Technology is both my friend and my enemy. After spending 5 days without internet I realized how much I miss this thing I now take for granted. For five painful days I wondered how my boys in college were doing and I wondered what my own folks thought about what was going on here (of course my friend’s FB post about the soldier who came to our window drunk holding an M16 didn’t help).
Though my church tradition doesn’t practice Lent, it’s something I’ve chosen on my own. Last year the kids noticed I had avoided sodas and bought me a Dr. Pepper after Easter. This year I’ve added to that, I’m trying to limit my technology time-not totally give it up as that would also mean I couldn’t do my Skype Bible study or call my family in the US. 21st century missions has some wonderful benefits! But it can be easy to spend hours stumbling through the net reading friends trivia posts or checking out the latest project they’ve pinned and not attend to the current needs of our household.
Reading through a book on third culture kids I’m trying to find more ways to be intentional. I want them to “unpack their bags and plant their trees” living life and loving people wherever they are for as long as they are there. So the ways we often reconnect as a family are through things that become a tradition. It takes effort. Intention on my part.
With Easter on it’s way, Vita asked about making Resurrection Rolls, and our little one just yesterday said, “When are we planting our Easter Garden?” They remember these things. I enjoy the fact that in Latin America we have an entire week off to make a big deal over the resurrection-because it’s central to our faith.
So perhaps I will disconnect a little more often with technology and reconnect more intentionally with these blessings God has given.