Unintentional Internet Fast - Lessons from the Unconnected Life

We experienced, what I at first considered, a most unfortunate internet fast last week. My laptop was unable to connect for 6 days during which time our family computer also was "attacked" by what appears to be either a virus or malware. Upon realizing that our predicament wasn't going to be fixed quickly, I moved my laptop out of the kitchen, where it normally lives, turned off our most disagreeable family desktop and lamented how much I'll miss my daily email and blog reads. And then I began to notice some really interesting things.

• The laundry I started on Wednesday morning got dried, folded and put away.....on WEDNESDAY!
• Thursday, when we worked halfway through lunchtime without realizing it, I hadn't one time looked at my watch wondering if it was time to check my email yet.
• A pile of books (really three piles but stacked into one gigantic mountain) that had waited - I kid you not - MONTHS to be moved onto shelves are now neatly resting on shelves.
• We played games.
• We read aloud.
• On Friday night, when August was able to finally get my laptop connected again.......I felt sad.
  

I don't think this unintentional experiment means we need to pull the plug completely but it does mean that for me, cyberspace is a bit like the chip bowl at a Christmas party. If I park myself too close to the bowl, I'll have downed half of it before even coming up for air. With a little space between the bowl and myself, moderation is so much easier to exercise. The use of my time is much the same way. Without even realizing it, I can get lured into my computer screen and not even notice the minutes ticking away.......or the people (both little and big) needing my attention until a half hour later.

The beginning of Advent, the season which not only prepares our hearts to welcome an infant Savior but also heralds the beginning of a new Church year, is quickly approaching. We were challenged this morning at church to ask ourselves how we would live the next year if we knew we were going to die November 15, 2010. Hmmmm..... The little and big people around here need me - all of me. I need them. And we all need so much more of Jesus. I think the laptop will live tucked away in a corner for a while.