The Peak of Inspiration

First, a little background.  During the last half of February and the first of March, we undertook a challenge with our youth group.  We titled it the “Screen Time Challenge”.  It went like this. 

The youth were on one team, youth parents on the other.  Each team had a coach, one of the youth leader couples. Each day of the challenge, the coaches would ask for screen times from random team members for the previous day.   Those times were added to a spreadsheet, and daily averages were derived from all the individual times.   The two teams could not see how the other team was doing, except at the end of each week, when the coaches would make the data public.  This went on for three weeks.

Before the challenge began, we handed in our previous week screen time as a reference point so we would know how much we improved, and to know how the two teams compared pre-challenge.  The youth started with a 7 minute-per-day average lead.  We (parents) never really overtook them.  We closed the gap a few times and had a decent chance toward the end of taking home the prize.  But, ultimately, it proved more than we could do.  We lost by about a 9 minute average per person.

Of course, there had to be consequences.  Else why try?  The rules stated that the losing team would host a supper for the winners and also would be required to write an essay on the topic of technology and its proper use.  Last Monday evening this all came to be.  We put on a mystery type supper for the winners and after supper gathered around and listened to some challenge facts, who had the lowest daily time (2 minutes), who took second and third place, etc. etc.  And we read our essays. 

This is part of that…

Lifeline

There is a line in life.  It is not always well marked or clearly visible.  Many times, it is difficult to discern, but it is there.  You can depend on that.  And the fact that you don’t always know where it is doesn’t diminish its existence. 

This line divides the important from the superficial.  It separates the necessary from the unnecessary.  On one side is value, on the other is wastefulness.  Vibrance opposite of lethargy.  Safety across the line from danger.  Inspiration versus idleness.  Friendship versus loneliness.

Stay on one side of the line, and you will bask in the warmth of real sunshine, the breeze from off the distant peaks, the smell of real flowers, and the taste of real fruit.  Cross to the other side and your face will be lit with an electronic glow, and your senses will be consumed with the flow of artificial satisfaction.  Your feet will not feel the grass, your eyes will not see the clouds.  And your heart will not sing with the birds. 

We have a choice.  We have been given the privilege to decide.  The line is not a fence.  There is no barrier to keep us from crossing this line.  We can cross whenever we want, as much as we want.   

Keep this in mind.  The grass is not greener on that side.  The mirages are not real.  There is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. 

Stay on this side of the life line.  The side where a friend looks you in the eye.  Where handshakes are firm and felt.  Where you can see, and feel, tears.  Where laughter and smiles reach the soul.  

Stay on the side of the satisfied.  Team up with the fulfilled.  Make the right choice.   Join forces with the few that have chosen the good things on the life side of the line. 

P.S.  If you would like to host your own screen time challenge, I would be happy to share some of
the things we learned, challenge rules, etc with you.  Email me at thepeakofinspiration@gmail.com.