Excerpts

Chapter Nine - Technology vs. Time With God 1. The Internet - connects us to the world, web sites, social media sites, YouTube, Facebook, My Space, Twitter 2. Cell phones - connects us to unlimited talk and unlimited text, smart phones, iphones, bluetooth wireless headsets, phones with multimedia and web access 3. IPods - connects us to the music, music & video downloads, 4. Cable TV - connects us to the latest films and footage; DVD's players, blu-ray DVD's, portable DVD players 5. GPS Tracking Systems - connects us to instant travel directions 6. Electronic Tablets - connects us to our notes and documents, electronic files, iPads 7. Electronic Games - connects us to unlimited fun: Gamecube, Nintendo Wii, PC Games, Playstation 2 & 3, Xbox, Xbox 3, PSP, Video Game Consoles 8. Electronic Books - Kindles, Nooks I love the technology of our times. By the time this book is published, there will be more interesting items and technical venues invented that can be added to this list of Technology Driven Computerized Devices (TDCD). Technology helps us stay connected to everything and everyone, if we desire. Even if we are rejected as someone's friend in one of the social web groups, there are so many others out there that will connect with us to be our friends. Rejection by one will not stop your chances to be connected to someone else's friend list. Connective-ness is a wonderful thing. I encourage you to use and learn all of the technology that you can; they all are dynamic tools. These TDCDs help us to save time and money. Two of the valuable commodities that we have are time and money. The management of your time is what I want to talk about in this chapter. While writing this book, as every good author does, I had to make sure that all of my Biblical and historical references were correct. Initially, in my mind, I thought this would be a very laborious task. Flashbacks of the term papers, experiments, projects and laboratory assignments that I had written during my years as a student came to my memory. Although I knew that writing this book would not require any laboratory set-ups or experiments per se, I believed the rigidity of this project would require me to perform a parallel amount of work. However, much to my surprise, my research efforts did not take nearly as long as I anticipated. I was able to access databases and information online. I used several search engines to find information on the topics I needed in a matter of minutes. Yes, technology is a fabulous thing. We all are just moments away from truckloads of information. With that being said, let's now swing over to the other side of this pendulum of informational paradise. You still need to be selective in this supply of information by making wise choices concerning the information you select to use. There is no need to debate cyberspace information we find if it is indeed the truth. However, within this plethora of cyberspace information there are lies, extraneous noise and downright deception. Therefore, we should give due diligence by searching several sources to ensure to the best of our ability the information we find and use is valid. While TDCD's have become important in my life because of all of the access they provide, I realize that there are other important machines in my life that demand my attention as well - the dishwasher, the washer &, dryer, the stove, the oven and, oh yes, the vacuum cleaner. It is very tempting to go to the extremes of a cyberspace lifestyle. While TDCDs keep us connected and give us certain types of independence, we must be cautious of the codependent life style they also can create. Some teens I know actually have negative physical reactions to the thought of being without their cell phones. They become anxious, nervous and, yes, even fearful of not having that connection even for an hour. It is very important that we keep a balance in all areas of our lives and not create a lifestyle that inordinately craves being connected to cyberspace for irrational amounts of time. We must make purposeful plans to stay in touch with the real world. Some days we need to walk away from all of our amazing electronic instrumentation and do other real world things. In your free time instead of trying to see what emails and text messages you missed or immediately returning every non-emergency phone call, reach for a good book to read or go take a walk in the park. Visit friends and relatives to have in person conversations. These types of face-to-face activities will help strengthen your communication skills. Keep your life balanced with occasional fresh air and real world experiences. Use the technology that you are blessed to have to enhance your life, not control your life. Please do not allow the lure of technology to entice you to lose interest in developing your mind and participating in wholesome social activities. Time with God Media hype, cyberspace and watching your favorite minister on television will never replace the value of your time with God in prayer and Bible study. Being connected to all of our interests on our TDCD is OK. But we also must strive to communicate with our God in person. Prayer keeps us connected to God. We must take time to pray. Excerpted from Me, God and My Tennis Shoes: A Teen's Guide to A Closer Walk with God by Gwendolyne Walter All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.