Summer Smartphone Sabbath

There’s an old familiar song from composer George Gershwin that might serve to motivate you to take some action related to social media and smartphones if you’re heading out with your family for vacation in the coming weeks. The song is called “Summertime” and it was written ninety years ago for the opera “Porgy and Bess.” There’s one line from “Summertime” that starts echoing in my head every year when the calendar flips to July. “It’s summertime, and the living is easy” goes the song. But I’m not sure we’re too successful these days in our efforts to find much-needed rest and relaxation. One barrier is how tethered we’ve become to our phones. This is the case not only for our kids, but for us as adults too. So, here’s a strategy for increasing your chances for rest and relaxation this summer. Why not power down the phones and stay off social media so that you can focus your attention on the other members of your family? God has made us for rest and relationships!