Just wanted to let everyone know that this will be my last post for a while.
I greatly appreciate all who read and take the time to comment. Yes, even the ones who want to point out how wrong I am. Lol. The internet contains millions of people blogging, and the fact that you read my little corner in cyberspace means a lot.
I am actually going to unplug from all social media as well. Facebook. Twitter. Instagram. WordPress. I did this once before, and it made me realize how much social media consumes our lives. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with it. It allows us to connect to people from all over the world in ways that were impossible several years ago. It provides independent authors such as myself a platform to promote our work. I’ve reconnected with long lost friends via Facebook. There are so many benefits to social media.
There is also a dark side. There has to be moderation.
Email has replaced writing a letter to someone and actually placing it the mailbox. Texting people and Skype have become the normal substitutes of face to face interaction. We spend more time looking down at our phones than we do at the people standing in front of us. We learn more about people on Facebook, YouTube, and Vine than we do by engaging in actual conversation.
With the advances in modern day technology, it’s inevitable that we will utilize those things in our lives. We just can’t forget that there is so much more to this life than our phones. Growing up, I spent the daylight hours playing outside. My parents would have to drag me into the house at night. I would be dirty, sweaty, and covered with new bruises, but it was awesome. This generation has no idea what life is like without smart phones, iPods, and laptops.
We need to show them.
Take a break from posts, tweets, and uploads. Get outside with your kids. Go visit someone you havenโt seen in a long time. Reconnect with family, friends, and loved ones. We will all be much better for it.
Starting tomorrow, I am taking the unplug challenge. Whoโs with me?
Chris Martin Writes 
I’ve just returned from my latest unplug, which is when I started Vancouver Visions at the end of September. Before that, I was Blogging on ” 50 Erroneous Proofs of Godโs Non-Existence “. I unplugged from that in early September, 2012. Now I did use a computer intermittently after about a year of no use, but it wasn’t until I bought the new domain and started up Vancouver Visions a couple months ago that I really got back into it full time. So it will be a while before my next unplug, but I do recommend it as a truly beneficial process for anyone to engage in at least once, just to see if you like it or not. Who knows, I might even do a post on it.
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Enjoy your family, Chris! Good for you. God bless. ~Joyce
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I have unplugged before, and never went back to Twitter, Facebook, or Words with Friends. I keep up with my blog because it is very cathartic for me, but that is about it.
Enjoy your time away! ๐
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I have done that too, actually it is getting to be that time again. It is a freeing experience that is for sure. ๐ Enjoy your time off.
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Good for you! If I weren’t looking for work I would do it too. Best wishes to your new-found peace and extra time to do more active things.
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I unplugged for a week at Boy Scout and outlaw electronic devices. The scouts hated me but it was worth it.
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Hope you are back soon. You write quite interesting and thoughtful things. Talented faith man.
I am not a professional writer like you but I write things while having coffee outside, having people move around me keeps me in social mood even while abstracted on articulating words. Try taking memos or ideas outside as well.
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I think about this often.. It’s good to consider the reason for blogging and do some soul searching.. God bless you on this season of life…
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Enjoy!
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I have done this. I am off Facebook. I hardly ever tweet or blog these days. If I could do away with the phone I would. To keep away from iMessage and whatsapp. Well necessary evil I suppose :). Moderation helps. Do come back. ๐
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Have fun with taking the time off! ๐ I can understand the need to do that but I don’t think I can commit to unplugging right now. Although I have reduced my time in Facebook and Twitter.
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I have dreamed of doing this….maybe I need to reconsider. God Bless you as you take a hiatus from social media. I’m sure when you come back you will be refreshed and have new insights to share.
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Hey Chris! Just read your articleโฆ. I like your decision, by the way as a questionโฆ are you “scorpio”? – We are a step away from the solar eclipse, a time for endings and beginnings. Take care!
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I can totally understand this choice. Best of luck to you, and many blessings! _()_
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Best to you! I enjoy your writing! Clearly the Holy Spirit is moving you to shake it up in another way! Bless you!!
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I don’t blame you. I took the summer off from social media. It’s was great. It’s also given me a better perspective and balance now that I’m back online.
Enjoy your time away.
God bless.
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I unplugged for at least a year and it felt good. And I totally agree w/ u. I see most people looking at their phones during dinner and that’s just sad. I mean why go to dinner to just ending up twittering or looking down on your phone? I wish you get to reconnect with your friends face to face. I did and it was really great. Good luck and hope to see you online in the future.
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I rarely comment, leaving that to quicker minds and fingers, but I shall miss your sensitive, insightful presence. Be well blessed,
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I can’t say I disagree. I have often thought of doing the same thing myself, but honestly, I don’t think I have the strength to do it ๐ Best of luck to you Chris!
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I just came back from a two week Sabbath from most media. In my line of work unplugging from the net is almost essential if I am going to get any rest at all. If I did not do this periodically I would be constantly consumed by the issues of other people. And while ministry is about people sometimes you have to go into the lonely places to pray. Jesus did.
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Awesome!!! I agree wholeheartedly! Enjoy living naturally,and especially with your family. ๐
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Hi Chris, I know that real discipleship and life change happen with one person at a time. The change we wish to see can only happen at the community level with the people we live and interact with every day. I think a lot of being involved with our ‘social networking’ community comes at the expense of the time and attention required to make a difference in our physical community. I’m glad to see you explore and wish you all the best in deepening your connection with your real time community members. Go out there and do the ‘good works’, created for you in Jesus Christ, ‘which God prepared beforehand’. Be blessed!
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Good luck to you and I wish you well. You are right, we have become a faceless society. I love putting pen to paper to say “thank you” or catch up. I have simple phone in order to speak with another human being. Don’t play games etc. As an author, part of me knows social media contact is important( to a point). I notice that more and more folks just want to hear their own opinion, so I am slowly pulling away. I will remain visible for my work, but I am engaging less.
You are both brave and unique, bless you and yours.
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Hooray for anti-social-networkism!
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Enjoy!!
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Indeed, unplug helps us to be better.
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I took a blog break all summer and it was educational. In it’s place was death of a family member and hospitalization for another. IF I also had had to think about blogging it would have been a burden rather than the fun it usually is. Since I am the boomer baby I do’nt have a smart phone and thereby am not plugged in all day. I Like it like this.
I hope that unplugging gives you the rejuvenation you are looking for. I Follow this blog and rarely comment but I see you. I will miss you and look forward to seeing when you come back. ๐
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I’ve done this before as well. Good for you! Enjoy refocusing ๐
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I agree with your sentiments. However, the idea of Woodpress and other written media is communication beyond 140 words and symbols, carrying on a conversation about the football game, lamenting marital problems, pleas for I need help, no one cares I want someone to talk to. Anyone can spend an entire lifetime on all that stuff and never live life.
I have a smart phone but don’t walk around with it.
If I’m writing an article or review, I’m announcing it to the world, I hope in the best possible way. So I consider WordPress and other larger form media differently.
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I agree that technology has it’s pros & cons. It’s always good to use moderation & to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit & where He leads us.
๐
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I unplugged for a couple weeks last year and loved it.
It’s amazing how much free time I had and a little worrisome to know that so much time is wasted on things that are objectively of little importance.
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Hey thanks. I needed to hear this.
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