Twitter - Yes or No

I'm on Twitter because someone convinced me that as a writer, it was a must-do.
I've about had it with this distraction in my life and I'm considering nixing my account.

I see no useful purpose for it - at least for myself.

What do you think?

Whoops - that should be, "if it were toilet paper", not 'was'. My bad!

I liked it a lot more in the beginning before everyone and their mother used it... now it can be stimulation overload. But I still find it a mildly amusing tool to use for stalking following people.

I like it. Erie (LarryS) posted a link to get a free Chick-fil-a sandwich once. That alone made it worth it.

I use it for teaching resources and to see what certain celebs are up to. That's it.

I use it, I like it. I think it serves its purpose, but I was also able to go the trip to Portland without missing it that much.
Like other social media it can be a source for information, or a source for building relationships with people you've never met and may never meet (hmmm, I wonder if anyone here can relate to that)

I have been feeding off the writings and sermons of this guy, Skye Jethani, lately. His communication skills speak right to my brain and heart.

Anyway, he had this to say about Twitter. Found it really interesting. He even uses the Harbor catchphrase: NTTAWWT.

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wow, that was really amazing....and something I needed to realize....

actually this morning I have been reading Nouwen's essay the path of power...and I realized something about the comments I had made the other day about places and experiences somehow bringing me close to the desire of my heart, but that I still couldn't pinpoint what made me feel that way.....and I got to thinking that all of those places make me realize that in a beautiful way, I am powerless. When I am in the woods walking, I can't own that, I can't create that....when I am somewhere that takes me back in time, I can't go back there, I am limited in time....when I am somewhere that reminds me of my dad, I can't be with him again....not here, because I am powerless.....but the hope that is awakened in me at those moments, because I know that God is powerful and that all of these things are in his grasp....that is the desire, the hope that in the end that He will share that power, His power, with me.

On the flip side, the reason those things can make me feel sad or hopeless are stated by Skye....and I never thought about it really....the whole last section on wanting a witness....I am so afraid that I will die and not "leave a mark" on the world, that I will leave nothing of value, that I won't have a witness to how good I really was, because all of the people in my home see my anger and my bad habits, the "real" me and so surely, they will not be my witnesses....I need people who only see and hear my best, what I want to be the "real" me...but that isn't truth....

and God sees all of it, the good the bad, and He does know everything about us. I live in guilt that I don't take pictures and journal more....but God has photographed and journaled my whole existence.....wow!

and I guess until reading that little essay on not tweeting, I hadn't really thought much about these things.

I am really kind of yammering lately, eh?

Angie wrote:
....I am so afraid that I will die and not "leave a mark" on the world, that I will leave nothing of value, that I won't have a witness to how good I really was, because all of the people in my home see my anger and my bad habits, the "real" me and so surely, they will not be my witnesses....I need people who only see and hear my best, what I want to be the "real" me...but that isn't truth....

Angie, I guarantee that the people in your home see way more than your anger and your bad habits. A witness is someone that can attest honestly to what they see and the people in your home see that your have anger and bad habits but you also have laughter and fun and love and passion and compassion.
If all they saw is the bad then you would all be much worse off and less than you are.

Their witness of your life is made more because of your struggles and challenges. When I was little and even now today my dad holds this air of not struggling and it's rare that I see him actively struggle....but he does.
So for so long I didn't understand that adults struggled with anything. I didn't understand that it was ok to struggle because that's what refines you.
Letting your kids see glimpses or full out pictures of your struggle and subsequently your growth (because we rarely if ever struggle without also growing through it) you are teaching them about hard work and stickwithitness and a God that doesn't drop you just because you feel like dropping him sometimes.

meether369 wrote:I have been feeding off the writings and sermons of this guy, Skye Jethani, lately. His communication skills speak right to my brain and heart.

Anyway, he had this to say about Twitter. Found it really interesting. He even uses the Harbor catchphrase: NTTAWWT.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

NTTAWWI is what he actually said.
He's obviously not a Seinfeld fan.

I agree with his stance on Twitter for the most part

I agree with him as far as posting what I am having for lunch or other useless details. I still find it to be more pro than con. Mostly I see cool links worth checking out, the occasional good deal alerted by a friend (although I don't want ads), etc.

Angie wrote:wow, that was really amazing....and something I needed to realize....

actually this morning I have been reading Nouwen's essay the path of power...and I realized something about the comments I had made the other day about places and experiences somehow bringing me close to the desire of my heart, but that I still couldn't pinpoint what made me feel that way.....and I got to thinking that all of those places make me realize that in a beautiful way, I am powerless. When I am in the woods walking, I can't own that, I can't create that....when I am somewhere that takes me back in time, I can't go back there, I am limited in time....when I am somewhere that reminds me of my dad, I can't be with him again....not here, because I am powerless.....but the hope that is awakened in me at those moments, because I know that God is powerful and that all of these things are in his grasp....that is the desire, the hope that in the end that He will share that power, His power, with me.

On the flip side, the reason those things can make me feel sad or hopeless are stated by Skye....and I never thought about it really....the whole last section on wanting a witness....I am so afraid that I will die and not "leave a mark" on the world, that I will leave nothing of value, that I won't have a witness to how good I really was, because all of the people in my home see my anger and my bad habits, the "real" me and so surely, they will not be my witnesses....I need people who only see and hear my best, what I want to be the "real" me...but that isn't truth....

and God sees all of it, the good the bad, and He does know everything about us. I live in guilt that I don't take pictures and journal more....but God has photographed and journaled my whole existence.....wow!

and I guess until reading that little essay on not tweeting, I hadn't really thought much about these things.

I am really kind of yammering lately, eh?

Wow, Angie. I want to respond to this but am on my phone and can't link to the things I would like to reference, so my response will come later.

In the meantime, this is really cool. Could I split it off to be it's own conversation?

you go ahead and split it off, even as I was posting, I was thinking "I should probably start a thread for this"!

Bethany wrote:

Angie wrote:
....I am so afraid that I will die and not "leave a mark" on the world, that I will leave nothing of value, that I won't have a witness to how good I really was, because all of the people in my home see my anger and my bad habits, the "real" me and so surely, they will not be my witnesses....I need people who only see and hear my best, what I want to be the "real" me...but that isn't truth....

Angie, I guarantee that the people in your home see way more than your anger and your bad habits. A witness is someone that can attest honestly to what they see and the people in your home see that your have anger and bad habits but you also have laughter and fun and love and passion and compassion.
If all they saw is the bad then you would all be much worse off and less than you are.

Their witness of your life is made more because of your struggles and challenges. When I was little and even now today my dad holds this air of not struggling and it's rare that I see him actively struggle....but he does.
So for so long I didn't understand that adults struggled with anything. I didn't understand that it was ok to struggle because that's what refines you.
Letting your kids see glimpses or full out pictures of your struggle and subsequently your growth (because we rarely if ever struggle without also growing through it) you are teaching them about hard work and stickwithitness and a God that doesn't drop you just because you feel like dropping him sometimes.

thanks Bethany!