Thursday, February 23, 2012

Heavier things

We are all our own unique bundle of imperfections. Our hearts rebel, our minds wander of their own volition, our actions speak words we wouldn’t dare utter. Yes, we strive toward righteousness. Oh, to be like David and be seen with a like-minded heart of God. But inherently, we are vagabonds, flitting from one preoccupation to the next, and yet still, we are loved.

In a hectic world of countless distractions, I often wonder what it would have been like to live in simpler times. No cell phones, or overstimulating television. No 24-hour convenience stores or road-side service. Heck, what if I had no electricity, or running water? What might my day look like if instead of waking in a toasty warm house, I had to split logs and build a fire? Cook over an open flame? Haul water from a stream to bathe my children?

Now being a mother in the 21st century is a tough job. Don’t discount it! As it is, at the end of the day my sources are often so liquidated I can scarcely muster up enough energy to fall into bed. And that’s with all the modern conveniences my life affords. You can’t imagine the pitying, or often shocked looks I get when I have to carry my toddler in one arm, my baby in his pumpkin seat in the other, and a massive diaper bag strapped across the whole mess just to run into a store. Imagine how tough our ancestors had to have been to manage without a stroller, washing machines, disposable diapers! (I know you mean well, but you cloth diaper mother’s are a bit loony if you ask me!)

After the chaos of the emergency room visits from last week, I was looking forward to finding solace in some nice, quiet, normalcy. Ha! It’s funny that I am still naïve enough to think there can be normal, or quiet days. Already this week we’ve had a nasty fall, two sleepless nights, and a big ole batch of baby vomit in the crib at 5 a.m.

And then, as if to remind me of my dependence issues, my new cell phone died. May he rest in peace. Spoiled as I am, it was a huge inconvenience to stand around the Sprint store for over an hour—with two restless babes—only to have the technicians confirm the untimely death of my beloved smart phone. And be mocked by the fact that we don’t have a home phone, and thus I would be unreachable until the new phone arrived by mail.

How crazy that it was difficult to survive a little over a day without a phone! Pathetic even! Times have changed, and every little convenience becomes something we can’t live without. The things we form attachments to may help us, but might they also weigh us down? Steal our time, our focus? My phone has become my safety net, my crutch. What if my car broke down on the side of the road? What if there was an emergency—Lord knows we’ve had a lot of them lately, so I am not simply paranoid—and I couldn’t call for help?

What distracts you the most? Facebook? Latest episode of your favorite show? And what is the one modern convenience you couldn’t live without?

6 comments:

  1. Emergency room visits?! I hope all is okay, now. I enjoy the occasional back-to-nature camping trips, but I am quite fond of electricity and central heating :)

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  2. Yes, I suppose we are okay. We've moved on to the flu now. It always seems to be something, and this time we've all got it!

    Electricity, a wise choice! :) thanks for commenting!

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  3. Oh this reminds me of many conversations that Matt and I have had. Maybe that's why we are building a barn and moving further from the city. Haha! I remember a time when you had to call people at home and if they weren't there you left a message and they could choose to call you back! Now we have these smart phones that tell us who called and when and if you don't call back right away or you are out of touch for more than 5 minutes people are all over you about it. While I know this world has a lot of interesting and convenient solutions to offer I often wonder if they are good for my life and my family. I read this article the other day about this guy who gave up all modern forms of communication for a while just to see how it affected his life. He said he actually visited people...knocked on their door, wrote letters, made plans and had to see them through because it was easier to just go than it was to cancel. I want to try it! I often think with all these modern conveniences we neglect to actually talk, listen, and care for one and other in a genuine way. Anyway, great post! I don't think I could live without running water, that would be super hard. Especially with little ones!

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    1. Love your perspective, Taryn. Of course, it doesn't hurt that you agree with me. What can I say, great minds think alike :) Looking forward to slowing down and spending time out in the country with you!

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  4. Just discovered your blog. I like it and look forward to reading more.

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