At the first of March, I lost my cell phone.  I immediately suspended use so that if anyone found the phone, they couldn’t use it, and then began the quest of getting a replacement.  I won’t even go into the headache it caused, but we’ll just say that it took me a full week to get a new phone despite three calls to Verizon and two trips to the store.  Every employee was nice, but only the last was helpful.  He told me that it wasn’t even Verizon who would replace the phone, but Asurion, the insurance company, and he gave me their number.  Finally, I was glad to have a phone and it took several days to reaquire and enter all my friends’ and family’s numbers.  Whew!  Problem resolved.  …Nope…  This week (before even the one month anniversary of this relationship with my new phone), it stops working.  Incoming and outgoing calls were connecting, but no sound could be heard.  So after a one call and visit to Verizon, I’m now awaiting my SECOND replacement phone that is promised to be here no later than Thursday. 

All that to say… I’ve spent several days over the last few weeks in quiet.  It has left me with many moments of not being able to talk to someone about my day- whether to vent, rejoice, or talk about nothing, really.  And what have I realized?  I’m more rested - I’ve had that time to get other things accomplished, or take some time for myself; and I’ve spent more time in prayer.  All those frustrations and celebrations have been directed to the One who gives and restores all.  I’ve rather enjoyed being phone-less.  I met with a girl on Monday who said that her phone is attached to her at all times.  She even works out with it in her hand.  Our students can’t sit through worship without sending or receiving some ultra important text.  Familys and couples can’t go to dinner or walk through the mall without the disruption of a hot new ringtone.  Phones are supposed to help keep us connected, but in the reality of 2007, they work just as hard to DISconnect us.  They replace our time with God for worship and reflection, they interrupt our time with other people, and can often leave us overwhelmed because we can’t find a moment of peace and quiet for ourselves.  Why are we so afraid to leave them alone, or (heaven forbid) just turn them off for a while?  I mean, at one point in history, people lived just fine without them!  So why have we adopted them as an extremity we can’t live without?  Don’t get me wrong, I’m by no means bashing cell phones or any other communication technology.  I just think it’s time to give our cell phones some rest periodically.  And therein find some peace for ourselves, true quality time with others, and a little restoration to our prayer lives.