Communication failed.

Have you ever pondered the evaluation of communication?

Let's just skip a little and go to when we started with mail. Snail mail that is. It was special and unique. It was a great way to keep in touch with people. Eventually it got overrun by companies, bills, and junk mail.

Then we evolved to email (but we still have snail mail). You were so cool to have your own email account. It was a great way to keep in touch with people. Then slowly.....it became overrun by companies, bills, and junk mail.

Then we moved to FB (but we still have email, and snail mail). It was a great way to keep in touch with people. Then it became overrun with companies, drama, adds, and junk mail.

Are we seeing a pattern here? Not only are we now bombed with snail mail, email, and FB (or the like) but we are having to filter through more than ever before. While we gain new forms of communicating we never really seem to drop the old. It all just builds up.

What about talking? We have gone from face to face, to telegraphs,to telephones, to cell phones, to texting and video chat. Ok, we don't use telegraphs anymore, but I think you get the idea though.

Yes, these all have good that come from them. But can we have too much of a good thing?

It used to be (long long ago) that if you were home you didn't hear much of anything about what was happening outside your walls. Even if you went to town you were ingesting things more slowly.

Now we have flashing billboards, Internet, texting, the news, tv, commercials, smart phones, emails, and on and on. I don't know about you, but I feel in some ways all of these "advances" in communication have left us regressing in our communication with each other. We now get frustrated when we can get ahold of someone right away. We are saturated with instant everything. Remember the days not so long ago, when if you weren't home, people just left you a message?Remember when it was ok not to have people get ahold of you every second of every day? I miss those days. Rather than communicating with those far off, people got to know those around them.

For such an "advanced" people, we sure are lacking. Lacking in human contact. We live in an information overloaded world.

Now here's the kicker. How well are we communicating with God? Prayer hasn't changed. We have time to surf, click, text, chat, browse, etc. Where is our time for God? Are we allowing all this information overload and devices in our lives to consume our time? Do we spend more time checking status updates, or checking the scriptures? Do we spend more time texting 5 people at once or talking to God about those people? Hmmmm. Now that is interesting, isn't it? Who isn't guilty? We all are.

This coming week I'm going to stay away from as many of the above things as I can and start cutting back on all forms of media. We need to step back and declutter the things in our life that crowd out our time with God and family. I challenge you to do the same.

Adding memories to my library...

This weekend my family and I are going camping. We don't get to go or do things away from home very often. Needless to say, I'm excited. Cooking over the fire, visiting an apple orchard, playing with the kids, cuddling with my husband.

My goal this weekend is to make memories. Before I can think about it my children will be grown and gone. Time passes faster everyday! Also, we don't know what tomorrow will bring. I may not be here, or my husband, or any of us. Life is so terribly short and unpredictable. We must make the most of each and every day, because it may be our last.

While I am a very goofy person at times and love humor and jokes, my heart is drawn to a very serious nature. Today, I explored an old cemetery. I find it interesting to look at the names, and dates. This person lived during the civil war. That person lived to be 102. It can be interesting, but I also do it to keep my feet on the right path in life. I saw the grave of a 10 yr old girl, the same age as my daughter. It broke my heart. I saw the grave of someone that shared my first and middle name. It made me think. I saw the grave of a husband and wife, and their infant child buried next to them. It made me want to hold my family. I saw the grave of a woman who outlived her husband by 44 years. It made me ache for my husband to get home. So many lives and stories.....silent yet crying out! I can imagine what they might say to a passer by. Be thankful! Stay true! Forgive! Love!

Some one once said the most important part of a headstone is the "-" between dates. That little dash holds so many secrets.

I walked away from the cemetery breathing deeply the cool air. My heart filled with renewed gratitude for my daughter, son, husband, life. I thanked God, that because Jesus defeated death, I need not fear the grave.

This weekend, I will live. I will love my family and my God with every breath. I will make memories to treasure and keep close to my heart always. God's creation will be all around and I will drink deeply of all my blessings. I will kiss my kids and my husband. I will run, play, laugh, and smile. Oh yes, I will live...... everyday.