Dear Ones,
Hope you have a blessed day! Soon we begin Lent and last night I put away my Valentine decorations and took out Easter ones as we begin our walk through Lent. This morning I plan to make bars and do food prep and go to Women’s Bible study. Each day has been so sunny and beautiful for walks but we hear that is about to change soon. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Today we are becoming more and more dependent on technologies to connect us with others, and yet people are lonelier than ever before. I don’t believe we were ever meant to live our social lives online, but rather in real life experiences. Haven’t we all noticed when talking with others when their eyes are not on us, but focused on their phones, wondering if they have a message? Doesn’t it make us wonder who the person is that they feel is more special than having a conversation with us?
I was reading Christianity Today and said “Amen!” to remarks made by the editor Russell Moore and by author Nicholas Carr. They talked of a world that is foreign compared to the way I grew up. We had a plethora of kids in our neighborhood where we actually interacted in person, learned how to relate to one another, settle disputes, help one another and stand up for one another. We had time later when alone to process our interactions and plan for more times to play and grow together. I am not young anymore, but I still have friendships with those I went to school with and those in my youth group many years ago. I also use snail mail to send cards to friends, and I make it a point to write to our grandkids every month, even though we may email also.

But young people today miss out and don’t physically relate with others. One young man talked to me of how excited he was to have friends to the lake, and yet he had never met them in person, only online; and of course, people can show only the best parts of themselves that way. As many have also found out, people can act out rudely online and cancel you if they don’t agree. How can we learn to truly communicate or have empathy and caring for one another if we never take the time to really connect?

Carr and Moore talked about AI and how it gives us information quickly and efficiently, but who is doing the doing the editorial function of choosing which pieces of content people will see? A Roman Catholic group created Father Justin, an AI priest, who quickly became a heretic and suggested using Gatorade in baptisms. He was defrocked, even though he wasn’t real.

Before spending the majority of our day attached to our phones or scrolling online, let us take time for real relationships like when we gather together at church. It is a time to worship together, fellowship and pray for one another, and pray for one another, and then go out and serve and love others.
Challenge for today: Take a day off from your devices and truly interact with other in a meaningful way.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy