Week 11: Something Different

Weekly Digital Detox Reflections

My favorite picture that I’ve taken. A private campsite in Tallulah Gorge,GA

Hello and welcome to Week 11 of my weekly digital detox reflections. It’s been about nine weeks since I laid out my digital detox routine. I've gained quite a few subscribers since then so, I figured I would do them a favor and lay out my routine again. If you’re a regular here, feel free to ignore this part.

Each day when I get home from work, I begin another digital detox. My phone goes in a particular spot and I do my best to stay away from it until the next day. Also, every day at 6 PM, all screens and devices are turned off for everyone in the house. One day a week I commute and drive for work in complete silence. No streaming music, podcasts or audiobooks. I use my email for work when I have to but other than that I spend that entire day free from any digital technology. On the weekends, I stay off of my phone as much as I can manage.

In use that “free” time to think, talk with friends and family, and to be present. Each week I write a little something about my thoughts and experiences from my detox and publish it here to encourage others to consider disconnecting from digital tech as often as they can.

The world never lets me disconnect completely. I have a handheld digital device I must use each day for work. I must check and use email. And obviously, I indulge in it to a certain extent as I write most days mostly on my phone or laptop. So i’m constantly detoxing because I’m constantly having to engage. One day, hopefully, I will move into a routine where I am mostly free from digital technology and use it on my terms. However, that’s not the way things are set up for me now.

Progress Report

I don't have much to report. Not much has changed recently in terms of my use of digital technology. I can say my family as a whole, is in a good place with our use. We have become accustomed to the limitations we have placed on ourselves and are doing well.

We did have a family member tell us that she decided to take her 4-year-old’s iPad away from them. The child was definitely addicted to it and it was showing. Limiting their use was doing no good, so the mother took it away completely. We applauded this decision and encouraged her that she was doing the right thing. She was relieved to have some encouragement. We could have judged her for allowing the child to have it in the first place, but that wouldn't do any good. Encouragement towards improvement was warranted and went a lot further. I believe that is usually true. So for you, reader, I encourage you to look for opportunities to get disconnect from your devices for am extended period of time. Trust me, you’ll survive. You might be shocked at how great it feels.

Where my thoughts have been

This week, I worked on a poem. I know this is a bit different. But I’m going for it. Let me know what you think! So, here is where my thoughts have been. This poem is called “Hope”.

Forbidden fruit is sweeter 
Grass over there is greener
Their spouse is better than yours

Our God is Creator, but their’s is greater 
For theirs you can forge and hold

Forge, hold, control and mold
This god will certainly do 
He’ll grant all your wants whenever you want 
For this god is really just you

To be a god, what could be better?
Get so much gold it can’t be measured
Get all you want, so why just have enough?

If some is good, more is better
Own all the oil, gold and leather 
Own it all and flaunt it at the poor

Convince them “you can have it all too!”
If they stop their lives to work for you
Then give them just enough to want for more

You can fool them for a very long time 
To earn you dollars while they make dimes 
Yet sooner or later your schemes, they’ll see right through 

But don’t you fear, few take action
Most will take convenient distraction 
Just hook them to the world behind the screens

A world of pleasure, a world of more
Of hearts, likes, love and porn 
The crowded world where all remain alone 

You can live your whole life here 
Shopping, friends, romance, careers
Can all be had with no real risk or fear 

It’s not quit real but, who cares?
What’s real hardly matters
Lies do the trick and keep you happy 
If happy is all you’re after 

This world will fool them for a while
Some stay fools forever 
But some find hope within their souls 
For a life that offers better 

A life where truth gives way to freedom 
Free to choose your way of living 
Free to know what you believe and why

To understand that things forbidden 
Are forbidden for a reason
And What God permits is far more than enough

Share lovely wine with friends at dinner
Or Feed a lowly trodden sinner
All these things are good and come from Him

You as god are false and idle
Our Creator has no rival
Your treasures cannot sway His will and ways

Markets crash
Signals go down
Hope in earthly things cannot be found 

Set your minds on things above
Not your will but His be done
For hope in Him brings forth eternity.

Benedction

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirt,

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon us, we sinners.

Thank you for reading! Do your best to disconnect from the artificial, and connect with others.

And as always,

Keep thy head cool and thine eyes true.

Sir James in Howard Pyle’s Men of Iron

Scripture of the Week

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Word of the Week

(Verb) Countenance- to admit as acceptable or possible

Why Countenance? It’s just a good word.

Music of the Week

In The Hours- Indelible Grace Music Ft. Emily Deloach

*I’ve decided that the links for music will now take readers to YouTube instead of Spotify. It seems YouTube is the more widely used platform.