Lent (Like...from the dryer?)

Hahahahahahahaha - is what I'm thinking as I write this right now. I just had the most amazing "dumb blonde conversation with someone about Lent.

I'm not going to name them, because they would be very embarrassed. But I was on the phone earlier with them, and for some reason we got on the subject of Christian holidays. So, knowing that Lent started today, I asked them "Are you going to observe Lent?" They paused for a second, and then asked me in a completely serious tone: ''Like, from the dryer?" Insert really long laugh, making them feel like an idiot, and you have one really funny story. Anyways, that's my segway into my thoughts about Lent.

As many of you know, Lent is a part of a Christian's year when they chose to give up a certain aspect of their life that really isn't helping them, and most likely is harming them, in order to better focus on God. I gave up pizza one year, soda another, and video games more recently. Through all those years, it's really given me self-discipline that's lasted until this day. I gave up pizza and soda, because I was beginning to get unhealthy, making me feel like crap, therefore blaming God that I wasn't feeling like I should be all the time. I gave up video games because...well...you know what happens when a guy plays too many video games. People start to hate him, and he loses all contact with reality. Lame. By giving up those three things in the past, I've been able to become a better person.

THAT'S what Lent is all about. Kinda. Lent is supposed to focus your mind on God, and by giving up something that has gotten in your way, you can now have more room for God. God is supposed to take our whole lives. More like we're supposed to give Him our whole lives. Lent is an awesome chance to help out with that. Each year, focus on something that if getting in the way of God, and cut that out of your daily life. each time you think about that one thing, just tell God simply "thanks for taking this out of my life, so that I can focus on you more."

Now don't think it's going to be easy. If it's easy, then you cheated, and picked something that really didn't matter in the first place. The whole idea behind Lent is that you're making a sacrifice. You're sacrificing a worldly idea, possession, practice, what have you, to focus on the Eternal Father. What's going to matter in 200 years from now - soda or God?

You see, God is there for you through everything that's going on, so when you're in your weak moments during Lent, it's a GREAT opportunity to ask God to help you. We all become so dependent on ourselves that we miss the fact that God is the one who really matters, and when God is in the picture, then we are able to accomplish a lot more than when we're on our own. Simple, really.

So this Lent season (it's not too late to start!!) just give something that you see is in the way of you and God. Don't think of it right now, pray about it and God will show you something. You know it's the one thing you won't want to give up when all of the sudden, this happens:

"What's getting in the way of my relationship with God? Food, clothing? It's not shopping is it, God, please not shopping. It can't be shopping. I swear it doesn't get in the way. ANYTHING BUT SHOPPING!!!"

You need to give up shopping, if that's the case. Insert whatever thing in here that is eating at you, and you get my point. If it's something that you really don't want to give to God, then it's the one thing that you need to give up for Lent.

Just trust God with it!

Apple...LOL

I love Apple computers, and the company for that matter. It creates edgy things, appeals to the younger generation, and creates amazingly good products. With the introduction of the iPad, it shows us that we're just coming closer and closer to Star Trek reality.

Yes, I'm a Trek-y. Not hardcore go to conventions and spend all my money on silly outfits that the World finds weird and uncomfortable to look at, but if it's on TV, I'll probably stop what I'm going to catch an episode.

As a little kid I always thought that all those buttons and devices were pretty amazing. I would set up my mom's typewriter, find a few calculators around the house, borrow a couple old phones, and put them all on a desk in the family room in the back of the house and pretend that I was in charge of my own star-ship. Silly right? Well I didn't think so, I was a kid. So leave me alone!! (just kidding)

As technology progresses, everything in those star-ships are becoming a possibility, some slow, other fast, but they are arriving one by one. Take the iPad again for example: remember the captain signing off on certain orders on notebook-sized device? Enter iPad. It has iWork, Apple's word processing. spreadsheet, and presentation available for $10 each on the iPad through their app store.

Each time you go into the grocery store and DON'T have to open the door, it's like you're stepping through a door on the Enterprise, but without the cool "swoosh" sound effect. But nonetheless, they are there. Doctors have now started using needle-less injection instruments, and we can't forget the walkie-talkie cell phone, that, back in the early Star Trek days, would have been so futuristic people would have thought it was a fake plastic toy "communicator." Finally, you can even buy a voice-activated light switch that will turn your lights on and off on command, and even respond with a computer's voice.

I'm just waiting for apple to come out with the iCar (there are no rumors about this, I'm just saying it would be totally awesome). Think about it - a car that you could probably turn on and off, roll down the windows, turn on the heater or AC, and lock and unlock - all with your iPhone. crazy. What if they started branching into other things like household appliances?? Dream big, Apple, we're all waiting.

Well, all this to say that there are some pretty cool things out there today, and a lot we can do. I'm excited to see what the future has in store for us in 5 years. I'm actually going to make a list of things that I would like to see happen in 5 years, and I'll post it later. You should make one too. This isn't one of those "things I want to change about myself" lists, it's a FUN list. Just jot down a few cool tech-y things that you want to see in the next 5 years, and then look back on that list and see where it stands.