Strangely Dim, Part 1: The Alarm Clock

The struggle is real. For years I have kept my phone right on my nightstand when I go to sleep to charge. Because of this, it's right beside me. When I go to sleep it's within arms reach, and when I wake up. I've tried to implement multiple things to keep myself from scrolling until I fall sleep or waking up to instant comparison. Somethings would last for a day or two but then I would fall right back into it. The worst part about it was how it affected my relationship with Brandon. Not in a terrible way.. but it was like every other night someone was complaining or getting mad with the other for being on social media. I remember there would be nights that I would fall asleep to him scrolling.

FINALLY, finally I found a solution. A friend of mine shared on January 2nd that she bought an alarm clock and kicked her phone out of her room. I remember thinking wow, that makes sense. I used to make the excuse of, well I need to know what time it is or I need to set my alarm... It was one of those moments when you see something on pinterest and you're like, "Duh? Why didn't I think of that?"

So, I got an alarm clock!

I got it, set the time and found a new place for my phone to sleep. I put it in the kitchen and at night when I am done with it I plug it up and I don't see it again until I wake up in the morning AFTER my quiet time. When I get up I go into the kitchen and grab my spark, then straight back to the bed to read my bible, listen to a sermon, pray, whatever I am doing for the morning. Sometimes it takes intentional effort to bypass it in the AM, especially when I see messages, texts, etc. but it's worth it. It always is. 

It's the simple acts of being obedient that you find God moving in your life.

Simple things, simple acts and simple decisions is where I have seen God move A LOT through out my life since the start of the new year. 

I am so grateful and it is so refreshing. No more late night scrolling. No more late night arguments or fights about it. No more early morning comparison and getting wrapped up into who's doing what at 6am. 

When I first told Brandon I wanted to do this, I told him I would just grab a cheap one the next time we went to Walmart. He left and got me one. It was a fun surprise! This big black bulky alarm clock matches nothing in my room, it's not Joanna Gaines-ish at all and it sticks out like a sore thumb but I think it is a great reminder of what following God looks like. Not blending in and often times very different than everything else around you.