Gadgets and Lifestyles

Two many times these days people waste both time and money on things that just don't work. This includes lifestyles as well as gadgets. How many times have you bought that new super widget supposedly to make life easier only to find it wasn't worth the trouble? Have you adopted sparkling facets of a fancier lifestyle, only to be disappointed with the results? Fortunately I've learned to be very selective in both what I buy and what I buy into. Rather than have specialty pans for cooking spaghetti or for making doughnuts, I use ordinary pans that work well for both tasks. I'd rather purchase plain popcorn, seasoning it to my taste rather than buy the prepackaged stuff, loaded with extra salt and fat I don't want or need. I don't need a lifestyle that unnecessarily complicates my allotted time on earth. I don't need social networking, I need to live. Life can be better if it is kept reasonably simple.

Take cell phones for instance. They're really handy in emergencies, but they can be a real pain the rest of the time. I don't need my friends and family to text me every two or three minutes to ask, "How R U?". I don't need a blow by blow account of another working stiff's day, as in, "The boss just chewed me out for texting..." Let's save some conversations for the supper table. After all, some of us have jobs to do, articles to write, or laundry to do and would rather take a precious spare moment to smell the roses than to read your latest Twitter about Fergie.

I have a limited number of hours in the day, as does everyone else. I've found that I need more time at home to refresh myself and I'm getting pretty selective about who shares that time with me. My wife, son and daughter are welcome, of course, even though their baggage sometimes has to be dropped at the door. Baggage, as in problems, is not welcome. I've relearned this concept, in part, from my son, whose motto for his recently purchased home, "Leave the drama with your momma," is reminescent of my concept of "Do not bring trouble to my home." The home is a sanctuary and God should reign there with peace for all. Some problems, like needed brake jobs and oil changes I can help solve. Self inflicted problems brought on by unwise, unsafe and ungodly life choices, I cannot cure nor tolerate in my home. We all make unwise choices, to be sure. Wisdom lies in correcting admitted mistakes and making better choices the next time. The foolhardy will continue in the same downward path that leads only to the grave.

In choosing things for your life, choose the good, the humble, the simple and the true. You will be the happier for it.