Going Viral

John 4:11: "...from whence then hast thou that living water?"

It's been a long time since I've had unlimited internet service. Yesterday, as part of my excitement, I went surfing for some 'free software.' Leave it to me to click on one, innocent-looking link and invite adware and malware to abruptly and completely infest my mom's computer.

Of course, as I battled the uninvited guests through manual searches, virus-detecting software, and an eventual system restore, I recognized a grand lesson. Sometimes, I allow myself to let my guard down around a spiritual weakness I know I have. When I let down that drawbridge of sorts, in taking 'just one drink,' more often than not, I find myself sliding all the way back down to the depths I'd plumbed during the battle I'd fought before. Yes, it is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that I can erase and remove the sin for good, as the system restore eventually removed the virus, but my life would have been a lot more productive and fulfilling yesterday if I wasn't working so hard at trying to overcome that past error. My life is always more productive and fulfilling when I never have to fight the same fight all over again.

Mom and Dad and I went on a hike of sorts up in Northern Oregon yesterday, visiting some of the natural waterfalls. We went all the way up to the top of one to see what the water sees right before it begins its descent. Along the way, we passed a couple of what looked like Tibetan Monks, one of whom was carrying an iPad. We were still boggling over that by the time we reached our destination.

I was again impressed by the little things that God has given us here on this earth. A waterfall really is a simple thing, if you think about it, but this place was packed, with people of all sorts coming to take in the sight. Of course, the park had franchised the whole thing, with hot dogs, fudge, wolf statues, and a fancy restaurant nestled at the base of the falls, but, to me, that was more evidence that people are still willing to really breathe in what God left us here, to invest in that which seems so underappreciated nowadays. Instead of staying home, watching TV, surfing the web, or playing Angry Birds, people were getting up on their feet on a Friday afternoon, no less, to go walk up and down a mountain. That's really it. I don't know that very many people were up there seeking anything but nature's sensory candy, from the lush vegetation to the spray to the fresh air ... and that was enough for me. If I can master the ability to unplug, then I imagine my connection with God will be all the more founded.