Feburary: Engage People, Not Screens

"Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." 

1 John 3:18

If being quiet didn't kill me in January, limiting screens was going to give it a go in February.  Who's idea was this anyway??

As I thought through this month, it quickly occurred to me that my use of screens is directly related to my addiction to noise.  This is most obvious when I find myself scrolling through my phone as I listen to the person sitting across from me.  I lie to myself (and everyone else) saying I can do it all, but they know better.  They feel my disconnect.  

Not only have my children spoken the words.....

"She's always on her phone"

but I have begun to feel the disconnect myself. 

I cannot ask of them what I am not will to do myself.

It doesn't matter how boring the playground drama or how little I understand of the Star War theories.  My lack of Minecraft knowledge doesn't excuse my distraction.  Little things become the big things.  If I can't stay present for these simple (though tedious) conversations, they won't trust me to handle the big ones.

They need to know that I am present.  They need to see that they matter.  The world may not revolve around them, but they shouldn't have to chase me around mine.  

So I started putting my phone down.  At the bus stop.  In the kitchen.  When they spoke.
 I just listened.  Looking into their sweet faces, I found a place of connection that I had forgotten.  There eyes said they felt it too.  My actions spoke love.  More than my words ever can.

Suddenly, I noticed the quiet from January creeping back,  A muted phone still makes noise, so it seems.