Last Updated on February 15, 2024 by Stacy Averette
The best thing that happened to me this month was that my Facebook account was hacked. And apparently, the hacker posted something that didn’t meet “Facebook’s community standards” so I’m locked out of Facebook and Instagram.
My initial reaction was anger and frustration. Why use your talent in such a useless way? What a waste! I spent a little time trying to get my account back but it seems it’s all vanished.
Friends and family encouraged me to create a new account and start over like so many seem to do when this happens. This recent account is actually my second one! I created it years ago after being locked out of my first account. I just don’t want to do it again. Honestly, I’m over it.
I wrote a post back in June, What I’ve Learned Through a Season of Boredom, and I had a sense God was trying to get my attention. I’m not anti-social media but I believe it’s been an unnecessary and unhealthy distraction for me for quite a while.
I’ve always struggled with social media and I’ve taken lots of breaks over the years but this time I think it might be permanent. I can’t say for sure—you know I might change my mind—but for now, it feels right.
(Our cat Agnes is bird-watching from her perch!)
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In this season our life is fairly simple. We go to work, go to church, work in our yard, jog a few times a week, thrift occasionally, cook good food, and stay home. We listen to music, watch movies, watch the birds, watch the sunset, and look at the moon and stars from our deck.
I love my life. I appreciate the slow and simple rhythm of our days. I suppose it may seem boring to some who need and want a busy social calendar and lots of activities. My life used to look that way and I thoroughly enjoyed it. But I’m in a different season now and I’m learning to embrace and enjoy the life God has given me.
The quiet space around me is nice. Thank you, Mr. Hacker. Thank you very much.
(Eric and I enjoyed a date night recently. We had dinner and then went to a concert–Black Jacket Symphony’s The Eagles, Hotel California. So much fun! I have no idea why this photo is so blurry but I love it anyway!)
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Reading has always been a hobby of mine. I love to read real books with pages to turn and truths to underline and wide margins inviting me to scribble my own thoughts.
I prefer non-fiction but years ago a precious friend from church introduced me to Jan Karon’s Mitford Series. I’ve reread the series many times over the years and I’m currently in the middle of it again. The characters are like old friends to me.
Have you ever read it? If so, what did you think?
(I planted poppy seeds and this leaf lettuce sprouted, too! A critter ate the poppy seedlings and left the lettuce.)
(I received this pretty potted plant for Mother’s Day. It’s been blooming like this all summer!)
(We love feeding the birds in our backyard. The feeder was being ravished by the squirrels until we raised it just out of their reach! This is what Agnes the cat is watching in the photo above.)
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Many say blogging is dead but I disagree. Blogging has definitely changed over the years but I still love to blog and read blogs. Do you still read blogs? If so, what are your favorites?
I’m kind of partial to ones about old-fashioned homemaking, family, and faith.
Live Where You Live: Practicing a Lifestyle of Presence, from Desiring God, showed up in my inbox and the timing was perfect considering my forced break up with social media. I strongly encourage you to go read the post yourself. The title hooked me immediately!
Here’s one of my favorite paragraphs from the post:
Living where we are makes the world big again. It awakens us to the everyday wonders in our homes, neighborhoods, and churches. It reminds us that the most exciting and urgent matters happen not on screens, but in the successes and struggles of the ordinary brothers and sisters in our small group. It frees us to finally explore the galaxy of glories found here, in this small frame of God’s creation, where the heavens declare his glory, creation chants his praise, and immortal souls live and walk and laugh and weep.So live where you are: not because home is the most remarkable place on earth, but because God placed you there. And for those with eyes to see, it is full of his wonderful works.
(We saw this rainbow on the way home from work last week. Not a great photo but a beautiful rainbow!)
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I’m trying to live where I live because this is where God has placed me. I want to see and experience His glory right here in my town, on my street, in my garden, and within the walls of my home.
How about you? How’s life for you right now? I’d love it if you’d leave a comment and I’ll do my best to respond.
I’m sharing this post today at:
Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda.
Click the link above to find more great posts about home decor, gardening, and life!
I look forward to reading your blog posts, always. I’ve been feeling convicted lately about the time I spend mindlessly scrolling through social media. I want to spend my time more intentionally. Thank you for all that you share. You inspire me.
Madison, thank you! I love knowing that my words are helpful and inspiring. I understand about scrolling. I’m still learning to be intentional about how I spend my time. Thankfully, God is helping us—Christ within us!
Hello Stacy! I enjoyed the updates.
Love you and miss you –
Hi Denise! Thanks for reading. Love you and miss you, too!!
Hi Stacy. I left a message to you under my last blog post. I don’t know if you are aware but that is how I answer all comments. It used to be different but then it changed on me and I couldn’t figure out how to get back to the way it was so I do it this way now. Your garden looks so green and cool and beautiful. We only have a bit of shade cover from the trees in our Secret Garden so it gets pretty hot when the weather is like it is now. I am still happy to be blogging even though some things have changed over the years. I am so fed up with FB and the way they handle things. I tried to uninstall it but for some reason I can’t figure it out. I still answer close friends and relatives regarding birthdays, etc. but that is the extent I use it for. I am not happy about the way this pandemic is going and have not much empathy for the excuses I hear but the part of staying in my home and the quiet it affords me is really a joy. I don’t miss going out to restaurants, but I do miss a bit of shopping, but being online has been good to me! I love the saying “Bloom Where You are Planted”. It makes a lot of sense to me. Again thanks for your visit to me and I am now following you by e-mail..Happy Tuesday..xxoJudy
Thanks for letting me know, Judy!
Lovely blog. yes blogging is alive. Some have let their blogs go, however there are plenty around. I love feeding birds too in our backyard. The hummers are quite busy at my kitchen window. So sorry about your Facebook being hacked. It seems to be an ongoing problem. Living a quiet life is good. I haven’t been on social media that much lately. It takes lots of time.
Thanks, Linda, and thanks for stopping by to visit my blog!