Stop Telling Me What to Post (or not to post) on Social Media–The Blue Mug Edition

It started like it normally does. I couldn’t concentrate, I followed links out of my Facebook feed and read articles. This one happened, I read it, saw comments on the publisher’s feed, and then I shared the article with my own little message:

“Here’s the thing–if you don’t like pics of my food, my dogs sleeping, my Christmas tree, or of my husband of 20 years and I hugging, *then unfollow me* mmmmkay? Because I’m not changing what I like for what you don’t like ?”

1419148_10151978089964264_20737953_oThe comments kind of blew up.

A friend said it bothered her when people posted pictures of Starbucks cups with their names on them. I replied that my cup never has my name on it, so I’m in the clear. (And since she posts from her husband’s account, I told her it bothered me when husbands and wives shared accounts.)

My friend Katey shared the page.

Let me tell you how I met Katey. One year, I was sponsored to go to this Christian blogging conference. I went and roomed with a girl I’d never met,  Brooke (who happens to share a birthday with me) Brooke and I were introduced by Toni on Twitter. Toni and I lived in the same town and both homeschooled our sons, who are the same age. That first conference, I also met Dawn and we became quick friends.

Year two of the conference came around and I didn’t have money to attend because Phil had just been fired from his job and we had just moved because of that huge shock. Dawn took up my plight, encouraged me to rely on the help of others and in 3 days, my entire trip was paid for. I roomed with Dawn and Katey and another gal that year. Katey and I, both being INTJ’s really got along and have every since.

Present day, Katey’s  friend Cassie requested to be my FB friend (I accepted) all because of this article telling me not to post more than one picture of month of my husband.   We started being rather sarcastic, because apparently we’re all really good at it.

Cassie posted that her husband was home then posted a picture of him and the kids.

I posted a picture of the French-press coffee I was making, blue snowflake mug included.

Cassie posted a picture showing that we were both drinking coffee out of blue mugs.

I had the same mug in my cabinet, so I took it down, switched and took another picture and posted it.

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Katey wasn’t drinking out of a blue mug, but a mug that was a present from Cassie.

Then a mutual friend of Katey and Cassie’s  (Lisa) said she had a blue mug.

 

As Lisa was posting a picture of her blue mug, I was linking to the story of my blue Starbucks mug. The one that Jill gave me before she died. Jill loved to shop at Goodwill and picked up things at random. She’d never been to Starbucks, but loved the blue Starbucks mug and knew I loved Starbucks, so she bought it for me. Later, I took Jill to Starbucks for the first time in her life and she kept the cup insulator and wrote a note on it for me thanking me for “sharing the love.” She meant my love for Starbucks and my love for her.  I broke the blue Starbucks mug Jill gave me and on the anniversary of her death this past January, I wrote about it because I woke up crying. I drank out of the mug on her birthday and the anniversary of her death because I miss her and I allow myself the time to grieve her.

Imagine my shock when I received two boxes from two different friends with more blue Starbucks mugs in them!!! (Linda and Sheena) Linda sent me two (one arrived chipped) Sheena sent one. So now I have one chipped one in my art room that holds water and paint brushes to remind me that even broken things have value and two good ones in my counter to drink out of as I wish.

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Lisa read my post and then tells me her story about her blue mug.

“My PawPaw was a very unique man. During the last year that he was able to live independently, he purchased quite a few random things, including a blue Starbucks coffee mug. He wasn’t a huge coffee drinker, which made his purchase of a very fancy Starbucks coffee maker and random blue mug even more bizarre. I can remember my aunts commenting about his purchases while they packed up his belongings. He was coming to move in with my mom, and I was helping to pack his things for storage. The best we could come up with was that he bought it because it was blue – his favorite color.

“Two years later, after his funeral, mom reached up into her cabinet, retrieved PawPaw’s blue mug, and gave it to me. Since I was the only one who really drank coffee, and I loved Starbucks, it only made sense for me to have his mug. For years, I drank from that blue mug, almost daily, without crack or chip. Two over zealous little girls, wanting so badly to help their pregnant mommie, dropped the bubbly blue glass while trying to wash dishes. The chip made my mug unsuitable for coffee sipping and it was retired to the craft shelf where it still sits, holding my seam ripper and tailor’s chalk.

