Yesterday was Sabbath. yay! =) I had a great Sabbath yesterday. It is kind of cool that since the campus' main church has two services every Sabbath, I don't have to wake up super early in the morning. I can just catch the 10 o'clock Sabbath school and 11:20 worship service :). The past couple of Sabbaths, my friends have introduced me to the Sabbath school of their preference. So far it's been good. It's been focusing on a DVD series on relationships for college-age students and married couples. All we do is come to the Sabbath school, and after a brief introduction and prayer, we watch the DVD. I am not going to lie. It's been really good so far, although I do miss the discussion side of Sabbath School. The guy is hilarious. It seems as if the main theme in all the churches I have been to this year has been relationships. But then again, everything is based on relationships, right? So that's good. It's really cool listening to others' different perspectives on that.
After church fellowship, I went over to their house to hang out {as it has been the case since I've been here.[ummm ummmmm delicious food always awaits lol]. During my stay, I (along with friends) received an intensive, serious lecture on texting and using the computer...and what our generation has become. Boy, my mom has tried to express her frustration with my sisters and I texting so often or always being on the phone or a computer, but I've never had it given to me so badly. lol. Even though the way the conversation was presented to us was hilarious, and we were laughing our way through it while trying to play it down, the truth and the reality is....it is a huge problem. No matter how much we try to downplay the concern by suggesting our parents to stop complaining and get "in" the texting business, etc...it is still a huge problem. Don't drink and drive. Don't talk on the phone while driving. Now we can add, no texting while driving. I can remember not being able to really enjoy serious time with a friend when hanging out because I was either interrupted by a text or was having a full blown texting "conversation".
Texting has replaced meaningful conversations, it has undermined person-to-person quality time. I remember seriously being home with my family and findind myself either constantly checking my email on the computer waiting a response from somebody about something, or online checking out this or that (whether it's news or other). By the time I am done with that, it'll be 4 or 5 hours later. Forget TV. I can't even remember the last time I turned on the TV myself (before I came here) to watch something. Then when I'd be done with that, or even while doing that, I'd check my phone and realize that I have new texts or I'd feel like I need to text someone about something. Before you know it, the day's over. What happened to quality and laid back time with family without any outside distraction? I have no idea.
But no matter how much I was downplaying the effect of technology on our generation, when I put myself on the receiving end, I'd have to agree. I, too, can get seriously frustrated when I am trying to have a conversation or spend time with my little sisters and get "rudely" interrupted (hey! stop texting my sisters while I am trying to spend time with them!! hahaha lol) by these new means of communication. So, as I walked out of their house that day (aka yesterday), I made a promise to myself to go back to the old days when quality time with others truly meant "quality time with someone." NOT saying that I am giving up texting (ooh nooo.) or the computer, but what I am saying is re-learning how to focus on the task at hand and also when spending time with others to show respect by giving undivided attention (ummmmmmm unless they start texting back and having a full texting convo ...I'm just saying...=))
I've learned throughout my life that, whether or not you like someone, or you like something, it's always good to listen to advice or what others have to say about a certain topic. Chances are you'll learn something new. Proverbs 19:20 ---> "Let your ear be open to suggestion and take teaching, so that at the end you may be wise." (Bible in Basic English) When I finally decide to tell my mom about this decision, I know she'll be thrilled!! Happy Sunday!!
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