Are You Addicted to Technology?

Ps. 26:2-3 “Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

Are You Addicted to Technology?

I wasn’t expecting a sermon on the Power of Prayer to start off with, are you addicted to technology, but it did. After speaking about Ecclesiastes Pastor went on to speak about the selfie-driven world, then listed astronomical statistics. He said there are 93 million selfies taken EVERY DAY! He went on to say that the younger generation will take 25,000 pictures of themselves by the end of their lives.

This was not against technology this was about the self-driven nation. We are so absorbed with ourselves that we then forget about God. We may fool ourselves into believing we’re all about God but seriously when you’re so absorbed in a technological gadget, posting on facebook and twitter, hanging out on Instagram and Pinterest, where is God in your life then?

He asked:
Do you take your cell phone to bed and keep it close to you?
Do your friends and spouse complain about it? (the time spent cradling it?)
Do you check your phone first thing in the morning and the last thing before bed?
Do you feel bummed when you forget to bring your phone into the bathroom with you?

Then you’re addicted.

He said, “We think of our phone serving us but we wind up serving them, and that is really the definition of an idol, isn’t it?” He went on to tell us he was not anti-technology he was just pointing out the fact that the more we are absorbed by the techno gadgets, the more our prayer life will be hindered. Connecting with God is an afterthought after we’ve connected with the media world.

Pss.139:1 “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
[2] Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
[3] Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
[4] For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

[23] Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
[24] And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

You may say, “I’ve got my friends, I’ve got facebook.” But how many friends do you have right now that you could call and they’d come to your assistance? Your thousands of friends that LIKE your posts release a dopamine high and you get the rush of feeling loved and that’s all well and good, but do they KNOW you? Really?

Burger King had an offer for a free Whopper meal if you unfriend ten friends on facebook. They had to pull the plug on THAT little promotion because over 230,000 people had been unfriended and were angry! They did find out how much a facebook friend is worth, .37 cent!

People like the appearance of having over one thousand friends, people thrive on being liked but in reality, the average person has four friends, some have less. Four true friends that they physically see on a regular basis and are actual friends, but for appearances sake, they have thousands of friends in the social world, each of which they have no idea who they are they just feel important adding people to the list.

Ecc. 4:9-11 “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?”

“We are drawn to our technology, that provides the illusion of companionship without the demands of relationship.” Terry Sherkel says, “Technology seems to address all the greatest needs we have, the need for attention everywhere, to be heard and to never be alone.” 

Ecc. 5:1  “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.”

Yeah, these days’ people even take their media gadgets to church with them. I hear many say it keeps the bible at their fingertips but I wonder, is that in between a selfie? A picture of their breakfast/lunch/dinner? I’m only asking because I have no idea what the excitement is by taking a picture of yourself. I’ve never taken a selfie. My phone is for phone calls and I don’t text so it is used just for phone calls. Enlighten me on why people need to let the world know what they’re doing every minute of the day, even when they’re sitting in church?

My only techno-gadget is my laptop and I use that for my blog/writing or playing a game of chess or solitaire. I read mail, and sometimes go to facebook to say hi to friends and see all of the prayer requests needed for each day but that is the gist of my techno use and knowledge. I’m happily old-fashioned and I like myself that way, not tainted by the media and all the baloney people post to sling hate to their thousands of friends. Yup, attention seekers survive via their social media outlets. Poor things, they need all the prayer I can give.

My prayer isn’t only for the attention seekers and media addicted folk, my prayer is for the awakening of the world that they may see how they are all a piece of the puzzle that is forming the world-wide web of hate. I can now see how a sermon on the Power of Prayer turned into an enlightening piece of the technology addicts of the world. By tuning into our gadgets that is one less minute we are spending with God. Wonder no more why the world is the way it is today. 

Lent: Day Twenty-four ~ Distractions

1 Cor. 7: 35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

Distractions

Distractions, distractions, distractions. It is so easy to be caught up in distractions. I don’t want you all to think I’m exempt from distractions. These posts have not been the easiest things I’ve done and there are days where I just either don’t feel like writing or am at a loss for as what to write. God has placed all of these posts on my heart and that is the only solidarity keeping me from the distractions going on around me.

We had a death in the family, my mother and I had a birthday, we had some excitement in thinking we’d see each other via Skype that fell through, a pretty big tree collapsed in my yard and I’ve been having some doubts where my relationship is concerned. Now I know all of these are normal distractions (not) but as I try to remain focused on God and all that he has done and is doing for me, the mastermind of all distractions is pulling out some mighty heavy punches.

While the master of deceit is pulling his own strings in keeping Steven distracted by stupid crud, I’m the one who is being hurt in the process and that’s the goal all along, isn’t it? Satan is pretty peeved that I might be making people think about God. I’m not MAKING them think about God, they ARE their own persons who can decide for themselves where their loyalty lay. But I am spreading a word every day, not just any word, THEE Word that God wanted us all to hear from the very beginning of time!

I am about almost twenty posts away from completion and there is quite a lot of road to cover that mister mastermind doesn’t want you to know or be a part of and as he’s working, my life is on stony footing. I will continue no matter what the cost and will not be sidetracked by distractions.

While good people walk the good path remember there is always something trying to throws coals in the fire hoping you get burned. I’m not oblivious to his machinations too, actually, I am quite aware.

Is there anything distracting you? Facebook, YouTube, Twitter where you spend more of your time in socializing and viewing and being all you can be for whoever is out there grabbing your every word? Are you focusing on the Lord at this time or are you distracted?

Sure, it begins all well and good, you’re focused on God topics but then there in the sidebar you see something funny and just HAVE to click and then keep clicking until you’re fixated on funny/humorous/chic/kitty/dog posts and pulled away from the intended viewing of God posts.

My social media time is limited. I despise YouTube, Twitter is not all it is cracked up to be and facebook is not much different than my school days, I laugh, I chat, I mingle but in doing such, I’m distracted from the One Mighty Lord who called me to this Earth.

Keep this in mind folks satan is a clever one. He knows what you INTEND to do and that is why he throws things he KNOWS you like viewing in your face to distract you. Master of mischievousness, just when you think you’ve gotten him under control, he slings another surprise at you.

Be armored! Be prepared. Don’t fall into the trap of, ‘he can’t tempt me!’ Because that thought alone triggers him to tempt you.

Job 13:1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

Matt. 6:22-23 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

FREE Audiobook Giveaway!!!

Did you know you could win a free audiobook, just by commenting on this post at Audiobook Heaven? I think this is the seventh audiobook giveaway this year. Every first of the month a new book is offered and while in the beginning he was getting emails like crazy on the post, the numbers seem to be dwindling.


Everyone likes something for FREE, so why the dwindle of responses for a free audiobook? Maybe people fear giving out their email? It’s not like millions of people will see it! So go give it a shot, you have nothing to LOSE and a FREE book to gain!

In other news, I’ve found a new place to meet like minded people. That would be Twitter. Unlike facebook, Twitter doesn’t allow you to write a whole bunch, just 140 characters I believe, so what you post must be tight and concise. Twitter isn’t bogged down with ads and very rarely am I offered porn. Erotica to me is soft porn and I do find people who are suggested to me who are into that sort of thing, but that is NOT for me. For anyone who knows me knows I’m a prude when it comes to that stuff, so I stick to ‘following’ the audiobook industry, writers, authors, publishers, and a few causes to stop child abuse. Porno freaks beware, I WILL NOT follow you just because you follow me, sorry!

I’m also a member of LinkedIn and there are discussions on writing that will keep you busy for days! LinkedIn, yeah it’s one word, is an insightful site with groups galore where very intriguing discussions are had about the writing industry. I don’t see many in the audiobook industry there, but if you’re a writer and heading into the ‘Professional Writer’ status, then LinkedIn might be something you’re interested in to get your career headed in the right direction. At least you can share your opinions, craft tips or whatever you wish. A pretty cool site for the networker in you!

Well that about covers what I’ve been doing these days to further my career in writing. Facebook I leave for socializing with friends and family (far and few between, I might add) Twitter I like to call the meeting of the mind space, for me. And LinkedIn is all about discussion of the field out there for us writers! I seem to have all my ducks in a row, as they waddle to a new future away from the village that kept my lil ducks busy for years.

Onto brighter and better waters!

Phishing, Spamming, Hacking, Oh My!

Phishing:

Phishing is a fraudulent attempt, usually made through email, to steal your personal information. The best way to protect yourself from phishing is to learn how to recognize a phish.


