"Mind" Matters

Are our many conveniences of today making life easier or actually training us and doing us a disservice, unknowingly? Are microwave and convenient dinners wolfed down by the kitchen sink, or in front of the TV, encouraging communication and relationship? Will our children know how to be social and handle situations face to face, or only under the comfort of having a lifeless object in front of them?

Do our motorized ways, enable the best use of physical energy? Snow blowers over snow shovels; paid landscapers, over my own lawn mower; converters over pushing the channel; lazy boys over ordinary chairs; internet over libraries; electric toothbrushes, touchless faucets and flushes, electronic robotic vacuums, etc.etc. How many of us get annoyed when we don't have a drive through? Now you know I could go on and on, but you get the idea. And granted I'm not saying many of these conveniences aren't good...

This is where it sparked. I walk by an older truck that still has left it's lights on by accident. It dawns on me that I rarely see that nowadays, given our lights that automatically go on and off with the car. And then I find myself thankful that we have this luxury. And yet the Spirit prompts me to look a bit deeper. If I had that older car now, how often would I be leaving my lights on???? My memory no longer needs to account for this. Then I start to think of how much less our memories are really being worked, stretched and trained.

If you lost your cell phone or blackberry how many phone numbers, email addresses would you remember off by heart? Really? I would completely be lost. We don't need to remember as much as we used to as we seem to do a google search, search the contact, sometimes just talk to the device and it responds?? Speeches can now be read from back monitor screens, etc. etc.

I find our youth less able to commit things for memory as our Seniors once could at their age. It's no wonder they are quite forgetful in leaving things behinds or losing things, etc. But listen I am an advocate for our youth, so I am NOT BLAMING them but rather encouraging them to step out beyond this and focus on training their memory skills.

Even starting tonight at YOUTH, I've implemented a memory challenge. If they can recite 2 specific things to me from memory, YES I have a prize for them. :) BUT I also commit to knowing and reciting what I'm asking them to, before I ask. For why shall I ask them to do something I wouldn't do myself first?

On a broader, deeper scale what happens when we take God for granted? When we no longer, say the Lord's prayer in School, study His word in depth, or recite verses from memory? How many young people know the old hymns? Even the classic Christmas carols are becoming distant. When we turn away from God, when we take Him for granted, His presence will indeed fade from our memories and lives.

As a Nation I pray it may never be said of Canada that we have forgotten our Maker.

So today I speak Peter's words, 2Peter 1:13 "I think it right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body."

My mind and my heart shall forever praise THEE, O GREAT GOD.

To THEE be all glory and honor and praise. May I never boast of another as I do you.

Mindfully and Wholeheartedly HIS,

C