“The mug in the Facebook picture is a replacement blue mug, purchased by my mother at a yard sale. I still drink from it, every day that it is found clean in the cabinet, and I think of PawPaw. I think of how God gave him the inclination to visit Starbucks one day, and buy a coffee maker, and a random blue mug….just for me.”

But Lisa still has the chipped one.

Just like me.

She uses hers to hold sewing supplies.

I use mine to hold paint brushes.

Lisa said, “God takes all the little broken pieces and puts them together.”

Amen, sister. Amen.

So here were are, each one of these ladies intricately laced into my story of friendship. How I lost Jill too early to breast cancer and how God has blessed me with Toni, Brooke, Dawn, Katey, Linda, Sheena, and now Cassie and Lisa.

Because of Social Media and because we were being ridiculous and posting silly things that some people don’t want to see. So thanks but no thanks,  John Weirick, author of that blog post telling me not to post stuff because it ruffles your feathers, I will continue posting blue coffee mugs, kissy face pics with my hubby, my food pics, my dogs sleeping, and anything else my little heart desires because the beauty of Social Media comes through in many forms, even blue, chipped, and broken Starbucks mugs. Especially in brokenness. 

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EDIT TO ADD: Lisa just messaged me saying she was AT that second blog conference. I was doing Visual Prayer during the key note address and my whole table joined in. She made one and gave it to her mother!!!! Lisa was also sponsored to go to the conference. Her mother’s life was torn apart and the one thing that couldn’t be physically torn in half was the Visual Prayer Lisa made for her that evening.

I’m kind of beside myself here.

15 thoughts on “Stop Telling Me What to Post (or not to post) on Social Media–The Blue Mug Edition”

  1. Pingback: Brain dumping…. - Chaos Appreciation
  2. Awwwwwwww!!! LOVE this story! 🙂
    I feel just like you, if someone doesn’t like what I post, then FOR.GOSH.SAKES, don’t read it!!! Change the channel, as it were, just like the tv or radio! I remember a year ago being in a firestorm, that you weathered through with me, because a judgmental, immature, always-right-about-everything child/woman didn’t like what I wrote on MY FB page, then proceeded to drag you into it. That was pathetic!
    So, keep on posting all of your mahhhhlelous pictures & sharing your highs & lows, because even though many people overuse social media for their drama, it’s also the lone tool to keep friends & family connected that are miles & states apart.
    I love you Michelle… & miss you <3

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  3. If my stomach weren’t so funky, I’d go peel a potato, sprinkle it with salt, and eat it right now. And take pictures. And post them. And tag you. <3

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  4. Michelle! I laughed my way through most of that post and girl, that is what it’s all about. Anyone who doesn’t like what you post can unfriend, unfollow, unlike, uncircle, or unwhatever they gotta do. And I have a blue mug just like that. Mine just doesn’t say Starbucks on it. 🙂 <3 You girl!!

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  5. Michelle! I laughed my way through most of that post and girl, that is what it’s all about. Anyone who doesn’t like what you post can unfriend, unfollow, unlike, uncircle, or unwhatever they gotta do. And that Visual Prayer during the session was deep and intense and I still have mine and love you for making me do it. And I have a blue mug just like that. Mine just doesn’t say Starbucks on it. 🙂 <3 You girl!!

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    • I could hardly believe it when she messaged and asked if I was the one doing Visual Prayer that night. I started bawling. Truly, I had no idea the impact that night had.

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      • If you remember, my Gramma died the morning before that, while I was at Allume. I wasn’t the only one dealing with grief that night, although I think mine was the most recent. VP was a blessing for all of us! And so are you. 🙂

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  6. I’m ISFP, but speak fluent sarcasm. I was floored when you said you didn’t know Cassie! It days like that that make me keep my Facebook….I big read heart you Michelle!

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  7. I bought a set of 4 mugs so if you break the other one, expect another surprise package, hahaha! Good thing I included 2 since the other broke in transit! Love you!!!

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    • Oy!! Did I get it wrong? Did both you and Linda send me 2 each?? (and you bought 4???) Lordy, you know I’m a klutz!!!!

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