The Jagged Edge of Technology

We live in a rapidly expanding world of technology, in fact according to IDC the amount of digital information doubles every 18 months. A staggering amount of info is available to us, no wonder we operate on overload a good deal of the time. Every since the advent of the internet in the 60s with DARPA, and its recent meteoric rise since the early 90s, technology has us on its jagged edge.  Moore's Law states that integration of technology and its power to speed up transfer has doubled every two years. THis law goes back about 40 years

Jagged edge because with one benefit comes a host of problems along with it. What was heralded as a wonderful invention and convenience has now become a tool for changing how people interract and amuse themselves, and not always in a healthy balanced way.
Take your kids, most kids if theyre like the ones I know spend most of their free time on the internet or video games. When I was growing up, of course it was a different story! Kids today desperately need balance in their lives but often live in the cyber world and as such  have a distorted idea of the world.

Socially, the technology has ezpanded the amount of people we can interface with, People used to meet around a bar or club, or social event such as a dance. Now the majority of them meet initially on the internet. Some have met their lives, many more still wait for the magical one to appear. The promise of the internet and its vast reach hasnt translated into love yet. Others have been the victims of fraud or even violent crime, because it is hard to ascertain a person's character through the keyboard. Technology has left us fewer ways to autentically interract, and when we do, our minds refuse to let us relax and be in the moment!

Divorce has become much more prominent with the advent of social media. Many more options have not made it any easier for us to stick to mongamous relationships. The wondering eye has never been filled with so many tempting ways to go astray. In our next segment we will explore how technology has changed our health.

The following segments will  cover how technology has made it easier to  make money but also delivered tons of scammers to our doorstep. Problem: how to determine a winner from a loser.

Technology has robbed us of quiet meditative time alone. Instead we feel compelled to do what everybody else is doing, go online. We gain a companion but its no subsitute for  meaningful personal interraction.

A Grand Reunion

Recently I was fortunate to go back to my fathers old home place and area where he grew up. I had the occassion to atend a reunion of my Dad's extended family.. It is in a very rural area of Virginia called the Northern Neck.  Y ou have to appreciate this rather  isolated area of  Virginia because I soon found out how isolatd it was. In trying to reach my parents. I was unable to reach my parents on the cell, so I had to drive around to a  live zone to reach them. I have been here off and on for over 30 years and very little has changed about this community.

Maybe thats the charm of it, unchanged and slow paced as it was, stark contrast to the helter skelter pace of Richmond or DC.  Although I was late, i was welcomed like i had never left. I hadnt seem some of my Aunts and Uncles for many years I had wonderful conversation with my Aunt Dorothy and Lucille. ,,was able to talk with Aunt Thelma, and see Uncle Emory.  The years have told on many of them but they still have that sweet friendly down home spirit that I remember.  Cant forget Uncle Johhny nearing 80 but still spry as ever.

All to quickly they started to leave before I really got into the conversation,,I know I wanted to videotape the event and perhaps inject some games nexy year. Im glad that I went, because it reminded of heaven. It will be a wondrous time of reunion where we will be able to converse and understand each other on a level that we couldnt before. The best thing is that they wont be going anywhere, as we will spend all eternity servnig and praising God.  Some of my relatives had aches and pains, and were stooped with age, in heaven all sickness and death will pass away. My grandmother who just passed away recently at nearly 103 will be there unfazed with age.

Tears come to my eyes, as I read this precious verse:  Rev 21:4    And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, for there shall be more death, no sorrow or crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away!

We as Christians are going to the best REUNION of all!!