Hello Everyone! I'm wrapping up my "retreat" tonight at the beach and I've been trying to figure out what I'd write for this portion of the blog...since it's usually for helpful hints and tips with a little spiritual tie in...I have sat by the pool most of the week during the morning and have observed not only the beautiful beach, water, birds and cute little lizards and of course did some people watching too. One thing I noticed about people is just how attached we all are to our cell phones. People would bring all their pool and beach gear down and get their "spots" all set up and then they'd sit down and the first thing they'd do is get their phones out and either text, talk or check email. It seemed as though they were more interested in what was going on in those little handheld machines than the beautiful surroundings. One particular afternoon a handsome senior adult couple came down to sit beside the pool and enjoy the weekend that had been given as a gift to them for her birthday. They weren't there 5 minutes before the husband called to the wife to hurry and get out of the pool because her phone was ringing. And for the next 15 minutes or more, she had a conversation with someone and all of us who were by the pool got to hear it...and she was sharing some pretty private family information. For a moment it made me just a little sad. We go to the trouble and expense to plan a wonderful get-away and then we don't "get away" - we bring it with us by phone.
Tonight I spent the last few hours of my retreat in the pool by moonlight. A sweet young security guard walked by and as he was returning the chairs to their perfect positions, he smiled and asked how I was doing. (I LOVE the South - we ask everybody that question!) I told him I was fine but asked if he could tell me what time it was. He didn't look at his watch -- he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and we began to talk about how much freedom we've lost because of those brilliant pieces of technology.
Do you ever feel as though you are a slave to technology? I do. Even now as I write this blog, I'm reminded that I need technology to do so. To find out about the hurricane's path, I need technology. To listen to music, I need technology...It's invaded our lives so much so that the common things we used to do, like looking at a watch to tell the time are becoming obsolete.
Don't get me wrong, I love technology. I enjoy the convenience of it and the amazing ways we can communicate these days. I think it just kind of makes me sad that the most beautiful beach in the world can't capture our attention like a text message can. We are almost to the point where printed books will no longer be needed - we'll just pull out our electronic reader and punch in a button that will instantly take us to the Scripture we need or the page in our book.
Are we really better off? Is it more convenient? Do we really need all this convenience? Can we even remember what it was like to drive or go to the grocery store with out being contacted by phone? Can we still appreciate writing a note by hand or hearing the sound of pages being turned in our Bibles? Are we still able to have meaningful conversations face to face or do we communicate better with our thumbs?
I think sometimes we just need to pause and remember that our best memories won't come from typing out emails or playing "Angry Birds" on our phones. Our best memories come from spending time with people we love and in places that make our hearts skip a beat.
This week has been that time for me. I've spent the week in solitude but not alone - I've spent this week with my LORD. He has spoken to me through His Word and in the beauty of His creation. I've prayed, I've worshipped, I've sung, I've rested in Him. Yes, I've had my phone and my computer by my side. And yes, I've enjoyed the convenience that they offer. But it's truly been such a pleasure to be able to go back to the basics and just "be" for a little while. To close my eyes and listen to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore or to open my senses to the smell of the sea air and appreciate the beauty of lightning in the distance over the water. I've enjoyed watching the dragonflies hover as if they are checking me out...watching a lizard chase an insect and stop to stare at me for a brief moment never daring to come near but just stopping by to see if I'd notice...and I did. (I love lizards - they eat mosquitoes -- true friends indeed!). I've enjoyed watching people and all their quirkiness and I've enjoyed learning to truly relax and float in the pool...
I think the best tip I could give you for this week is to take a break from technology occasionally. Find a place where you can just "be" for a little while. Observe a sunset, the stars in the sky, a beautiful garden...get outside and enjoy God's creation in person not just through the eyes of a slide show on Facebook. Pick up a Bible and flip through those beautiful pages and feel the words on the pages. Listen to the birds sing, the crickets chirp or whatever you enjoy.
Don't be afraid to turn off your phone or let a call go to voicemail. You will survive it - I promise! Give yourself a mini-vacation occasionally - if only for a few moments. If you can find time to do this, you'll be all the better for it.
I'm going to close our time today with one of my favorite Psalms - Psalm 8 -- May God bless you this week as you seek Him in His creation...
Psalm 8
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!You have set your glory above the heavens.
From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly being and crowned him with glory and honor.
You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet:
all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
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