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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: COMPUTER (05/19/16)
“Just five more minutes. Please! I'm almost done!” came a cry from in front of the computer screen. My son was already more than thirty minutes over his time limit, but his face was so mournful that I broke down and let him have the extra time.

“Mom! When is he going to be off?” my daughter whined. “I need to check my email!”

“Aren't the kids done yet?” my husband asked me, clearly annoyed. “I want to look at the news.”

And of course I wanted it too, to look at Facebook or check my favorite sites.

This scene, or something similar, would continue over the next five years on a daily basis until I came to deeply regret the existence of a computer in our home. Sure, it’s handy for immediate information, vital for work and fun for keeping in touch with friends, but what is it really? An invader.

The slim rectangular box sits in our home with its one unblinking eye, watching us, waiting for someone to press the little button and bring it to life. And we do…often.

A game here, a homework assignment there, a quick IM—it’s a useful, fun and important part of our lives. How did we ever do without it? Not only does it babysit, but it also helps us find work and keep up with the world. What an amazing invention. What genius is responsible for its inception? I would like to thank him heartily…and then punch him in the nose.

While all the above wonders are true, this machine is also a thief; it steals time. At first it’s just a few minutes, then an hour and then…a few hours in the afternoon or morning, and finally a whole evening? I lost almost half a year watching hour after hour of Netflix the year my youngest went to kindergarten. Unbelievable! Six months that I could have been writing, volunteering, cleaning my house or anything else was just gone! That’s about 3% of my life. Well, maybe I don’t have the math exactly right, but it was definitely an abominable waste of time. That much is for certain.

Alright. Time to face facts.

Maybe I shouldn’t punch anybody in the nose unless it’s myself. After all, I’m the one who chooses where, what and when to click.

Sigh. Where to draw the line? As with everything else, I have to decide what’s useful for the building up of God’s kingdom, and what’s just junk. Good stuff in, good stuff out.

Daily devotional? Check. Bible reference sites? Double check. Outstanding writer’s forums? Check, check, check! Netflix? Oh…that depends. Facebook? Should be less than now. Email? When necessary. And so the list of choices goes on and on.

Did you ever feel that the internet is a drug you can’t quite beat unless you give it up completely? An old adage holds true here. A little is medicinal; a lot is poisonous.

So, what did I learn from this little rant? That I, the one gifted with free will, need to apply all the principles I’ve learned about everything else to this insidious device: self-control…and a whole lot of prayer.

Lord, please guide my hand today. Let me do only things that exalt Your name. Let me steer clear of those sites that would erode my soul.

Amen!
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
05/27/16
I enjoyed your little rant. :) Computers are definitely a huge part of our lives, and it's vital that we remain well balanced. Instead of using taglines like he said, that is a good spot to do some showing instead. For example, I might edit it like this:
"Just five more minutes.” My son clenched his fist, pressed his hands together, and stared at me. "Please! I'm almost done."
By doing something like that not only do you create a picture for the reader, but it also helps develop the characters. You did a great job on this spot on topic piece and delivered a powerful message.
C D Swanson 
05/31/16
Excellent!

Blessings~
Rachel Rudd
06/01/16
I enjoyed this piece, too! Your writing is light, but poignant with an interesting mixture of honesty and humor. Keep writing! :)
Bonnie Bowden 
06/02/16
Congratulations, Sylvia, on your highly commendable finish in the Intermediate category.

The computer has definitely invaded family life and our interaction with others.