I grew up in a small town in Ireland
and I had never before seen people
treat each other the way they did…

My friend asked me today how I was doing with my social media “fast” and I was quick to point out that it was not a fast, but a change in lifestyle…. but really it has ties to what is understood as a fast in the Church.

We are called to fast from things that get between us and our intimacy with The Trinity. In this sense I abandoned the digital life because the digital life is not neutral.

Another of my friends pointed this out to me yesterday… “this thing” he said as he placed his phone down on the table between us, “has only one purpose and that it to direct your attention”

So I have found that my attention is not as dull as it was. This should not surprise me. My mind is detoxing from information overload. There is actually a chemical change in my brain right now. Pretty cool.

So what am I doing with this heightened awareness and extra time? I am practicing the Presence of God in the present time and it is as refreshing as sweet cold watermelon on a hot summer’s day.

So as I walked into the building to hold the monthly service an incredibly delightful and light-full man met me and began to share his most amazing story of coming to America alone at 19, and soon after that heading the call the Uncle Sam needed him!

“So, here I was, as lad from a small village in Ireland who had never seen the world before, and off I go to Texas to be trained in the Artillery! Well, we were right on the border of Mexico there, so I went with a group of lads and I’ll tell you, my eyes were opened. I had never seen people treated so poorly because of the color of their skin.”….

and he shared more and more until I had to excuse myself to start the service…”Oh, that’s where I was headed!” and he let me go first, and he helped me set the table… all of 90 plus years old… and I was beaming with joy when his booklet dropped and I was able to get on my knees to pick it up for him