On my soapbox!

As you know I'm fascinated by President Nelsons quote about being "immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions" by daily reading of the Book of Mormon.  Well, he says to "daily immerse yourself" in the book so that is more than a glancing at the written page!  Since I read that Prophetic promise I've wondered/thought/prayed/pondered as to what qualifies as "other mind-numbing addictions".

What ended up #1 on my list is mis-use of the marvels of the marvelous technology that is so readily available.  I felt backed up when I read what Elder Neil L. Andersen posted on May 10.

To have the help of the Holy Ghost, we have to prepare our mind and heart. In today’s world, you need discipline and restraint in how you use your technological devices.

Adam Alter, in his book called “Irresistible,” speaks about the addictive behavior of technology and social media. He quotes Greg Hochmuth, one of Instagram’s founding engineers, commenting: “‘There’s always another hashtag to click on. Then it takes on its own life, like an organism, and people can become obsessive.’ Instagram, like so many social media platforms, is bottomless. Facebook has an endless feed; Netflix automatically moves on to the next episode in a series; Tinder encourages users to keep swiping in search of a better option.”

For the Spirit to dwell in us, we have to have time and space. Learn to put your smartphones down. Insert time when your technology is intentionally not accessible.

In conference, President M. Russell Ballard said: “Too many allow themselves to almost live online with their smart devices—screens illuminating their faces day and night and earbuds in their ears blocking out the still, small voice of the Spirit. If we do not find time to unplug, we may miss opportunities to hear the voice of Him who said, ‘Be still, and know that I am God’ (Psalm 46:10). Now, there is nothing wrong with taking advantage of the advances in the technologies inspired by the Lord, but we must be wise in their use.”

I ordered the book he quoted from and also two others.  My favorite one is the really quick read Disconnected.  I could easily be a book salesman for that little book!

Disconnected  here      Irresistible here   Reset your childs brain  here

My home houses just my Hubby and I.  We have no children here and all those decisions to be made and how to do it and when and what devices to buy and how to monitor and how to limit and etc. etc. are not anything we address at all.... so why do I care?  From the things I read...it can easily become an addiction.  So yes, I do care.  It impacts my life even with my being in the age of dinosaurs and thinking email is a big deal and why doesn't everyone use it to communicate and also...still having a landline  plus loving the feel of paper and holding a book.  Very old school but I am old so isn't that age appropriate!?

At the recent wedding reception preparations, there were probably 6 phones laying on the counter.  Pinging and dinging with different ring tones.  Fingers wiping and swiping.  It was so interesting to see that managing those phones was as natural as breathing.  How do people relax and not have to tend these phones every minute?  It's like hauling an oxygen bottle and most are never free of it.  Phones are seldom lost or misplaced or accidentally left behind.  People will sit in a room and never speak!  Airports are totally quiet with everyone thumb wiggling...so for a reader, that is really a bonus!  a quiet crowd.

I find myself ignorant of the etiquette rules of contacting people on PM.  I am the minority in wanting to write sentences and not abbreviate and speak a language that is foreign.  I don't even know when to call people and not interrupt them.  Maybe I'm a mess and don't know it?  One thing though that I do know is this...IF you call someone on their smart phone- they will immediately see that you called. That is awkward when they don't answer or return the call!  I'm equally bad though as I don't check messages and I don't answer the phone if I don't recognize the number and if my phone is in another room and I don't get it before the 3rd ring...I have no idea who called as the caller ID goes blank.

In today's world, I appreciate the safety factor of having a phone to travel with, even just to grocery shop.  I like the idea of that feeling I can reach someone.  For years I had a little tiny flip phone and I'd make sure I had it with me in the car.  I shared the number with my sister and a son and a close friend.  Eventually, actually not to long ago, it died with no chance of revival.  My son found me a new phone but not a flip phone.  He was showing me how to use it and suddenly a little keyboard popped up and he said...this is for texting.  I said...I don't want to text but this is nice... Sort of like a training a person for using a Smart Phone.  A trainer phone.  He said...Mom!  This is a Smart Phone. I was shocked and said I didn't want a smart phone etc. etc.  Well, I have one.  I have learned to take pictures with it and I may learn to do FaceTime with Grandkids.  I do need to do that FaceTime deal.  I feel I'm being held hostage in a way and I know I need to embrace more than I now do but....

