life offline

It's hard to imagine life without the computer isn't it? I remember playing spelling games on the good ol' Commodore 64 back in the '80's and our first home computer (lovely orange duotone screen plus a dot matrix printer).

And now...it seems everything is connected in someway to a computer. Though it is possible to perform basic functions like getting dressed and eating, I'm sure at some point our children will wonder how we ever did those things without the aid of a computer.

So when I decided to fast from the computer for Lent, I figured it might be difficult, but I never realized just how freeing it can be. The biggest challenges usually came in when trying to remember when our multitudes of books were due at the library (email notifications of life savers!), knowing what the extended forecast looked like (because in these parts it's a really mixed bag) and finding directions to places.

Yet it streamlined by decision making on my to-do and helped me focus on who I am in God's eyes. It was so refreshing, I'm 99% sure I'll continue to some version of this on a regular basis, though in smaller increments.


And, because I don't want to forget all the goodness of those 47 days, here's a snapshot of what I did:

*Painted our 3rd floor and designated it as a sewing/reading/praying room. At some point, i.e. when we finish the room by installing brighter lighting, I'll share pictures. But for now picture a room 2/3rd dark paneling converted by paint to a room all in a soft-white.



* I finally finished the quilt for my nephew Jack. I started it two years ago. It felt great to finally check this one off my list and here are the finished results.


*Ben took a trip to the ER after splitting the skin above his nose at the playground - he came home with stitches, a couple of hot wheels cars, a cool light up thingy, a story about how he got to ride in an ambulance and taxi car. But those are details for another post. ;) Seriously, and eternally gratefully, though, he's fine and we're blessed it wasn't his eye that took the brunt of the fall.


*In happier Ben news, he's potty trained!!! Which, as all parents know, is big news. Hallelujah - we're almost diaper free. If I made New Year's Resolutions (and if I could actually control something like this) I'd add "being completely diaper free to the list."


*We finally said goodbye to Dave's car last month. It was seriously weird to feel this attached to a car. But it was the same car he had when we were dating, we drove home in it after we got married, we brought at least two of the kids home in it from the hospital (as babies, not due to accidents, though that probably happened too). Sigh. I still miss the sight of it's rusting out backside in our driveway, the slowly rusting away gas cover and that oh-so-familiar rattle as it came up the driveway. Ben misses the ability to open and close "Daddy car" doors (the doors on our new-to-us car are not quite so amiable).

goodbye faithful steed of metal

*I started taking Luke and Ben to story time at the library again. Though it's really for Luke's age group, it's such a delight to see how Ben gets right in there.


*I started seeing a counselor after realizing the depression/anxiety/whatever I was experiencing toward the end of last year was not going to go away on its own. I'll probably post more about this in the future as I believe mental health issues are pervasive, yet often hidden in our society. The counseling is a blessing and I believe God is using this time to answer a long-time prayer of mine.

*I went with my parents and daughter to a Seder dinner put on by a Messianic Jewish temple and have tucked away thoughts to share on this for a later post, but the experience was amazing.

*I still occasionally thought in blog posts. Which probably tells me God just put this desire to write inside me.


Right.

Now I feel like I've caught up with an old friend. And if you've stuck with me to this point in the post - thanks for listening. :)

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