Is Social Media De-Socializing Us?

Yesterday night, when I was at a restaurant with my family, I couldn't help but notice a couple sitting at a table across from us. After the couple ordered their meals, they immediately took out their cell phones and searched the Internet and sent text messages for a full half an hour until their meals arrived. During that time, they never spoke a single word. They didn't even look at each other; their eyes were constantly transfixed on their cell phone screens.

Have the people in today's world lost the ability to socialize face-to-face? Have they lost the ability to look into each other's eyes and sense each other's feelings, not just through words, but by the expressions on their faces and the tone of their voices. Is social media and internet addictions de-socializing us?

What I saw last night was pathetic, and instantly I felt great sadness for the couple and all people who can no longer keep their cell phones in their pockets when out on a date with their husband/wife, or boyfriend/girlfriend. These people loose out in so much.

The Bible warns us that we must never stop listening or paying close attention to God's voice and what we hear Him speaking. The closer we listen to God, the more understanding of His character and His ways we receive, and the more blessed we are in knowing and having a close relationship with Him.

"The He added, 'Pay close attention to what you hear.

The closer you listen,

the more understanding you will be given —

and you will receive even more.'"

Mark 4:24 (NLT)

This holds true with any relationship. The more we pay close attention to what the other person is saying, the more understanding we will have of the other person, and the more fulfilled and happier we will be in the relationship. We really can't fully understand people's words, until we hear the tone of their voices, sense their moods, and watch for facial cues and body language. Social media takes that ability away from people.

Let us all listen and pay more attention to God and to others by keeping our cell phones in our pockets more, and spending less time on the Internet using the various tools of digital socialization.

The Death Of Jesus Offers Us Forgiveness And Healing

Each summer when I was a young girl, I attended a week-long Vacation Bible School during the mornings as my family and I holidayed at our lakefront property. To encourage me and the other children to learn the Bible, any child who memorized twenty-five verses by the end of the week was promised a prize: a beautiful, framed poster of the verse below.

"But He was pierced for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,

and by His wounds we are healed."

Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)

I thought twenty-five verses was a lot to learn, but I was determined to win the prize. At the end of the week, I was thrilled to find myself among the few children who accomplished the task and won the framed verse. When I got home, I immediately placed the picture right above the side of my bed to remind me daily of the miracle God did for me by healing me of Perthes disease several years earlier.

Today is Good Friday, a reminder of this verse. Think of this: if Jesus had not died on the Cross, not only could our sins not be forgiven, but our diseases, physical ailments, and disabilities could not be healed by God. That means that I would still be in a wheel chair with Perthes disease. I probably would not be married. I certainly wouldn't have been able to have my own children and experience the immeasurable joy of having four sons.

The death of Jesus accomplished so much! God can forgive people's sins and heal their diseases when they open up their hearts and minds to Him with love for Him and trust in His Word.

It's April, Isn't It?

I woke up this morning to see wet, heavy snow falling. Already the ground is covered in four inches of snow, and it's supposed to continue to snow for most of the day.

The snowflakes are huge! Here is a picture of them.

And just think: I was enjoying for days now seeing all of my grass start to turn green in my yard, and watching my flowering plants begin to sprout. I looked forward to gardening! It's April, Isn't it?

The weather here is extremely unpredictable. I think this is the only place in the world where one can experience all four seasons in one week, maybe even in one day. I'm certainly glad that God is not unpredictable.

The Bible says that God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

"I am the Lord, and I do not change."

Malachi 3:6 (NLT)

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

Hebrews 13:8 (NLT)

God does not change like the seasons, or like the weather in Alberta. Thank goodness! At least this is one way I can look positively at a snowfall in April.

The Lord Is Compassionate, His Love Unfailing

Since I moved here I have been seeing an eye specialist once a year to have the pressure in my eyes tested. Unfortunately, with every appointment so far, I have left the eye specialist's office with my corneas scratched. The result is eighteen hours of extreme pain.

