The Hyperlinked Life

The Way We Were and Are

"We are stuck with technology when what we really want is just stuff that works." 

Douglas Adams, The Salmon of Doubt

   The transmission of technology has forward gears only... there is no reverse; digital natives have no problem accepting this concept, but digital immigrants (like myself) often 'kick against the goads.'

For a near-future scenario, watch this-

           

     The Internet of Things (IoT) is the next Big thing, and humans love the next big thing, tho' nostalgia seems to be a close 2nd. So, what's a person of faith to do in a world turned virtual? The Hyperlinked Life by Jun Young and David Kinnaman offers help.

The Hyperlinked Life

A Few Questions To Begin With

from The Hyperlinked Life, Live with Wisdom in an Age of Information Overload

   -How many times, on average, would you say you check your phone in a given day?

   -Where do you get most of your news information?

   -What three words would you use to describe "life today"?

   The Hyperlinked Life is from the Frames series by Barna Group; a collection of survey-based, data-driven books designed for 21st Century Christians. Being an info-junkie, I like the format- compact, with infographics and practical advice. Here are a few suggestions the book offers for living well in a hyperlinked world:

1.   This is an incredible time to be a part of. Jim Elliot said, "Wherever you are, be all there!" We are here, in the midst of available information, but we need to remember our calling- technology should not define or control us.

2.   We need to ask God, "What is my role in this time?" 

3.   Remember the Sabbath!

When the Lord God said, "Remember the Sabbath", He meant more than- "Oh, and stay home from work one day a week." To 'set apart' means, in part, to be 'different'... to have different thoughts, to do different acts, to refrain from usual acts... i.e., unplug and recalibrate.

   These are busy times...but then, I suppose people have been saying that for a long, long time; one reason why books like The Hyperlinked Life serve as reminders to stop and survey the landscape on occasion. The pixels are rising.

                  

You can download one free copy from

the Frames collection here.

The Hyperlinked Life trailer CHURCH VERSION from Barna Group on Vimeo.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Cinnamon Roll
Recipe#76864
recipezaar.com

"Be cheerful no matter what;

pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens.

This is the way God wants you who belong to

Christ Jesus to live."

I Thessalonians 5:16-18

The Message

Places of being can be strange at times; where we are, where we want to be, where we should be, but where are we going?  In the midst of morning 'rush-hour', to what are we rushing? A favorite quote of mine is from Jim Elliot, martyred for the sake of Christ-

"Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God."

Praise God for the national holiday we call Thanksgiving, a day of food and family; a day to stop and 'give thanks'. This morning, thanks to recipezaar, we enjoyed homemade cinnamon rolls. As I kneaded the dough I thought about the purpose of kneading, so, I looked it up. The knead process develops gluten, a protein in rye, wheat and barley. Gluten helps the dough with:

elasticity

absorbency

and

rising

An aspect of the Christian walk I don't enjoy is being kneaded by the hand of God, but I am thankful for the 'gluten of my soul' that is developed. I trust His hands.

 Nota bene- On Kneading
One by-product of choosing to knead bread dough is that the activity is really fine exercise. Bakers have a chance to work their upper body muscles, and gain some mental satisfaction from the process as well. While neither of these two perks of kneading dough have any bearing on the flavor or texture of the bread, they often are quite beneficial to the temperament of the baker.
http://www.wisegeek.com/why-do-you-need-to-knead-bread-dough.htm

And now, a short film by my son Samuel ( a young man who enjoys living "to the hilt")-