Technology is fine...

As I continue to think about the WHY of not doing technology, I become less and less convinced that technology itself is the issue. It is the choices I make with technology. So, instead of getting rid of it all together- my focus this week will be to look at all the ways technology is life-giving... not just life-draining.

Those are terms I use a lot... and I don't know that I totally get them. :) So, why do I use them? I think they help to define what is "good for the soul" and what is "draining." For instance, when I go on facebook, and I see a photo of a friend's baby or a heart-warming video or a message from an old friend who is striving for marriage equality, I know that facebook is where I need to be! I need to be connected to my friends- who now live all over the US. I need to know that there are great things happening across the world, and someone has captured it on video. And I need to be aware and have the opportunity to support human rights. This is why facebook is a good thing!

Another thing, there are online devotionals, blogs, workingpreacher.org, etc. that keep me in a mindset of learning about God and the church. Yes, I also have a shelf full of books- SO, this tells me that I need balance! One does not trump the other-- but they can work together.

In the morning, the first thing I do is check my email on my phone, and I have a message with the subject line "GM" from my mother. It is how we connect. It is simple. It is short. But it is a wonderful way to start my day.

So, I don't buy it. I don't think the internet is scary. I don't think that if I went to a forum on internet safety that I "would never post on facebook again." I long to be connected with others--and face to face is great! And I get a lot of that-- but, when that isn't going to work... I have the internet. And I am not giving that up.