I don't know if I'm old and rebellious and stubborn or what!!!  I do know that I have enough challenges in my life without adding what I now, totally believe, can (and most likely will) become an addiction to the mix of my own life messes!  I also know that I'm on my soap box...ranting and raving!

Even Bill Gates and Steve Jobs and Silicon Valley tech nerds recognize there are dangers and guard their children.

Silicon Valley parents raising tech-free kiddos here

46 second clip...Bill Gates/Steve Jobs  here

Heading out of Dodge...

Of all days to travel...July 4th!  We have a rule for ourselves that we don't travel the highways on National holidays and today, rebel that I am, totally a rule breaker!....heading out of State to our granddaughter's wedding.  Will pick Jeanee up at the airport and then we will come home for 30 seconds (so she can give hugs to her Father and brother and meet his new dog!) and we will then be On the Road Again!  Willie Nelson singing in background!  Hum along if you like!

Why don't we fly?  I gave up flying years ago!  Long before I was old in age!  Flew so many times and never enjoyed it one second and finally just made one last trip to Florida and said...No more for me!! 

Reluctantly I leave my SweetGuy in the care of our son.  He is so happy I am going though.

Utah...here we come!

Be in touch next week!

I love America!!

Love

In the midst of my inner struggling at times I felt so alone....sometimes forgotten...socially isolated...not sure how to pinpoint that feeling of less worth than a daughter of God, with a testimony of the Gospel and conviction of Jesus Christ should feel, or likes to feel.  Credit to my Co-d imaginings for feeling as I did!

At such times, tender mercies seem to show up.  Events that seemingly are just normal occasions, that occur in friendships, but these in their timing were a healing balm.  Just to mention a couple.  Perhaps you will read these and puzzle over...so what is the big deal?  Kindness and friendship and love are gigantic in scope if someone has a heartache and confusion going on.

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4 things that touched my heart to the max.

1- a sister picked a bag of cherries and set them on the porch swing one evening and then sent me an email and told me to check the swing.  I sent her a note and told her they were delicious and thanked her.  She replied...they were picked with love.

2- an invite for a surprise baby shower arrived and to have been included just warmed my heart.  Although I will admit that I got lost and didn't make it.  How one gets lost on a straight road while watching for a house that has 2 lion statues guarding the front steps, well, that is just unexplainable!  I honestly don't know how that happened.  AND I'd been there before. More than once!  I had no phone with me and no address for my GPS.  All of that aside...it was just marvelous to be invited into a family event that included close friends.  Touched my heart!!!  I did deliver the gift later on that day.  I felt the love.

3- a friend was in town from out of state and we'd made arrangements to get together and visit and get caught up on life.  Then she called and said two other friends wanted all 4 of us to get together at one of their homes.  It was absolutely wonderful!  To eat with them, be with them and talk about matters of the heart and trust confidences would be kept and privacy respected and to just feel the sincerity and deepness of that love.  To feel so included.  Bliss! 

4- several years ago a little 4 year old girl in our Ward, named Lydia, for some reason, in spite of her extreme shyness, fell in love with me.  Then she started to include Terry.  She sat with us every Sunday for 5 years.  Her parents sat behind us with her 3 brothers.  The only time she sat with her family was when family came to visit them. 

When she turned 8 she asked me to speak at her baptism.  She would send us notes and draw pictures and drop by and we just loved her so much.

Then they moved and it broke her heart and mine.  At first we kept in touch and then it slowly dwindled and then we started reaching out again and rekindling what was still there but neglected. 

Her Mother called and said they were coming to Zillah!  So we got together, at McDonalds, so her brother and friends could play.

The moment I saw her my heart melted.  She'd grown so tall and I just drew her to me and she started sobbing.  It was so awkward for her as it caught her off guard.  Her Mother reassured her that it was okay to cry.  We sat and talked and hugged and held hands.  Tears from both of us.

We are in touch on email a lot now.  She tells me that the best part of summer vacation was seeing me and being with me.  She wishes she could live in Ely and then teletransport to Zillah and sit with me at Church! 

My heart was so touched with her most generous sincere love and I was reminded of the duty we have- to never let love grow dim through neglect ...to nourish the need and responsibility we have, to express and keep alive that sacred feeling, with those souls that we really connect with.

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Unconditional love is what it is all about and we each need to do what we can to let others know our feelings as we never know when that just might be the Rx that is needed.

By the way, I appreciate the love of you readers, even when I neglect you by not blogging!  Sorry.  I will say that I love you in spite of my rudeness!!!  xoxox