Last fall when I was researching Somalia I ended up at Barnes & Noble with some sort of atlas that listed a ton of characteristics about the population (as a side note, my Father has really blessed me with my geography classes this semester; when I started thinking about my school as a mission field, I wasn't aware that I was signing on for a full-on missions training program, but it sure feels like that some days -- and I thought I picked my classes because I had GE units to make up and needed a M/W schedule).
One of the characteristics was the percentage of the population that had internet access. For some reason during that week I had been thinking "could I ever survive in a place without internet access???"
But I'm starting to think now that no internet (at least no "for fun" internet) wouldn't be so bad. (Now I just have to define "for fun.")
People like the internet because it helps them keep in touch. But now I'm wondering if maybe we're not supposed to try to keep in touch with so many people. How much of that "keeping in touch" is real? How much is it distracting all parties from real face-to-face interaction right at their elbows? How much is keeping in touch with people we know but don't really know distracting us from meeting people we need to know but are too distracted to meet all?
What I mean is: How good am I at keeping touch if I have 250 friends in my e-mail address book but never look the bank teller or the grocery cashier in the eye?
This week I noticed myself pouring out a lot more things in prayer. When I post on my blog, I take my frustrations or my happinesses or joys or supposed epiphanies and pour them out to whoever clicks over to find them. Without my blog, the opportunity for venting shrinks up quite a bit, since it requires (1) a friendly ear (2) with time and (3) may involve critical feedback of my half-thunk thoughts.
It made me think about how many things really need to be poured out (I read once that "spilling your guts is as charming as it sounds.") and how often I take things that should be poured out and taken before my Father in prayer and divert them somewhere where I'm more likely to feel good about myself and less likely to be rebuked or challenged.
Maybe I'm just a first class internet addict and my experience is atypical.
But I think that if He ever calls me to a place where the internet access is sketchy, I'll have one more item to add to a list of thankfulnesses.
1 comment:
Hmmm...
I'll take the liberty of responding, even though it doesn't really sound like you're looking for feedback:
1) Is a prayer any less of a prayer when it's published for all to see? If your 'blogging doesn't feel as prayerful as it should be, then (in my experience) there's a good chance that you're doing pretty well. Sainthood (in any context) is about the grace of God, not the ability to perform superhuman feats.
If you're looking for more challenge and rebuke, well...
2) What's the difference between the internet and a library? I have more trouble with "for fun" books than I ever have with "for fun" internet. (maybe that's because I don't have internet at home, but in any case...)
Would you give up the library (or your library?)
That said, peace and grace be with you.
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