Distracted Americans

The efficiency that technology affords us is undeniable. Yet around-the-clock connectivity and instant access to information is distracting millions of Americans, and having a deep impact on long-term planning.

Nearly one in three (31%) Americans say they find the immediacy of society today (email, texting, instant messaging, etc.) distracting, and an alarming 69% say the fast pace makes it hard to stick to long term goals. While that’s a slight decrease from the 74% who said the same in 2011, it’s still a considerable majority.

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Interestingly, older generations seem to be struggling more than their younger peers when it comes to balancing the pace of today’s society with focusing on long-term goals; but younger people report  higher levels of distraction overall:

• Majority of Boomers (74%) and Matures (75%) say the pace of society makes it harder for them to stick with long-term goals, whereas only 61% of Gen Y and 63% of Gen X say the same.
• 35% of Gen Y and 36% of Gen X say that the immediacy of society today is distracting, whereas only 30% of Boomers and 24% of Matures say the same.

http://www.northwesternmutual.com/media-center/technology-society.aspx

(originally written May 15 2013)

Worship for the ages

A recent article in Tabletalk magazine, titled One Family Under God by Tom Ascol, gives a nice summary of inter-generational worship.  It is easy to get hung-up on ministries focus on every group, age, stage in life. One response to this my-needs-centered ministry approach is an extreme family integrated approach.

It seems that a simple, gentle article such as this presents a reasonable, balanced approach to realizing the church as one body, one family, with many varying facets, being brought together for worship of our great God and Saviour Jesus.  It is the mean between the extremes of radical separation and radical non-segregation.

(Written April 28 2013, finally published December 29 2013)

Light overcomes Darkness!

“Where light is not, darkness must needs be” 
- St. Augustine  http://ref.ly/o/npnf02/1089733

Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
- Psalm 112.3

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
- John 1.4-9

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
-Psalm 27.1

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
- Matthew 5.16

M E R R Y   C H R I S T M A S   ! ! !