At what point did we become so busy and so distracted that we can’t afford to spend as much quality time with our family as we’d like? Since when did chicken fingers and a smartphone become babysitters? Why are we unknowingly encouraging our kids to become digital zombies?
As I write this, I am still without power to my house. We’ve been without it since the ice/snow/rain storm on Thursday. Despite what you may think, I am grateful for it, as my family has been forced to be creative with our time together. Boredom, daydreaming, a good book, playing board games and interactivity with other humans, we’ve experienced them all the past 60 hours. Its sad these precious experiences are often being denied these days.
While my family is sleeping, I snuck out to my local Starbucks for my Sunday morning “quiet time”, recharge my laptop battery and connect to “the web” for a bit to share a little of myself again. I’ll be back before they wake up.
This weekend has given me a heightened awareness of the importance of “my work” and who I want to be. What good is it if I can’t share it with my family and others I care about? I spend so much time away from them during the work week, shame on me I if I allow them to be distracted by their iPhones, YouTube, Fortnite, SnapChat, and Musically when I’m with them.
I want to do the work I’m proud of for people I care about, and I want to continually expand the community of people I care about. My immediate family is the inner-most circle followed by my extended family, friends, and colleagues at work and church. Every new day is an opportunity to connect with somebody and become the person I seek to be, a better version of the person I was yesterday.
An idea shared is more powerful than one that’s hidden. A community is stronger than divided individuals ever could be. When I give away my work by building the network, I’m not giving it away at all. I’m building trust, authority and a positive cycle of better.
Imagine if we all take this perspective and initiative? Start with your kids and other loved ones who need a mentor. Chicken fingers and smartphones aren’t substitutes for you.
True. Noble. Right. Pure. Lovely. Admirable. Excellent. Praiseworthy. Think about such things. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace. It will guard your heart and mind. Anxiety will become a thing of the past, and you’ll feel motivated to share more of yourself with others.
Don’t believe me? Try this. Next Friday evening when you get home from work, go to your circuit breaker panel in your house and trip the main circuit breaker for the entire weekend. Then, fill the weekend with meaningful experiences with your kids and family.
MindWolves 