Saturday, January 16, 2010

To connect or to disconnect....

Was Jesus connected with the people he hung out with? I think about this often. I see the pros and con's. Staying in touch with the next generation. Was he up to the latest tech of the time for his time period? My house hold personally trys to. We text, facebook, blog, tweet, GPS in the cars, have iPhones with the best apps. As soon as new technology comes out we try to jump on as soon as we can. Are we wrong in doing that? We also try and stay current on the news. Not in a crazy way but we have the news on when we are getting ready in the mornings. And I usually check it at lunch time or in the afternoon. I'm really bad with staying in touch with people if they aren't in my everyday/weekly lives. Some of these outlets keep me doing a better job at this. I HATE talking on the phone. I don't like to be in the middle of washing dishes, making dinner, cleaning house and have to answer a phone call. I LOVE texting. It is so much more convenient for my personality. We have friends who are the total opposite. No TV, no texting, don't face book, don't twitter... you get my point. There are so many times that I have started to text them or post something to them but can't. There also is the issue of homeschooling... this is such a sensitive subject. I go before the throne so often on this matter. I make no excuses about it. I AM A SELFISH PERSON. I don't like to share my children. When they are at school I miss them terribly. BUT God has told us that our children are to remain in public school. I totally get the whole in the world but not of the world aspect. And you can interpret that both ways. "my kids go to school as our mission field" or "we home school because we want to be set apart". It is a tough choice. We used to go to a church where very few kids were home schooled and were rare. The church we are currently attending my kids are the odd man out. It is different. The isolation my kids have felt has driven me to anger more than I could have ever thought. The very things that home school parents are hoping to avoid, their kids have done to my kids. -That's beside the point. Whole different blog sorry.... the whole to connect to not connect makes me ponder quite often. Here is my reasoning for "up to date"... Brett and I have a love and passion for youth. They told us way back when facebook first came out. 'You guys should get a face book... Hey you guys should get on twitter....hey can I text you?" If they are struggling in an area I want to be available and approachable to be there for them. There have been so many opertunities on each of these where I've been able to have great dialog with these youth and they have said you really helped me get through this. This may not always be our calling. My kids schools are my mission Field. I signed up to sub in HaysCISD. There are over 20 kids in most classrooms everyday that I can be a positive influence on. Without even saying one word about God. But just building a relationship. Mentoring.. a whole area where one hr. a week can impact a child's life FOREVER. I can name numerous times that getting info out on twitter has helped. House fires... this family needs help. A huge one. This earthquake in Haiti... the first info out that it even happened was on twitter.... "please send help...." I could keep going on about this.
We have some friends who have grown children who we are crazy about. They were some of our youth in Jr.High and are now grown. We asked their parents what helped them grow into awesome kids? They responded "Stay current. Get the latest games, keep your fridge stocked, be the fun house. Let your house be the hangout spot. Be involved in everything they do."
This is my prayer. That Brett and I are always involved. That we would be appealing and approachable to the current generation. That our gifts and talents would be used to bless others with all he has given us.