Tag: telecommunications

Categories
K! Magazine Kidzmatter Magazine Magazine motivation

Books and Batteries

Cartoon of a teacher and a boy with an electronic tablet. The boy panics and says, "Help! My Bible's batteries ran down!"
Published in "K!: Kidzmatter Magazine"

The first time a student brought their tablet into the Sunday school classroom was quite a sight. The child claimed it was her Bible. But for some reason, all the kids gathered around her and they weren’t asking to see her Bible. They were interested in what games were on her tablet. It took some time to get the class back into some semblance of organization.

Since the schools are all closed right now, I imagine the tablets and smartphones are getting quite a workout. I’m sure there are some times when a crisis may emerge because a device’s batteries are running on empty. Keep calm and find a charger! It will be all right eventually.

Find some time to recharge your devices as well as yourself this week. Step away from the laptops, tablets, smartphones, and televisions for a few minutes, if not hours. You’ll be glad to get some time to step away from the news and let yourself have a break from it all.

Cartoon of a teacher and a boy with an electronic tablet. The boy panics and says, "Help! My Bible's batteries ran down!"
Published in “K!: Kidzmatter Magazine”
Categories
motivation

Did I Make That Call Today?

©2013 Speartoons, Inc

Texting has revolutionized the way I communicate. If I suddenly have something I want to share with my wife or kids, I can send it immediately and not worry if they are busy. I can send a note of encouragement to a friend. I don’t have to dispense with the pleasantries of small talk before getting to the point. I can make the point and have an answer in a moment.

But the temptation is to make that the primary form of communication because it is so effortless. It’s easy to type a thought and send it. A lot can be lost in translation. It is difficult to make a true connection with a few words and no context. A text is an electronic sticky-note. Make sure when you are using it, it’s the appropriate way to communicate in that situation.

Sometimes it is just better to make the call. But it can feel awkward if I’m out of practice. It can feel too easy to hide behind a text. I’ve heard of couples breaking it up over a text. Really? It may be easier but it is not the way to deal with something so emotional.

Sometimes it is better to make the call or to visit someone in a person. If I have something important to say, I will make that call today.

Categories
webcomic

Grandma’s phone

Cartoon of two kids looking at a rotary phone. One says, "I'll text Mom and tell her that odd machine in Grandma's house is noisy again."

Cartoon of two kids looking at a rotary phone. One says, “I’ll text Mom and tell her that odd machine in Grandma’s house is noisy again.”

I’m wondering if there are any rotary phones left in the United States. I haven’t seen one for years, but they were a very big part of my childhood. Surely someone is still using one of those odd machines.

Technology changes in the blink of an eye. What was the norm twenty years ago is now distant history. I’ve learned not to depend on technology if I’m looking for something that will last. Phone will come and go. Put your hopes in something that isn’t a fad or the latest technology.