Disconnected

We quit taking the newspaper this week. Our decision was made for financial reasons--we figured we could buy a paper on Sundays for the coupons, and the rest of the really important stuff we would still manage to find out nearly instantaneously, via satellite, blogs, newsreports, or word of mouth. I was a little sad at first. I love the editorials, and grew up with Michael from "For Better or For Worse." I don't like the thought of print mediums giving way to electronic ones, either, but that's a different post.

At any rate, my sadness has worn off. Here are the headlines of the stories I didn't read
this week:
"Elementary and Secondary Schools Could Face 7% Budget Reductions"
"Shooting Victim Identified"
"Half of Local Foreclosures were Longtime Homeowners"
"Man Throws 4 Children from 80-foot Bridge After Fight with Wife."
and there was one that I nearly read anyway, because I was just so incredulous, that was something like this: "Proposal Heard to Award Accused Child Abusers $1500 to Hire Defense Attorneys." WHAT? No money for schools, but money to hire defense attorneys from state funds for accused child abusers?? Isn't that what public defenders are for?

There's so much yuck out there, and I have so few filters. I remind myself so often that Love wins, that Jesus has already conquered, and that now we're just here to impact more of the world for Him. I think I'm beginning to think that I would be more effective at that job if I quit reading about all that's wrong with the world, and started doing more to change things.

I need to guard my heart and mind. Canceling our newspaper subscription is the first step for me. I'm still thinking that Facebook will be unplugged in the near future, too...I need to learn how to use a telephone again. Or better yet, hang out with the neighbors.