Tag Archives: internet

I won’t be posting next week, here’s why…

13 Saturday Aug 2016

Posted by in Seminary, Travel

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  1. We’re moving, so you know, we’ll be a bit busy.
  2. Since we’re moving we won’t have internet access for a few days.
  3. I just want a break from posting – so think of this as an internet vacation.  Even though I’ll be doing plenty of work.
  4. Besides moving, I am working on my Approval Essay.  This is one of the most important “essays” I will ever write.  It’s one of the last key things in my seminary experience.  So, I kind of need to focus to finish it up.

See you on the other side.

Questions and a time

18 Monday Jul 2016

Posted by in Society, Theology

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question-markWhat would you do if you didn’t have TV or internet for a week?  Would you feel lost?  Would you feel like you were disconnected from everything around you?  Would you feel like you stepped into the past or to another world?

Or would you feel set free?  Would you feel a sense of relief?  Would you feel calmness?  Would you feel healthier?  Would you feel happier?

Or would you feel all of these – maybe a bit of both?

Would you pay attention to things around you?  I mean, the things right around you.  You know, nature, people, architecture, plants, animals, the sounds you hear, the sights you see, the sunrise, the sunset, etc.  Would you notice the need your neighbor has?  Would you do something about it?  What?

What would you do if you couldn’t distract yourself with entertainment?  What would you do?  How would your life be different?  Would it be better?  Would you face the boredom?  What would you do about it?  Would you dare allow it to just sit with you, being uncomfortable?

Do you realize that these questions aren’t seeking an all or nothing answer.  They are just questions that seek some attention.  We don’t have to be completely disconnected from technology.  Just as we don’t have to be completely connected to it either.  It is a tool to be used.  And just like any tool – use the right tool for the right job.  You don’t use a hammer for every job do you?

The last question is this – what job are you trying to accomplish?  Is what you are using the best tool for that job?  Using the internet might be the best tool to find information?  But then again, maybe not.  Using your eyes and ears might be also.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

– Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

I wonder, if Ecclesiastes were updated to a modern version, would the author add: a time to do, and a time to  be.  A time for internet, and a time for disconnection.  A time for distractions, and a time for paying attention.

Getting around

22 Friday Aug 2014

Posted by in Finland, Travel

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So we’ve been in Finland for 22 days now.  Still no internet in our apartment.  I am able to use the internet when I’m at the University or at a public library.  This has created a little bit of a challenge for us in getting around.

There’s a great public transportation system here with bus that are on time.  There’s a great website that we can check for when buses are going to show up.  The challenge is that if we are leaving from home, unless we looked at the stop before, we don’t know what time the buses arrive.

We’re obviously getting around alright.  It’s more part of a bigger observation – having no internet in a foreign country is more difficult than not knowing the language (or more accurately slowly learning the language).

I’ve realized these last three weeks how much I rely on the internet for so many things just a click away.  It’s amazing how we forget about the convenience of the internet until it is not at our fingertips.  I am grateful for having remembered this…Now, can I have my internet again?

First Day of Class

06 Wednesday Aug 2014

Posted by in Finland

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So I had my first day of class for the Helsinki Summer School.  I’m taking a two-week (roughly) class called Visual Images and Global Politics.  The topic was interesting to, which is why I signed up for it.

It’s also perfect for Helsinki.  I’m one of three US students and by far the oldest student.  I’m good with that.  There are students from Finland (of course), Russia, China, Italy, Brazil, France, Nigeria, and I’m sure other places too.  And the instructor is from Denmark.

The class is in English.  I’m just amazed at how well all of these people speak english.  The student from Norway sounds as though she was from England, she has a thick English accent.

I had lunch with a student from Russia.  We had a great conversation at lunch.  It’s really neat that our countries can be at odds and yet our people can sit down at lunch and have great conversations.

There’s a ton of other things to write about, and I will.  We haven’t had internet in our apartment yet, so I only get to write and post updates when I’m at the University.  I’ll post more (with pictures) as I can.  Hopefully we’ll have internet at the apartment tonight.  Fingers Crossed here.