Live a quiet life and work with your hands.

(1 Thessalonians 4:11)

I often find myself thinking about the days when life was simpler . I miss the days before computers, cell phones, and tablets became the main attraction in homes. Life revolved around home and family then, and nobody spent the entire day and night staring at a cell phone screen.

I’m thankful I lived my younger years in a world without all the modern technology we have today. Those days were not always stress free, and life was still hard at times, but life was simpler and more enjoyable in many ways. Families spent more quality time together because there were no distractions from technology.

I feel a little sad for the younger generation of women growing up in the midst of the technology explosion. They may never experience the simple joys of life. The only world they may know is the one that resides inside their phones, tablets, or computers.

Technology is good in many ways and I’m grateful for it.  Without my computer and iPad, I would be working in a stuffy office cubicle somewhere instead of my comfortable home office. I wouldn’t have the privilege of working outside on my front porch when the weather is nice and watching the birds while I write.  Technology enables me to communicate with friends and family across the world on a regular basis, and it’s a wonderful ministry tool for sharing prayer requests and presenting the gospel to those who don’t know Christ.

I’m certainly not suggesting we should go back to our pre-computer days, but maybe we can strike a healthy balance between the good old days and the distraction of modern technology. We don’t have to be on our cell phones checking social media all day. We don’t have to check our email 24 hours a day. Maybe we need to make time for some of the old-fashioned things that are fun and rewarding and still appreciate the wonders of modern technology.

What are your favorite non-technology things to do? Why not choose to do just one this week and then do another one next week. Take a technology break and see how good it feels to live life instead of watching everyone else’s life online.

A few of my favorite non-technology things to do are:

Hanging laundry outside to dry

Hanging laundry outside on a sunny day is the ultimate stress relief for me. The only thing better is watching the clothes, sheets, and towels blow in the breeze the rest of the day. The ultimate pleasure? Crawling in bed at the end of a busy day and falling asleep on sheets that were dried in the sunshine and smell like the outdoors. Bliss!

Making homemade bread

There’s something about the process of making bread that soothes the soul. Whether you use a bread machine or make it the old-fashioned way, baking bread is rewarding. I love kneading the dough by hand because it’s a perfect way to relieve stress, and who doesn’t love the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven? The only thing better than the tantalizing smell of bread baking is smearing a thick slice of warm-from-the-oven bread with lots of real butter and eating it warm.

Handwriting letters and sending cards 

Unfortunately, hand-written letters and cards are nearly extinct in our world today. I still have every handwritten letter and card my husband wrote me when he was in the Marines and away on deployments. I have every letter and card my grandmother and mother wrote when I was a young military wife living far from home.  Reading them always brings a smile to my face just like it did the first day I received them. I still remember the excitement of finding a hand-written letter in the mailbox from a loved one or friend.

My husband, mom, and grandmother are gone but their unique handwriting and words live on through their cards and letters. Their letters remind me of things that happened in the family that I have since forgotten. It was not unusual for mom or grandma to enclose a special recipe in their letters. My favorite one is a 13-page letter mom wrote when I was a new bride preparing my first Thanksgiving meal for my husband and his Marine friends. She gave me detailed instructions on how to prepare every dish from the turkey to the pumpkin pie.

The cards and letters from my husband are a priceless reminder of the love we once shared.  Our family was created out of that love. Although life didn’t turn out like I planned, and I lost my husband way too soon, I’m grateful God allowed me to experience romance, love, and marriage.

I still enjoy writing letters and sending cards. Text messages and emails will never compare to the treasure of cards and letters penned by our loved ones in their own special handwriting.

Staying at home

There’s something refreshing about not having any place to go and just staying home.  I love days when I have no outside obligations or appointments.  I put on my favorite old comfortable jeans and a tee shirt. Simply working around the house and the yard feels good.

I think most everyone would benefit from more time spent at home. Being on the run constantly is exhausting and stressful. We don’t need to be entertained or be attending events all the time. Staying home allows families the time to bond and share meals together. Just sitting in the backyard relaxing can be the perfect way to spend an evening.

Reading a real book

Although I use my iPad for reading at times, there’s nothing like a real book. I prefer a thick novel, and I love the smell of old library books. Reading books can be a healthy way to escape from the world. It’s fun to enter into the lives of characters you grow to love so much that you hate to see the book end. There’s just something about holding a real book in your hands and getting lost in a story.

Stepping away from technology for a few hours and participating in the simple things in life is a good way to refresh and recharge. What non-technical activity will you do this week?