We're smack dab in the middle of summer.  We've been in summer mode since mid May, and we've got til a week into September.  We're sandwiched right in the middle, and it's a good place to be.  We still have the ocean to visit and a long car ride (or 2) to take.  I have yet to feel like "man I wish school would start" so yeah, I'd say we're doing good.  Summer so far has consisted of swimming most every morning, long naps in the afternoon by the youngest member, and a major lack of drama.

Just the other day I was telling Benjamin how I like not seeing people as much.  Introvert alert.  He laughed and reminded me he'd still like to see people and have them over.  I agree and am thankful for more space in our home to do that, but I also like not feeling like we're racing between activities and am a bit curious how yet another new season will go this year with 2 in school and 2 in sports.  I don't want to run ragged and want to make sure we're filling our own cups.  I truly believe you cannot pour out when your cup is empty, and I'm finding it easier for me to retreat to do just that.

This space is a place to fill my cup.  My R + F business has been a place to fill that cup.  Church and time in the word, especially through this devotional has been a time and place to fill that cup.

And yet, I've had a lot of conversations recently with friends about things that aren't filling their cups.  Sites that overwhelm and distract them.  People that make them feel less than.  And I get it.  I'd run for the hills a lot of days and turn all this off.  And sometimes, I do.  I place my phone on a stand, I take a break.  I have work hours and times when I'm with my family, no phone around.  I try to treat my phone like it has a cord.  My computer doesn't roam the house, it sits on a desk.  I'm not perfect at this, but for us 30 somethings who remember a time before all this STUFF I know how important those steps are for sanity and normalcy.

Reality is, I've been encouraged by the internet.  That sounds funny.  Not really internet as a person, but internet as in people I've met, things I've learned, books I've read.  It doesn't replace meeting a friend in person, but it's not all bad.  And so, here I am, writing to the world wide web, remembering the days of AOL, Instant Messanger, Blogging in 2008, and now 2017 when the internet is moving so quickly, changing so much, and yet I can connect with people all over the world in minutes.  It's crazy and facinating and I suppose, something I'm a part on those days I'm not running for the proverbial hills.