Friday, June 19, 2015

Changes

Only ONE more day until we MOVE! I can't even begin to express how excited we are to get settled in our new home. It will be so nice to be able to do simple things like prepare a meal with more than one pan and paper plates. :)
This past Sunday we were getting ready for church and we both were looking for various clothing items. We each had one church outfit left unpacked however, when I went to fix my hair I realized that I couldn't find my straightener. So off I went to church with a ponytail... :)
 I am finding it very hard to be organized while moving.

Recently, Daniel and I decided to make some changes with regards to social media. We were discussing how crazy it is that one can have hundreds of individuals on FB, Instagram, etc., but not very many real friends. Maybe we are just a bit old-fashioned, but we would much rather hang out with people face-to-face than have them "like" the things we share on the internet. We are thankful for the way that technology enables us to connect with people that live far away, but at the same time, we hate how much interaction and socialization is through text messaging and online forums.

Also, earlier this year I had several incidents where I was criticized for articles that I chose to share. Personally, when I come across something I don't agree with I simply scroll past it. I realize that for now, we live in a free country and as long as what we share doesn't harm someone else we have the right to share/write whatever we want to on the internet. I am thankful my parents taught me that just because you don't agree with someone it doesn't mean that they themselves don't have a right to their opinions/beliefs.
After one particular long FB debate my husband really encouraged me to remove people that really didn't know me or have a relationship with me from my FaceBook. Honestly, there were a lot of people on there that I had no interaction with.

I found the following article very interesting...

"The Facebook obsession of amassing 'friends' creates the impression that some users are wildly more sociable than others. 
But while we may be able to count 5,000 friends on the online social networking site, scientists have shown that humans' brains are capable of managing a maximum of just 150 friendships.
Oxford University Professor Robin Dunbar has conducted a study of social groupings throughout the centuries, from neolithic villages to modern office environments.
His findings, based on his theory 'Dunbar's number', developed in the 1990s, asserts that size of the part of the brain used for conscious thought and language, the neocortex, limits us to managing 150 friends, no matter how sociable we are."

Together my husband and I are attempting to pursue real, genuine, relationships with our friends and family. I don't want to waste anymore time sharing moments of my life with people who don't even know me. It is not that I don't want to meet new people...I DO! But, at the same time I don't want to become in bondage to putting my life on display for the "masses".

 Right before I deleted my Instagram account I scrolled through the hundreds of images that I have shared over the last couple of years. They represented so much time. Time spent trying to capture a moment that was meant for me to enjoy. Moments that God gave me...not other people. There is nothing inherently wrong with sharing moments of you life with others, but when that is all you think about while you are out living life, to me, that is wrong. 
When we were headed out for our honeymoon Daniel told me that I could take pictures with my camera but not with my phone. He wasn't trying to keep me off of Instagram but rather he wanted me to soak up our time together without feeling like I had to capture it for the rest of the "world" to see. 
Am I ever going to have an Instagram again...I don't know. I do know however that these last few days have taught me a lot. I don't share this to convince you that you should only have 150 friends max on FaceBook or that you should delete any of your social media accounts. Rather I want to be transparent about my own failures to live my life intentionally for Jesus Christ. 
My prayer is that I can redeem the time that I wasted and learn more about building real, lasting, Biblical, relationships with those God has placed in my life.


I suppose I better wrap this post up so that the computer can be loaded onto the moving truck. The next time I post I will be in my new home!

Much love to you all.

-mckenzie gentry




5 comments:

  1. I cannot express how much I have struggled with social media as a newlywed and as someone who lives so far away from family and friends that I only get to see a few times a year. I enjoy social media because it makes me feel connected to people that I love and would have a logistically difficult time interacting with otherwise. However, I have definitely had issues with acquaintances, family friends and relatives that I don't know well giving advice and sometimes criticism where it wasn't needed or wanted. There have also been times when I have to admit that I spent time focusing on how to share a moment online with my friends rather than enjoying that moment with my husband. It is definitely something that I am conscious of and have to fight against almost daily. I find it so beautiful that you and Daniel can have these conversations and find solutions that are healthy and helpful to both of you!
    I'm praying for you guys for a successful transition to your new home! I know moving a lot has brought me and Jamie so much closer together and it really solidifies the fact that we are a team!

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    1. Yes, the desire to feel connected with friends and family since I moved to north GA has been huge. I totally get that! One thing I've been trying to focus on more is calling people. I personally feel like I can communicate so much more through a phone call.
      Thank you for taking the time to write and for the prayers. <3
      I hope you and Jamie are doing well!

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  2. This is so good. I couldn't agree more-you are spot on and I love hearing your heart on this.
    Thanks for sharing!!

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  3. This was a good post! I know I worry more about capturing the moment with photos rather than just enjoying the moment. Your post was a good reminder. I have a question though. Why would Daniel tell you that you are not allowed to use your phone to take photos? Why wouldn't he just encourage you not to use it?

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    1. Thank you, Olivia. I'm glad it was an encouragement to you!
      To answer your question, it was something he asked me to agree to before we left on our honeymoon. He and I both wanted to turn our phones off while we were on our trip. :)

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