The Plunge

Well, I finally did it. I said goodbye to simplicity and comfort and frustration and finally jumped into the world of smartphones. Hello team iPhone! I've always tried to keep my life as clutter free as possible and stood my ground when all my students tries to convince me to come out of the dark ages. But I've given in. And you know, it feels pretty nice. I'm actually typing this post on the phone right now. The wonders of the Internet! This little box can do all sorts of amazing things! 

Here's the challenge I face: keeping the simplicity. 

I know that The Lord calls us to remove distractions, live more simply, but in today's world we don't always do that. We get busy and add apps and tv shows, more after school activities and turn the music up loud. And sometimes in doing all that, we lose the wonder. So as good as The Lord is, He gave me the right words this morning. I was doing my devotional (I'm going through Ann Voskamp's 1000 Gifts devotional) and this morning's was titled "Urgent Grace."  She talks about how God gives us time, but so often we don't have time for God. She goes on to talk about how being in a hurry can often lead to regret because we miss the moment we're in due to worry over the next moments. Hello! being fully present in each moment, each conversation is so important! 

She then says, 

<blockquote>"Life is so urgent it necessitates living slow."  </blockquote>

Because life is fleeting, we must take in the moments and be slow, reverent. In Christ, time is not running out. We lose time when we don't sit before Him to fill. Because in the filling, we gain time. 

<blockquote>"We stand on the brink of eternity. So there is enough time. Time to breathe deep and time to see real. Time to laugh long, time to give God glory and to rest deep and to sing joy." </blockquote>

What words I needed to hear again and again. I'm so fast to neglect spending time at Jesus' feet, in His Word when life gets busy. But the reality is that when I begin each day with filling myself with Him, I gain time and perspective and all the rest falls into place. 

So as I enter the world of smartphones, may I - may we - not lose sight of being present. Of giving attention to conversation instead of virtual social media. 

May The Lord fill us as we take this urgent life slow.