Web Catch of the Week: The Most Important Routine of My Day

     In our last blog post, Pheaney outlined the importance of establishing routines that work in order to help us focus on the important parts of life. This got me thinking about one of the most important routines of the day - what I do when I get up in the morning. If you’re like me (and 90% of all 18-30 year-olds), you check your smartphone within the first 15 minutes of waking up. What I fill my mind with from the minute I get up affects the rest of my day. It also reveals the attitude and longings of my heart. This week I challenged myself to answer these two questions:

How does checking my phone fit into my morning routine?

Why do I go online immediately after waking up?

     Tony Reinke outlines Six Wrong Reasons to Check Your Phone in the Morning in his post on DesiringGod.org. As I read through the list, I found myself convicted about the number of reasons I tend to go directly to my smartphone in the morning. I frequently check my phone for entertainment or to get the latest news. But let’s face it, I don’t need to know what people said about the Minnesota Vikings the second I wake up. Reinke also gives us three reasons why we need our mornings to connect with God. Think of what a difference it could make to start a day by getting into God’s Word instead of getting distracted by emails, Facebook, or the news!

     I also found an article on the tech website cnet.com that gives some easy steps to keep our mornings cell phone free. Even once I realized that my phone habits were hurting my morning routine, I still found it easy to rationalize immediately reaching for my phone when I wake up. The author, Sarah Mitroff, calls out some common excuses for keeping your phone near you at all times. One of my favorites: "I don't want to be out of reach in case of a late-night emergency." Check out the article to see how she answers that objection. 

     In our technology-driven world, it may sound ridiculous to move away from your smartphone. Take some time to assess your morning routine. Do you need some boundaries for using your phone? How would your morning change with a little distance from your phone? What could you do with your morning instead checking your phone? Let us learn from you by leaving your wisdom in the comments.

Web Catch of the Week: What's on Your Kid's Phone?

     As a kid, I remember when the internet only seemed to be a long sequence of weird noises that sounded like the slow death of a robot - dial-up, AOL CDs, and having to log off the computer so my mom could make a phone call. Now, like almost everyone else, I have an iPhone in my pocket that gives me instant access to the internet. This technology is cutting-edge, but so was dial up internet to my parent's generation. What we consider cutting-edge is already commonplace to our kids. They know how to use a smartphone or tablet without any kind of instruction, and they know how to use it better than you do.

What's on your kid's phone? How do you protect your kids from the dark places of the internet? What apps do your kids use on a daily basis?

     These questions can seem overwhelming, and that's where great websites like iParent.tv come in. iParent.tv, founded by Craig Gross, gives parents reviews about the latest apps, devices, social networks, and websites that your kids are using right now. "iparent.tv allows you to learn what’s safe, what’s not, and what you need to do about it." Check out their site to explore what your kids are doing on their smartphones, and how you can help guide them to live safely in a digital world.

     Maybe you've passed the point of prevention. Maybe you've seen your kids internet history, you know who they follow on Instagram, and now you don't know how to address the situation. XXXChurch.com is another website you want to check out. XXXChurch, also founded by Craig Gross, provides help for people of all ages dealing with pornography and sex addiction. For specific advice on how to talk to your kid about pornography, check out "I Just Caught My Kid Looking at Porn." You can also find resources on their site for just about any scenario you might find yourself in when it comes to adult content. 

     To be sure, this is a very sensitive topic for most people. Honestly, I'm fearful for the day that I have to talk to my son about pornography. It's been a temptation of mine since I was young, and there's nothing I want more for my children than to avoid the mistakes of their dad. My prayer is that I'll be able to communicate the severity of this sin while at the same time showing unconditional love. I'll cling to the words of Jesus, "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." -John 16:33 (NLT)

Web Catch of the Week: Addicted to your Smartphone

Addicted to Your Smartphone

If you are one of the 64% of Americans that own a smartphone, you are intimately familiar with the addictive feeling of always staying connected. Whether it's responding to a text, checking your email, updating your status, or posting a picture, there's always "just one more thing" to check. With smartphone usage so widespread, their addictive tendencies can be subtle (not to mention culturally acceptable). This week's Web Catch of the Week features two resources on battling smartphone addiction from Desiring God. 

Christina Fox writes about her experiences of being distracted by her smartphone to the neglect of her kids. She offers some solid advice for fighting against the distracting habits of her phone, as well as some helpful passages of Scripture to memorize and apply. Check out her post, "When Distractions Keep Us From Our Kids." 

Trip Lee is a musician, author, husband, and a father. He was a special guest on an episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast where he talks about his personal battle to put down his phone and spend time with his family. I really enjoyed the connection that he makes between reading tweets and reading the Bible. Listen to this short audio recording from Trip Lee, "Avoiding Smartphone iDolatry."