After the first appointment, I phoned him back and informed him of the pain, but he didn't believe me. The second time it happened, my eyes started to hurt even before I left his office, but he denied having scratched my corneas. The third time, he made a point to check my eyes after the test because I made sure that his receptionist had my complaint written down on file. After checking my eyes, the specialist sheepishly told me that the corneas of my eyes were scratched again. No apology followed, and I fearfully anticipated the next eighteen hours of pain. I made up my mind then and there that I would never see him again.

However, for me to see another eye specialist, I had to find an optometrist in the area to recommend me to one. God is good and compassionate! for He led me to a kind optometrist who recommended me to a new eye specialist whom he said was probably the best in the city.

Yesterday, I nervously waited an hour and a half to see my new eye specialist for the first time and have the same test performed on each eye. I am very pleased and thankful to say that I left his office without any discomfort in my eyes, and a glowing report. Praise God!

It's kind of funny though. The eye specialist looked at my test results in puzzlement as he wondered why I was even there. If he hadn't been running so late with an enormous amount of patients in the waiting room, I would have loved to share with him the story of how God healed me.

"The Lord is merciful and compassionate,

slow to get angry

 and filled with unfailing love."

Psalm 145:8 (NLT)

God is indeed merciful and compassionate! His love is unfailing! As I sat in the waiting room for an hour and a half and saw the sad, despairing faces of people who were loosing their sight, God's compassion welled up inside me. I closed my eyes to hide my tears, and prayed that God would heal them all.

God Is Like The Sunrise On A Cloudless Morning

This morning I woke up again to blue skies and shining sun. After a long winter, it's so wonderful to wake up to the brightness of the sun. I hate waking up during the winter months to darkness outside. I love it when the time springs forward in March so that it's the sun's rays shining through my bedroom window that gently wake me up, not my husband's alarm clock.

The Bible says that God is just like that! He is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning. 

"He is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning."

2 Samuel 23:4a (NIV)

Waking up to a sunrise when the sky is clear is so refreshing and lovely. Waking up and knowing you are a child of God is just as refreshing and lovely.

It Wasn't The Red Carpet, But Jesus' Heart Was Touched

Yesterday we celebrated Palm Sunday — the day Jesus, our King and Saviour, rode a young donkey into His beloved city of Jerusalem. He could have chosen to ride a golden chariot pulled by powerful and magnificent white stallions, but instead He chose to ride a lowly donkey. In those days a donkey was used primarily for work and was usually associated with the lower class of people who worked hard but made little money.

When Jesus sat upon the donkey and rode into Jerusalem, the people in the crowd took off what was probably the most expensive item they had with them, their outer garments, and spread them on the road to make a special pathway for their King. Others who had nothing to give but their hearts cut leafy branches and laid them on the road as well.

"Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of Him,

and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields."

Mark 11:8 (NLT)

Jesus didn't get to ride His donkey over a bright red, plush carpet like movie stars and famous musicians do today, but I know His heart was touched by the people's symbolic act of love and worship toward Him as they made their own carpet of garments and leaves — a carpet far superior to the red one seen on television today.

You Have Already Won The Victory

Our cat Osha has a habit of hiding under chair, couches, and beds, so whenever anyone walks pass, he stretches forth his paws and snares them with his claws. Ouch!

Even though our cat may be photogenic, don't let his looks deceive you, because he can be wicked! Well, sometimes he can be.

The Bible says that throughout our Christian walk, the wicked who are being controlled by Satan will at times set traps to hurt, injure, and destroy us, trying to prevent us from being productive for the Lord. However, we must remain faithful to God and be determined to not turn away from His commandments.

"The wicked have set their traps for me,

but I will not turn from Your commandments."

Psalm 119:110 (NLT)

The more you are doing for God, the more opposition you will receive from the evil one. Don't let this discourage or frighten you. You are on the right track. It just means that Satan is worried and on the alert. However, the Bible says that you have already won the victory over those people who desire to do evil to you, because the Spirit of God who lives inside you is much greater that the devil who roams the earth trying to trap and snare the servants of God.

"But you belong to God, my dear children.

You have already won a victory over those people

because the Spirit who lives in you

 is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.

1 John 4:4 (NLT)