Thank You, Steve Jobs

Facebook, Twitter, Skype, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube. I have officially been sucked in to the vast world of social networking. Don't get me wrong, I was already sadly addicted to most of these sites anyway, but yesterday my world was flipped upside down. That's right. I got an iPhone. I have arrived. My phone is no longer just used to make calls (who actually does that anyway?). In the palm of my hand is a doorway that opens up a plethora of opportunities. As we speak, I'm typing my blog ON MY PHONE! I know, you're not impressed. I'm pretty much the last person on earth to get a smartphone, I get it.
Now as I've stated in the title of my blog, I'm just trying to live SIMPLY. Yes, you don't have to say it. I'm a hypocrite, this is probably the furthest thing from simple living. But oh well, at least I feel cool.
Aren't new toys fun? Even 4 month old babies can appreciate something as exciting as a new toy. Just the other day we bought Eden a jumper/exersaucer (sp? My iPhone doesn't recognize that word, so OBVIOUSLY it doesn't really exist. The phone knows all.) thing. And she loved it! She couldn't stop smiling. (But it's also possible she just had gas.) But how quickly do we forget about or take for granted those new toys? You know what I mean, those amazing gifts that you receive for Christmas, already lost or broken by New Years. Yup, even me, who, as of yesterday, was made hip by my new magic phone, gifted to me by my thoughtful husband, lost said phone this afternoon and spent 20 minutes looking for it. What was that? Less than 24 hours? A record, even for me.
This morning we heard an incredible sermon from our preacher, Tim, on the cruciality of sharing the gospel. It was moving, it was inspiring, it was convicting, and I was.... distracted. You see, it was my first time, as a new, nervous mom, to leave the baby in the nursery throughout worship. And I was anxious. I kept expecting to see, at any minute, a nursery attendant bolting through the double doors, holding a screaming (but still cute) Eden out at arms length, searching frantically for her mother to help in consoling the unconsolable. But alas, nothing of the sort happened. She was, of course, perfectly content to be in the arms of someone other than her mother.
I get distracted so easily, so quickly. I let insignificant obstacles get in my way, blurring my vision, pulling my focus away from what is of true importance. So often I forget, so often I take for granted my gift. THE GIFT. The amazing thing that Christ has done for me. Just as quickly as I lose my new phone, I let that excitement, that indescribable feeling that comes with receiving a new gift, wear off, and I lose my focus.
I pray that each day I am reminded of the gift Christ has given to me, when he made me a new creation, holy in his sight. I pray that I continually return to the feeling of excitement. I pray to feel anxious, not by the things that are distracting, but by the urgency and the necessity to share my gift with those who have not yet been married in to the body of Christ.