Life without the internet...

Fifteen days ago, on April 3, I wrote about A Life without a Bible? this very blog. On that morning, I was also finishing up my plans to go on my first vacation in over nine months. By vacation, I mean I, along with my wife and kids, was leaving the everyday stresses and pressures of daily life at work and vocation and going back to my hometown to see family and friends. We were finishing the laundry, washing dishes, cleaning up the litter box and making sure the online checking account was queued with the right amounts and dates to pay those pesky bills while we were gone.

In my preparations, among many other things, I also dutifully packed up my briefcase, complete with laptop, Book of Common Prayer with the NRSV Bible, my copy of Holy Island, and my Nook. (I even remembered to pack my power cords so I could recharge all of these electronic gadgets!) After all, I was intending to leave my vocation behind and just fill the role of husband, dad, son, son-in-law, nephew, cousin and maybe uncle while I was gone. But, I was still going to fulfill my Lenten discipline: writing a Lenten reflection on Holy Island every day (or, as my track record had been this Lent, most every day.)

April 4 was a driving day…I woke up later than I expected and after 13+ hours of driving, I was more than satisfied with myself to let that day go. But on April 5, after I finally drug myself out of bed, I realized that I didn’t have free-range access to the internet! My in-laws, who we stayed with first, do not have wireless internet access. There is only one computer connected to the internet in that house and with seven of us staying under one roof, I knew that me finding time to read, reflect, and write on that one “connected” computer was going to be near impossible. Ok, I can write them on my computer, and I will just post them when I get to my parents’ house…I know that they have wireless internet access!

Well, when I arrive at my parents’ house, I quickly realize that I have switched laptops and I no longer have their wireless password saved! By this time, I’ve already been without access to most of my online communities for almost a week…I kept telling myself I could make it because I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now, the light has gone out. No one can remember the safe place where the password is kept. Again, seven people, one roof, one computer, lots of talking and catching up, lots of places to go and see, no time to sit, contemplate, read, reflect and write. My Lenten discipline is shot!

I have to admit, being without internet access for almost 12 days was so freeing (except for the lingering guilty feeling of not being able to follow up with my Lenten discipline.) I wasn’t tied to the Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. I wasn’t tied to, nor felt required to answer, each email that I received on my phone. (I have a hard time responding to email using my phone, I use to many words!) Even better, I rested better.

Hmm, maybe the Lenten discipline wasn’t shot…it did exactly what I had hoped it would do…I found myself in the presence of God by the absence of those distractions with which we clutter our lives. I found myself in the presence of God by spending my time with my wife, my children, my parents, my in-laws, my aunts and uncles, my nieces and nephews, my cousins. I found myself in the presence of God as I drifted off to sleep in prayer instead of worrying if I completed that online task.

My online communities and online tasks are still important to me, to the growth of my church, to the growth of the communities with which I am involved. Yet, a faithful Lenten re-prioritization was good for me and my relationship with those around me and my relationship with my God…just in time for Holy Week…so I can get lost in the busy-ness and the sleeplessness and the worry…but not before I find myself with my family, my friends, and my Savior!