“U” – Blogging A to Z

 

By this time next week, the month of April 2015 will have been removed from your calendar and May 1, 2015 will have taken its place. April will be a memory. And the Blogging A to Z challenge for 2015 will be complete.

 

uBut wait, there are still six letters of the alphabet to get through before it’s all said and done. So let’s get to the letter of the day. “U.”

 

In the magazine article I’ve been using, Ms. Marquez tells us that one way to greater happiness is to unplug at night. She says, “Staying constantly tethered to your smartphone can interfere with your relationships and sleep—both which are key to a contented, unstressed outlook.”[i]

 

I’ve heard this bit of advice before. Electronic devices emit a blue light that keeps our bodies from producing normal amounts of melatonin. Without melatonin, we find difficulty in sleeping. Well, we all know how grumpy we get when we don’t get enough sleep, right? So yes, this one makes a lot of sense. If you’re grumpy, it could be that you didn’t get a good night’s sleep. If you didn’t get a good night’s sleep, it could be that you were on your smart phone, or iPad, or Kindle too late in the day.

 

That’s one element of this unplug thing. The other is that relationships suffer when one or both are continually on an electronic device. Without relationships, we certainly can find ourselves in grumpy mood. So, for these two reasons, let’s put down those things that get in the way of sleep and relationships!

 

I have been blessed with some beautiful relationships. My husband. My children. My grandchildren. My parents. My siblings. My friends. My co-workers. But how often have I allowed the “things of this world” to get in the way of these relationships? More times than I care to share.

 

I believe that God created us to thrive in relationships. Adam would not have been gifted with Eve were that not the case. Adam needed companionship and God provided the perfect companion for him. A woman. And God took this relationship one step further.

 

I’d like to share a piece from my lead pastor’s (and my boss) Shan Moyers’ email this week. It’s important. See if you don’t agree.

 

“The Bible is very clear that marriage is between a man and a woman. Genesis 2:24 says, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh.’ In recent years God’s picture of marriage has come under fire.

 

On April 28, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments for and against redefining marriage in America. The very institution of God’s design for marriage as only between one man and one woman is on trial.

 

As Christians I believe it is our job to do three things:

 

  1. Pray for those presenting God’s design for marriage and for those making the decisions.
  2. Speak the truth about what we believe in love. Angry and judgmental Christians never represent Jesus well.
  3. Love and befriend those that don’t agree with Jesus’ teachings. Building a relationship is the only way to gain the credibility to share the good news of God’s grace and truth with people who need it.

 

God’s truth brings hope. I want to encourage you to be praying for the nine men and women that comprise our countries highest court on April 28th. Pray that God’s truth will be heard.”[ii]

 

I must admit, I’ve been writing this blog for several years now and I don’t really know how many times I’ve brought the political arena into this portion of my life. But I believe this one is pretty important. Please pray with me through this important decision to be made in just a few days.

 

So today, put down that smart phone while eating lunch with your spouse, your children or a friend. Turn off anything that gets in the way of building relationships. Be engaged with the folks around you. Life is too short to miss these significant relationships in your life.

 

Just think. What if God was preoccupied with a smart phone?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

[i] “More Bliss, Less Stress: A to Z Happiness Boosters to Try Today,” Jennifer Rainey Marquez, Good Housekeeping, Vol. 260, No. 4, page 115.

[ii] http://www.rmcc.org/rocky-peak/

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