by Joel Lawler

The lights, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer and television that were all on went silent. It was an unexpected interruption.

My wireless router also shut down. My laptop popped a message to me that my internet connection was lost. I hate to admit how dependent I am on the internet.

I recently did a tune up on my jeep. I went out and bought all the stuff I needed. I got out all my tools and started to pull out the parts that I was going to replace. I was excited to do this. I love being able to work on my own car. It was one of the reasons that I bought my jeep. It is older and pretty easy to work on.

In my zeal, I forgot to note the firing order for the cables that I was replacing. Putting the new parts in became a bit of a challenge.

I got my laptop out, did a search and "Bingo," I was able to find the diagram I needed. I put my laptop on top of the engine and installed my parts. My next door neighbor had a good laugh at my nerdiness.

On Saturday mornings, I like to make breakfast for my family. I have been attempting to find the best pancake recipe by trying them out (feel free to send me yours if you have a favorite that you don't mind sharing). Once again, I grab my laptop, do a search and follow the directions on the screen. This is quite a change from my mom who used to have this huge "Better Homes" cookbook that she would bust out to cook from.

When I need directions, I get on the internet, do a search and almost instantly have a map of where I am going and how long it will take to get there.

If I want to know about the weather, I look it up on the internet. I can not only get today's weather, but the next 10 days as well. Okay, it is not always right, but it's as close as any weatherman.

The "Yellow Pages" was left on our front porch. It went from the front porch directly to the recycling bin. It has been years since I have opened a telephone book. Online shopping keeps me out of stores during the holiday rush.

Social networking sites have helped me stay connected with friends and family.

I might be a little biased being that I have made a good  living developing websites, but I really see many ways the internet has changed our lives for the better.

It is good to be connected. God created us to be connected. We are designed to be in relationships with each other. Even more so, we are designed to be in a relationship with our creator.

Losing power was frustrating. It shut everything down and I lost connection to the internet. Not really a big deal. It came back in a matter of minutes so I did not even have time to miss it. If it had been several hours, or worse days, it would have been more than just an inconvenience.

When we lose connection with people, we lose a great part of who we are. Being connected, being loved and loving others, is a part of living life to its fullest.

Staying connected takes effort. Our natural bend is towards processes and institutions rather than relationships.

Systems are predictable. Relationships are uncontrollable. Being connected to our Father in heaven gives our life purpose, meaning and direction.

When we are in a relationship with him, we are living out the plan that he created for us. We are walking alongside the author of life itself.


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