A Life of Upgrades and Updates

I’ll never forget the time when my phone had to update and I wasn’t happy about it.

For some reason, it didn’t “update” when it was supposed to, at like 3am, and I woke up to all these failed attempts, telling me I needed to update now. So, I hit the “install update” button and it seemed like it took an eternity to update. Truly though. I think something was up with our internet. I kept checking my phone, seeing if it was done, because I had to get on with my life. And to this day, that moment is etched into my mind as a “are you serious Kristin” moment.

I sheepishly tell that story, not for humor, but I hope you see the utter ugly dependence I had on my phone. I “upgraded” to an iPhone from my S4 a little over a year ago, and though I do love the change, it has made me think much about our culture. Our constantly go and do culture. Our upgrade and update-filled culture. Our striving and competing culture, just to get ahead.

Have you ever thought about breaking the mold? Of doing something out of the ordinary? Not to make a statement, but to step out of the expected and do the unexpected? I’m not necessarily talking about getting rid of your smartphone or living like a hermit in the middle of nowhere, but I’m talking about breaking the mold in your OWN life. And I’ll be the first to say, I have many molds I need to break.

It is incredibly easy to fall into the trap of updates, upgrades, and make our lives depend on them. Like my phone. I’ll admit, Dan and I aren’t ones to update and upgrade quickly for various reasons (we drive vehicles that are an 2004 and 2006 and we LOVE them…just watch this video about my love of vans (not sure if everyone will be able to view this)). Anyways, but if I’m honest, the lure is ALWAYS there. Update our phones. Upgrade to something nicer and newer – all in the name of keeping up with the culture and the times.

But the more I think about upgrades and updates, the more it completely stresses me out because there IS NO END. No one has EVER, I mean EVER “arrived.” There is always something newer out there. There is always an upgrade or an update to make. I saw a commercial and thought this is enough, Kristin! Don’t fall into the crap trap. What I mean is getting all of this stuff isn’t going to make me happier. I can keep searching and buying, but it will get me absolutely nowhere, except wanting more and being less contented.

I would say I do enjoy living a simple life, but the lure and instant gratification is always there. But when I am I going to break my OWN mold? The mold of having to keep up with everything in life, like keeping up on Facebook? Keeping up on Instagram? Keeping up on updating this? Keeping up on upgrading that? How many phone calls do you get about upgrading to the next credit card or phone service (we still have a landline, so maybe we get a few more calls)?

I want to break my own mold and slow down from constantly having to update my own life with what’s going on around me in the social media world. Like not checking my phone as frequently!

I want to break my own mold and start picking up my Bible more and my phone less. I want to break my own mold and just sit and be, instead of going and doing. I want to break my own mold and not think about what else we need, but what else we can get rid of or give away.

What am I investing my time, money, and energy into, that doesn’t have an eternal and lasting return? Where and what can I change my investments of time in? And in turn, fill those gaps with life-filling and God-filling things?

The lure will always be there. But how will we break the mold in our own lives? When is enough, enough? Let that be a conversation you have with God, not me. For each, this looks different. But all I ask is that you think about how easy it is to fall into the crap trap, without looking to the one, our God, who is the generous giver of all good things. We have so much to be thankful for, but it often is never enough. Choose to let it BE enough.