Sunday of the Fourth Week of Lent

I spent about an hour yesterday fighting with my computer so it would let me connect to the internet. Apparently having MacAfee anti-virus on my computer turned off the Windows anti-virus software, which confused Cisco who thought I had no anti-virus software. In the end I had to uninstall MacAfee, change the settings of Windows Defender, uninstall and reinstall Cisco, and restart my computer about five or six times.

            My point here is not to complain about my computer problems, but to look at how I handled them. I realize that I’ve been thinking about time a lot lately, and I think my posts reflect this, but I was astounded by the fact that I spent about an hour with my computer just trying to get on the internet because I wanted to watch Netflix. Parade Day tired me out and I wanted some time with How I Met Your Mother and the episode of New Girl I still hadn’t watched from two or three weeks ago. As I sat on my couch and realized how invested I was in my internet access, I couldn’t remember the last time I got so invested in something else.         

            My ability to study for a test runs out after about forty-five minutes; my paper writing attention span is spotty at best until the night before something is due; and when it comes to day-to-day work, well, it doesn’t take a lot to derail me from reading. When I sit down to pray, which usually happens late at night because I spend all day procrastinating or playing catch-up, I can only manage a few minutes before I’m dozing off in the middle of my centering mantra.

            I’m not that busy of a person, so I can’t even attempt play the too busy for prayer or friends or family card and I think that while God may not have been meddling with my computer or Cisco he may have been speaking to me in the aftermath and asking me: How am I using my time? I know I spend a lot of it clicking around the internet or watching Netflix (specifically The West Wing so at least its quality television but still) or playing with my phone. I know I have enough time to see everyone and talk to God and go to class and squeeze in an episode of television at the end, I just have to use it for what matters instead of what doesn’t.

            So my challenge or question for you lovely readers is: how are you using your time? And does any of your time usage need to change?

            --Katie R. ‘13