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Tuesday, June 6, 2017
These Amish folks traveling to their church service Sunday filled three benches.
"The Antidote To FOMO"
Message summary: Living with a "TITDTLHM" outlook is a powerful antidote to FOMO and ROMO!
Listen to our
message on your
audio player.
"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24).
The
other day we were out on a beautiful day with lots of pretty scenery.
Not unusual these days but it especially struck me how many were
walking along with their heads down focused on their device, usually a
"smart phone". Admittedly we both carry smart phones and they are pretty handy
but especially when we are out in God's creation they are tucked away.
I wondered why people look or play with their phones all the time, to the point of ignoring others or walking along without concern for their safety or that of running into others. Looking for an answer I searched Google with a phrase like, "Why do so many people stare at their phones?" Apparently others have wondered the same thing and Google gave me a compelling answer. An article attributes phone watchers to FOMO, which means "Fear Of Missing Out". In fact if you google FOMO you can read for yourself. It's defined as "anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on a social media website."
However it occurs to me that "FOMO" is not merely technologically related. Many are afraid of "missing out" if they don't have certain items such as a new home or vehicle or aren't able to go to certain places on their "bucket list".
There's a form of FOMO that we can share from experience when we get to that point in life where we have more miles behind us than ahead. You realize there's a lot you are not going to get done, you are going to miss out on. And this can lead to ROMO, an acronym I just made up, "Regrets On Missing Out". You look back and see all you didn't see or have or do.
But there is a Scriptural principle that deals with both FOMO and ROMO.
Many in the world have an acronym "TGIF" (you'll be sick of acronyms by the end of this message!) as they look forward to the weekend. That means "Thank God It's Friday" or "Thank Goodness It's Friday" if you are bit more sanctified.
Well we believe our acronym (if we must have one) should be: "TITDTLHM". Actually it would probably be easier just to memorize the phrase which many of you have already done so, "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Most of you have surely heard the verse put to music in a simple chorus and if you're like us you've sung it hundreds of times.
Living with a "TITDTLHM" outlook is a powerful antidote to FOMO and ROMO!
"This is the day the LORD has made." It's a simple proclamation of truth that we can declare every single day. It's always true; God rises the sun in the morning and the moon in the night. Every day is an act of His faithful creation. What blessedness results and faith arises as we recognize this marvelous act, acknowledge His daily loving kindness and joyfully declare that TITDTLHM.
"Let us rejoice and be glad in it." That’s a decision we make. No doubt some readers have great burdens today and issues which can potentially overwhelm. We may focus on these troubles and find ourselves down and discouraged.
Or we can instead make a volitional choice that today we will rejoice and be glad. The apostle Paul declared in his letter to the Philippians, "I rejoice greatly in the Lord" even though he was imprisoned and surely had distressing circumstances. The real key is to focus on Jesus as we live our daily lives with an eternal perspective. This day let us seek to keep this focus!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Jesus, I rejoice in You as this new day unfolds. This is the day that
You have made and I choose to rejoice and be glad in it. I have
assurance
today that Your way is perfect and Your timing is flawless. Your ways
are higher than any other and Your wisdom far exceeds that of man. You
are a shield for all who come to You for refuge. You arm me with
strength and You perfect my ways. You make my feet like the feet of a
deer and enable me to stand on the heights. You give me Your
shield of victory and sustain me by Your right hand. Therefore I
rejoice in You and praise You Jesus, as You show
Your unfailing love and kindness to me on this blessed day. Amen.
Some photos from our journey to and from church this last Lord's Day.
Yesterday we took this photo on the way to a church service as we passed through the heart of Amish country. We had many colorful scenes of church traffic very unlike what most of you experience on Sunday morning! In this photo it looks like two families joined together for this open air ride.
Two nice summer like country scenes; an old barn and carriage.
The same carriage shown above as we prepared to carefully pass.
After sharing about people's obsession with staring at their cell phones we find these photos refreshing. The children are always looking around often waving at passersby.
Waiting to pass safely.
Kids aren't being entertained in the car by playing a video game or watching a DVD. Instead they have a nice back window view and we in turn get an excellent view of them.
Many watch and wave.
This father is walking with his children (though I would advise him to walk on the other side)!
In the afternoon we took a different route on the way back home and this young man was probably going to a youth gathering maybe on his way to pick up his girlfriend.
We passed lots of young people out walking, mostly barefoot! It doesn't matter the day of the week most walk barefoot.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"This Is The Day" Video
"I'm A Girl [phone] Watcher" Video O'Kaysons For some strange reason this old song from the sixties came to mind as I considered a more common theme for today "I'm a phone watcher"! (This is posted for sentiment not spiritual edification!)
Here's the Wikipedia article on FOMO
Young people use smartphones ‘every other minute'
Here's an interesting article from a secular perspective with this true sub point "It's your life you're missing out on."
Finally today:
We took a different route back through the county in the afternoon when we returned home and passed this schoolhouse. The most important key to meaningful education is contained in that verse!
Finally today (#2):
When I picked Ester up from her work at 9:00PM we followed our neighbor in what I will call a Conestoga buggy!