Phishing emails usually appear to come from a well-known organization and ask for your personal information — such as credit card number, social security number, account number or password. Often times phishing attempts appear to come from sites, services and companies with which you do not even have an account.


In order for Internet criminals to successfully "phish" your personal information, they must get you to go from an email to a website. Phishing emails will almost always tell you to click a link that takes you to a site where your personal information is requested. Legitimate organizations would never request this information of you via email.


Spamming:
Spam is flooding the Internet with many copies of the same message, in an attempt to force the message on people who would not otherwise choose to receive it. Most spam is commercial advertising, often for dubious products, get-rich-quick schemes, or quasi-legal services. Spam costs the sender very little to send -- most of the costs are paid for by the recipient or the carriers rather than by the sender.


Hacking:
Computer hacking is the most popular form of hacking nowadays, especially in the field of computer security, but hacking exists in many other forms, such as phone hacking, brain hacking, etc. and it's not limited to either of them.


Due to the mass attention given to blackhat hackers from the media, the whole hacking term is often mistaken for any security related cyber crime. This damages the reputation of all hackers, and is very cruel and unfair to the law abiding ones of them, from who the term itself originated. The goal of this website is to introduce people the true philosophy and ethics of hackers, hopefully clearing their name and giving them the social status they deserve.


***
You might ask why I’m informing you of all of this. Well let me tell you. I’m not too naive where the internet is concerned but I’m no techie either (and proud of it). I like the sources of writers I find on Twitter, along with the audiobook communities, bloggers, writing friends, publishers, all at my fingertips that I can follow and be informed.


I’ve only began going back to Twitter recently because facebook does not have the great information that I can get on Twitter. I’ve been following, been followed, been a favorite and a retweeter, but something happened the other day.


I’m following a lot of Audiobook reviewers, narrators and such so when in my email I found one from HA, (I won’t give their name for obvious reasons) that said “someone is talking about you” I inadvertently clicked the wrong button thinking I was going to be taken to twitter to respond. No biggie, right? Wrong!


I later found out that the same notice went to all my followers that joni sent them. I didn’t! It was some kind of viral spam, that if anyone clicked it, it too would be sent to all of their followers too!


I thought I had been hacked, so I took measures of protecting myself, then I went to HA to see who they were and if I should STOP following them. Their page had been hacked! It was no longer reviews, it was a page full of links to erotica writing and so on, as you can use your own imagination.


I continued to protect and send out my apologies and many were very understanding, informing me that they knew it wasn’t from me, which is good to know that people respect me in that manner! Thank you Twitter followers! I AM legit, the real deal, nothing phishy or scammy about me! I’m a writer in a world of viral pigs who have nothing better to do in their lives but to try and hurt people!


Later that day, I went back to HA only to find that they too were made aware of the hacking scam and their page was back to normal! Whew! We dodged that bullet, twitterers!


I would never hurt a fly! Okay maybe I would kill a few flies, ever live on a farm where flies bite like dogs? But seriously, I would never hurt anyone; my followers know that and respect me, as I them. I’m a writer building my following, and networking with like minds.


Thank you all, you’re a great bunch of people. Give or take a few phish in the sea! ;)

Professionalism?

Let us be grateful to the mirror for revealing to us our appearance only. ~Samuel Butler, Erewhon
***

Where does one draw the line between professionalism and play time. Allow me to tell you this. If a publisher asks to see your manuscript, 12 pt font,1 inch margins; and to strictly adhere to the guidelines, she says; are you going to give her verdana and put little cute smiley faces at the end and say, “I thought this looked better?”

Who is the professional here? Who is the one going to publish your work? And YOU are going to tell HER how to do her job?

While there are numerous amounts of insane writers, there is not numerous markets for unprofessional writers. We’re in a recession and work needs to be done, rules and guidelines need to be adhered to. While we all need to let our hair down, peek out of our shell on occasion, we also need to know that we are going to be judged, yes judged, by our level of professional quality.

On facebook and the other social sites, there is no room for professionalism, although I am a witness to many acting in a civil nature, doing work professionally yet still maintaining an open wall that allows visitors to come and see. This is where your footprint, read yesterdays blog, is going to be seen by many if not all of the millions of FB fanatics.

Facebook has gone and changed again, once again thinking for people instead of allowing them to think for themselves. Did they ASK the people what they wanted? Of course not, their ego’s got in the way, and they barged in and placed changes on people that apparently, only they like. I think that was an unprofessional move on their part, as they vie for people who are fleeing FB in record numbers, and heading to Twitter, and places like, Google+.

