Facebook Fast

Here's a little Mormon doctrine on the side for you:

The first Sunday of every month is designated as Fast Sunday in our church. Members fast for two consecutive meals and donate the money "saved" from those missed meals as offerings. Those offerings are different than tithing and go directly to help clothe and feed the poor and those in need. It is all personal and private and follows the same law of the fast as recorded in the scriptures. 

Ok, now back to me.

(Don't you love how good I am at doing that?)

I used to be awesome at the whole fast Sunday thing. It was a non issue and a challenge I readily accepted. Especially as a missionary in DC, we would often fast on more days than just fast Sunday. Oh, how awesome we thought we were! (Until our mission president properly put us in our place.) After a few lessons in humility and grace, it has become a practice I firmly believe in and I know with all my heart the effectiveness of it. (Have you seen how much rain has descended upon California and Utah in the last few weeks?!)  However, it's been a bit less common practice in my life the last several years. Chalk it up to pregnancy and motherhood and feeding little mouths and late night date nights on Saturday and other mundane things that kept me from adequately and properly observing the fast.

Last year when I was the gospel doctrine teacher in Sunday school, I had to teach a lesson on the Law of the Fast, and I revisited and rechecked myself with regards to how faithfully I had been in participating in Fast Sunday. I recommitted myself to do better and came to understand just how personal it was between me and The Lord. (It's interesting how those "higher laws" are so deeply personal between the worshipper and The One being worshipped.) 

When I found out I was pregnant in the fall, I knew fast Sunday would quickly become a thing of the past and old habits would quickly come back. Pregnant women are advised not to fast, for obvious reasons, so it's not anything to feel badly about. I wanted to participate, somehow, but wasn't sure what would be the best way to do so.

This past fast Sunday I was taking some alone time before church to think and ponder about what I could do and how to keep my New Year's goal of getting closer to Christ. I thought of the things that I spend too much time doing, and could I possibly fast from those things?

The answer was YES.

And thus the Facebook fast was born.

I started deleting a few "essential" apps from my phone, mainly Facebook. I knew I spent countless hours scrolling through the sordid and non essential details of the  lives of people I know (and some that I don't!) Taking a cue from Hands Free Mama, I realized how much time my kids saw me with my little pink Otterbox protected over-priced device and that a fast from that would definitely amount to some good. 

And it certainly has. I have read more, pondered more, paid more attention, spent more time, slept more, worried less, judged less, envied less, and overall lived better. 

Just like the physical aspects of the law of the fast is meant to lift us to higher heights and closer to God and His will for us and those we love, my little seemingly unimportant and truly not much of a sacrifice Facebook fast has done the same in its own special way. 

Don't be offended if you find out tomorrow we're no longer "friends." It doesn't mean I don't love you, it just means I love my phone less!