Microwave Society

If you look at a 1966 Ford Mustang, it was a sporty car in it's time. It would go 0-60mph in 10.9 seconds. Twenty years later Ford redesigned the exterior of their flagship family car. The 1996 Ford Taurus did the same 0-60 in 8.7 seconds. The ultimate 2010 super car that is legal for street use is the Bugatti Veyron, that does it in 2.6 seconds. In 1966 you spent months eating cereal and saving boxtops finally getting enough to mail-in for the decoder ring, then you had to wait 8-10 weeks for delivery. Now you get a code from the inside of the box and log on to a website and are instantly awarded points to play a company sponsored game. In 1966 you could call Grandma to thank her for the sweater she knitted for you, but mom would probably make you write a letter or even make a card. In 2010, you drop an e-mail to thank her for the gift card. I watched the movie Bullitt a few months ago. Set in 1968 San Fransisco and famous for the car chase scene of Steve McQueen in his Mustang being chased by the baddies in the Charger through the city. I laugh when he has the taxi driver stop so he can go to the payphone to call headquarters. Today there are 11 year old's with cell phones who can call or text across the world, browse the internet or take pictures from something the size of a deck of cards. But are we really that much better off?

 I have coined a term, "Microwave Society". Almost everything is instant today. I can type this and correct it instantly. I can ship a box overnight. We can microwave dinner in less than 5 minutes. The dishwasher takes care of them and the clothes washer does those, but do we really have more time? Sure we do, but we have filled it with other activities. We have over 200 channels, we can watch what we want at anytime of day or night. Start a load of wash and sit down in front of the tube before the commercial is over. We stay busy doing nothing at all. "Come to me all who are weary & burdened and I will give you rest" Matt 11:28. Where is your bible right now? When was the last time you opened it outside of church? No matter how busy you think you are... your not! Your not down at the creek beating the dirty clothes against a rock, your sitting your fat behind in front of the tube being "entertained". Kids today are losing their imagination because they don't know how to waste a week playing with an empty box. If it doesn't plug in or take batteries they don't know what to do with it. They are following your example. Let that example be Psalms 45:10, "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." How about in your home as well.

"I don't have time. You don't know what it's like raising small children."  Hmmmm, just because I am a guy doesn't mean I don't. I was unemployed when my son was born and my wife went back to work so I was a stay at home dad. Besides, you have the time to sit and read this. Instead of plopping in front of the computer, how about plopping open the bible. Today is the 26th. Open Proverbs 26. There are 31 Proverbs. Read one before you get out of bed or at least before you go to sleep. They are usually short enough you can read it while eating lunch. If you have small kids, read it out loud to them. Don't worry about if they understand it or not, the words will sink in and your developing a habit with them. Quiet time with God's word. Our kids were trained to pray before eating. If someone snuck a bite before prayer, they had to pray because what they ate "hadn't been blessed yet". Kind of funny, but it showed us they learned.

These are habits I wish my parents had instilled in me. After I turned 40 I realized how many things I was doing wrong. You can teach an old dog new tricks, but it is alot easier to train the puppy.