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
These Amish folks traveling to their church service Sunday filled three benches.
Message summary: Living with a "TITDTLHM" outlook is a powerful antidote to FOMO and ROMO!
Listen to our
message on your
audio player."This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24).
The
other day we were out on a beautiful day with lots of pretty scenery.
Not unusual these days but it especially struck me how many were
walking along with their heads down focused on their device, usually a
"smart phone". Admittedly we both carry smart phones and they are pretty handy
but especially when we are out in God's creation they are tucked away.I wondered why people look or play with their phones all the time, to the point of ignoring others or walking along without concern for their safety or that of running into others. Looking for an answer I searched Google with a phrase like, "Why do so many people stare at their phones?" Apparently others have wondered the same thing and Google gave me a compelling answer. An article attributes phone watchers to FOMO, which means "Fear Of Missing Out". In fact if you google FOMO you can read for yourself. It's defined as "anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on a social media website."
However it occurs to me that "FOMO" is not merely technologically related. Many are afraid of "missing out" if they don't have certain items such as a new home or vehicle or aren't able to go to certain places on their "bucket list".
There's a form of FOMO that we can share from experience when we get to that point in life where we have more miles behind us than ahead. You realize there's a lot you are not going to get done, you are going to miss out on. And this can lead to ROMO, an acronym I just made up, "Regrets On Missing Out". You look back and see all you didn't see or have or do.
But there is a Scriptural principle that deals with both FOMO and ROMO.
Many in the world have an acronym "TGIF" (you'll be sick of acronyms by the end of this message!) as they look forward to the weekend. That means "Thank God It's Friday" or "Thank Goodness It's Friday" if you are bit more sanctified.
Well we believe our acronym (if we must have one) should be: "TITDTLHM". Actually it would probably be easier just to memorize the phrase which many of you have already done so, "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Most of you have surely heard the verse put to music in a simple chorus and if you're like us you've sung it hundreds of times.
Living with a "TITDTLHM" outlook is a powerful antidote to FOMO and ROMO!
"This is the day the LORD has made." It's a simple proclamation of truth that we can declare every single day. It's always true; God rises the sun in the morning and the moon in the night. Every day is an act of His faithful creation. What blessedness results and faith arises as we recognize this marvelous act, acknowledge His daily loving kindness and joyfully declare that TITDTLHM.
"Let us rejoice and be glad in it." That’s a decision we make. No doubt some readers have great burdens today and issues which can potentially overwhelm. We may focus on these troubles and find ourselves down and discouraged.
Or we can instead make a volitional choice that today we will rejoice and be glad. The apostle Paul declared in his letter to the Philippians, "I rejoice greatly in the Lord" even though he was imprisoned and surely had distressing circumstances. The real key is to focus on Jesus as we live our daily lives with an eternal perspective. This day let us seek to keep this focus!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Jesus, I rejoice in You as this new day unfolds. This is the day that
You have made and I choose to rejoice and be glad in it. I have
assurance
today that Your way is perfect and Your timing is flawless. Your ways
are higher than any other and Your wisdom far exceeds that of man. You
are a shield for all who come to You for refuge. You arm me with
strength and You perfect my ways. You make my feet like the feet of a
deer and enable me to stand on the heights. You give me Your
shield of victory and sustain me by Your right hand. Therefore I
rejoice in You and praise You Jesus, as You show
Your unfailing love and kindness to me on this blessed day. Amen.
Some photos from our journey to and from church this last Lord's Day.
Yesterday we took this photo on the way to a church service as we passed through the heart of Amish country. We had many colorful scenes of church traffic very unlike what most of you experience on Sunday morning! In this photo it looks like two families joined together for this open air ride.
Two nice summer like country scenes; an old barn and carriage.
The same carriage shown above as we prepared to carefully pass.
After sharing about people's obsession with staring at their cell phones we find these photos refreshing. The children are always looking around often waving at passersby.
Waiting to pass safely.
Kids aren't being entertained in the car by playing a video game or watching a DVD. Instead they have a nice back window view and we in turn get an excellent view of them.
Many watch and wave.
This father is walking with his children (though I would advise him to walk on the other side)!
In the afternoon we took a different route on the way back home and this young man was probably going to a youth gathering maybe on his way to pick up his girlfriend.
We passed lots of young people out walking, mostly barefoot! It doesn't matter the day of the week most walk barefoot.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"This Is The Day" Video
"I'm A Girl [phone] Watcher" Video O'Kaysons For some strange reason this old song from the sixties came to mind as I considered a more common theme for today "I'm a phone watcher"! (This is posted for sentiment not spiritual edification!)
Here's the Wikipedia article on FOMO
Young people use smartphones ‘every other minute'
Here's an interesting article from a secular perspective with this true sub point "It's your life you're missing out on."
Finally today:
We took a different route back through the county in the afternoon when we returned home and passed this schoolhouse. The most important key to meaningful education is contained in that verse!
Finally today (#2):
When I picked Ester up from her work at 9:00PM we followed our neighbor in what I will call a Conestoga buggy!
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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