social media?  What did you learn?  Do you think you ever could take a break from it?

And if you're a friend who reads this blog from a link from Facebook, here are the posts you missed while I was away:

picky eaters --a post that includes my celebrity woman-crush

Our 'Ready to Pop' baby shower for under $100 --a budget friendly 'how-to'

Walking where God leads  --what kids teach us about God

5 things to help new moms --all babies cry

Dear Pinterest Perusing Mama --don't let crafts get you down, Mama