To me, Twitter and Google+ doesn’t have the professional feel of facebook, (denote sarcasm here) with the LIKE buttons, the huge pics, the SHARE this button, and all of the new toys and games that are going to slow ones computer down. Facebook may be ascending but oh wait, their professionalism comes in, via ADS! Yup good ol ads that bring the folks at facebook, you guessed it, money! Hopefully many of you have admuncher to eat those ads and they never see the light of day.

I can do what I want, write and have fun on my wall, but yesterday, I was basically assaulted and badgered by a ‘supposed’ friend and professional writer? All because we were having fun? Then they went into the professional place we work and said that we were basically “bullying and bordering illegality”??? Excuse me? Real professional, STUDENT!

Well of course I wiped my wall off and with facebooks new RESTRICT policy I can now restrict people, make a list of people who can see my wall, and now I may just be able to limit the stalker(s), that watch me and read me!

I think I’m going to put f2k behind me. It is no longer a place to write, to be professional, it is a place where lay-PEOPLE want to make the decisions for the PROFESSIONALS. Call out freedom of this and freedom of that, it is a madhouse, simply made up of smileys. My point solely being, if you came to write, then write, if you came to play? Go to facebook!!!

Thank you, to those who took MY joy away. I hope you all feel real good about yourselves.

Networking

Just the word sounds important as it stands alone up there.
 
Networking is defined as: the practice of making contact and exchanging information with other people, groups or institutions. Usually, networking occurs with other people who have interests in similar areas. The goal of the networking relationship may be to further your personal employment opportunities or to cultivate new clients or the expansion of business relationships. Networking is also a term of art used in the computer industry.
 
Monday we figured out that we have the procrastination bug, and I devised tricks to get that little thing nipped in the bud! Then on Tuesday, I gave a few tips on how to Prioritize your schedule so that you’ll have the time to write and take action instead of putting things on the back burner and making all your time about playing on facebook.
 
Now today I’m here to tell you, to GO to facebook. But I’m also here to tell you that you will not be going for fun and games. You’re not going to visit your friends, wink, hug, LIKE, and pretend you’re in the worldwide playground of the internet. You my friend, are going to NETWORK! If you want to do all that stuff, go ahead, but if you’re a writer and trying to NETWORK, I would not advise making Facebook a Farmville of a place with animals popping up, crops of people on your list (unless they are writers), and the abundance of games absorbing your wall.
 
Networking with like minds takes a certain finesse. When my friend from Finland told me about facebook and how I should network to jump start my writing career, facebook was the place to do it. Another writer friend, M.D. , introduced me to things like Twitter and Weebly, and Ping! All in my arsenal of networking my way into my writing career.
 
Someone had briefly mentioned MySpace but I quickly learned that place should have been name MySmut! So I quickly blocked that place and all the trash it carried with it. Facebook quickly became my virtual world for networking. But I  was new to the scene and did all the wrong things that got me nowhere in my writing. I played game upon game,  I poked, preached, ranted and raved, hugged and ignored, only to realize, I’ve lost the Networking battle.
 
Or did I? Something happened a few months back; I realized I was NOT prioritizing and making my writing come first. While I was off mentoring and facilitating, helping out other writers, editing and whatnot, I lost my love... of writing. I got so caught up in being self-righteous, I lost something along the way and only recently found again. Something I’m not letting go this time in my pursuit of Networking.
 
My list of five things to propel you into NETWORKING on facebook?
 
1. Accept friends of like minded ability. Not the ones who want to play; the ones who are as serious and professionally minded as you!
 
2. Make a separate account for family, games and the playground mentality.
 
3. LIKE, everything Writing related!!!  Then your HOME wall will be filled with vital info, instead of game updates or who went to pee and felt you needed to know this.
 
4. Participate! Actively participate in your writing pages that you have LIKED. These people are professional, welcoming, and they love sharing.
 
5. If you want to rant, rave, preach, and stand on a pedestal, either make a blog for just that, or make sure your network of friends is of the like mind, or surely you will lose some portion of your networking capabilities.
 
Maybe this warrants another post...at another time. :)
 
SUPPORT YOUR FELLOW WRITER and THEY’LL SUPPORT YOU!