When I was a kid, I loved watching TV. Cartoons, sitcoms, variety shows (oops, that reveals my age), even the occasional Saturday afternoon horror movie. I guess part of that stemmed from being an only child, having busy parents, and enjoying being entertained. The problem: TV was often mesmerizing, and I'd either procrastinate--about doing chores or homework--or do them at a snail's pace, not to mention neglecting to practice the piano. This infuriated my mom. "That damn television is the ruination of everything," she would say. If she needed to discipline me, most often she revoked my TV privileges. I hated that. Even though I was an avid reader, enjoyed jigsaw puzzles, Legos and other toys and pastimes, being unable to watch TV really stung.
It's decades later and...only the venue has changed. I dislike TV now and watch very few programs. However, I spend a lot of time on the computer, on e-mail, and on Facebook especially. For Lent, one thing that I gave up was Facebook games, and I've done pretty well with that, by the grace of God. But, I still find myself logging in several times a day, reading posts, seeing if anyone has commented on my posts, and so on. I realize that the latter is a selfish, ego thing. I like attention, but how much attention do I really need? What am I paying attention to? Are those things really worthwhile? Do they inspire me, enlighten me, challenge me? I bet you can guess the answer.
I want to love and serve God and others, beginning with my family first and then reaching out as widely as I can...which can happen especially through my writing. Have I been writing on a regular basis? I bet you can guess that answer, too. So, here's my idea, and my challenge. After I entrust my entire self and my entire life to God each morning, I need to use the computer for work, the work of Truth and Beauty. When I've done the work and earned some relaxation, I can visit Facebook for a while. I'll set the oven timer, maybe for 20 minutes. Why that timer? Because it'll just keep beeping, and beeping, and beeping until I get up and turn it off. But first, I'll log out of Facebook.
Why do it this way? Why not just use a computer that isn't hooked up to the internet? That's easier, of course. But, it doesn't strengthen my will or my ability to resist temptation at all. Maybe I'll fail a lot, but if I keep trying each time I fail, I might improve, little by little...and do the will of God more and more.
Please pray for me, dear reader. I'll pray for you, too, and I'll let you know how I'm doing with my new "program."
"My food...is to obey the will of the one who sent me and to finish the work he gave me to do." (John 4:34)
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