I have many friends that are a part of Facebook.  They love it.  Some get on every once in a while, like once a week.  Others are obsessed.  I have a friend that keeps it open all day so she can keep tabs on what everyone is up to.    

Although I see the lure of it, I am not a Facebook junkie.  I’ve enjoyed finding long lost friends through DH’s account.  DH is a youth pastor, and he finds Facebook almost essential in keeping up with his teens every day.

I like to keep up with people.  Their pictures are fun to view, especially friends from high school.  I have one friend from the internet whom I’ve never met, but I consider her a very dear friend.  I love seeing pictures of her family on Facebook.  It’s fun and addicting.  One night I spent hours going from one old friend’s wall to another.  People I would never have thought to look up were on there, and I got to read about them, see some pictures, and realize that they are still in contact with other people on there.  So, I’d visit their page.  This went on for so long that I realized that I was rubbing my eyes so I could see the computer screen more clearly.  I hadn’t even realized how late it was.  (Let me tell you: I was NOT the best mom the next day!) 

This is why I do not have a Facebook page.  I simply lack the self-control.  I’m sure I would become like my friend who keeps tabs on everyone throughout the day.  There’s a certain sense of anonymity when you’re looking at someone else’s page without them knowing it.  It’s admittedly fun. 

My problem with Facebook lies in the bullies out there.  I have absolutely grown tired of people asking me if I am on Facebook.  Some of them ask every time I see them.  They don’t stop there, though.  They proceed to tell me that I should be on Facebook.  It’s a “try it, you’ll like it” form of bullying.  One woman even asked me how she could contact me if I’m not on Facebook!  REALLY?!?!?! 

The next form of bullying comes by way of my e-mail account.  I get requests from people through my e-mail to join Facebook.  It’s a taunting “your friends are doing it, why shouldn’t you?” e-mail.  This tells me that my “friends” have given Facebook my e-mail account so I am now in their “system.” 

It doesn’t end there.  The latest form of bullying has really irritated me.  This makes me not only not happy with my “friends,” but also very angry at Facebook.  In the last two days I have received, from Facebook, the same e-mail eight times.  It tells me who my most recent friends are that have invited me to join Facebook.  It names those friends, tells me how many Facebook friends they have, and gives me the names of other people on Facebook that I may know.  Facebook is trying to strong-arm me into joining! 

I don’t like being bullied.  I enjoy catching up with old friends, but with five young children I don’t have time to keep up with everyone.  Facebook causes me to forget about my priorities.  So, I’ve chosen, for myself, not to participate.  I’m not saying that Facebook is evil, or that no one should be on it.  I’m just saying that I’ve chosen not to.  So, for crying out loud, let me be, you Facebook Bullies!!! 

It's no surprise that when I walk through the grocery store with five children I get a lot of comments.  I get some positive ones ("What fun to have such a big family!"), some negative ones (Oh, there's too many to list here.  My least favorite was from an older man that asked me if I knew how I kept getting pregnant!), and some strange ones ("Do you want to take my kids too?")  Throughout all of our public interaction, my prayer is always that we let our lights shine.

Last night on our way home from church we stopped at the store to get some essentials.  I took the oldest three in with me while DH stayed in the van with the sleeping ones.  We went to the register to pay, and the lady checking us out was asking us all kinds of questions.  My kids are always quick to share that they are one of five, and last night was no exception.  She told me about her two kids, where she lived, the chore charts she was trying to make up, how unorganized she is, where she was from, her family, etc.  I could tell she needed a friend.  She ended up asking what religion we were.  I told her I am a Christian.  She shared that she is a Mormon.  Then she asked if she could give me her e-mail address. 

Now remember, I am always asking God to make us a light.  However, when she asked this, I thought, "Really, God?  What do I do?  How do I respond?  She wants me to have her address.  So, what do I say to her in this e-mail?  I don't even know for sure why she wants me to e-mail her.  God, HELP!!" 

Now, this all happened in just a few seconds, and while it was happening I made sure to keep a pleasant face rather than the "deer caught in the headlights" reaction I felt.  At least, that's what I hope I did.  I'm not sure, though, because she quickly stammered in, "so you can give me a link to a chore chart."  (I had told her that there were plenty of chore charts free online.)

I agreed to accept her address.  She wrote it down, and I felt this prodding to give her my e-mail address.  I can't imagine why I did this, but I borrowed her pen from her, wrote down my e-mail address with my name, and told her I'd send her the link.  Of course, I know that the Holy Spirit leads us to do things that we normally would not, or could not do on our own.  Such was the case last night.

When I handed her my address, the look on her face was priceless.  It was as if we were on the playgrond, and she had no one to play with, and I had asked her to come play with me.  She got almost giddy.  I know that no one is that excited about chore charts!  

But here are the links that I sent to her.  This one   is a favorite because we can personalize it with characters.  We have a few super hero fans at our house, and they love having their favorite remind them to do their work.  Here  is another great site.  There are charts with point systems, charts with pictures for the younger kids, and charts for just about every room.