You’ve Been Warned

Monitoring Your Eyeballs

I need to remember to do this. And if you’re reading this on a monitor, so should you.

Reduce Computer-Caused Eye Strain with the 20-20-20 Rule

Repetitive stress injury RSI and eye strain are common ailments among computer users, and there’s no silver bullet for avoiding them beyond taking regular breaks to relax. Following his doctor’s advice, tech blogger Amit Agarwal suggests a simple 20-20-20 rule.

To help you deal with this problem, the 20-20-20 rule suggest that after every 20 minutes, you the computer user should take a break for at least 20 seconds and look at objects that are 20 feet away from you.

“Rule suggests” — isn’t that so…modern?

No wonder people treat the 55 mph rule as a suggestion and not a…well…rule.

But in the case of the 20-20-20 rule, I’m glad it’s only a suggestion. Otherwise, I need to be punished.

Well, that aside, apparently there are eyeball-rolling exercises to help eyestrain. But they shouldn’t be done just anywhere.

We Spoil Them Instead

“You don’t spank children today.”
—Judge Jose Longoria

Longer ago, someone much wiser than Judge Longoria wrote:

“Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.”
–Proverbs 13:24

Mr. Longoria, today we need to return to that wisdom from long ago, that wisdom from above.

I recommend for your online reading: Five Pointers for Disciplining Children

And here are some books for your consideration:

Woe to the parent who abuses a child under the guise of discipline!

Too Narrow to Hide

Can I hide my sin behind a hypocrite?

behind fence postWe humans have a disposition to hide behind the failings and shortcomings of another.

That is, we try to.

It really is a dumb effort.

But we’re still prone to try it.

Somehow, we seem to think another’s flaw provides us with the flawless excuse.

Another’s gossip and evil surmisings are too narrow to hide my vengeful thoughts or fight-fire-with-fire speech.

Someone’s hypocrisy is too narrow to hide my apostasy.

Another’s wrong is too narrow to hide my unforgiveness. In fact, my own hurt at another’s misdeed is too narrow to hide my unforgiving spirit. Read it all

Quiet, Silent Drowning

Yesterday I posted an urgent-must-read piece about drowning in water.

The take-away lesson: Not all people who are drowning look like they are drowning.

The same applies to other kinds of drowning.

  • Drowning in debt
  • Drowning in despair
  • Drowning in doubt
  • Drowning in delinquency
  • Drowning in …

They can no longer help themselves.

Nor can they reach out for someone else’s help.

And they even seem incapable of crying out.

Might someone near you be drowning … and you don’t realize their mortal danger?

When you do realize they’re drowning, will you rescue them?

May God sharpen my vision, increase my awareness, and deepen my compassion.

When Freedom Feels Like a Void

I read this article yesterday. It’s sad, really.

Years ago, I was a Sunday school teacher. Attended church every week. Read the King James Bible for fun. Believed as much as I could, as sincerely as I could.

Then I moved to Portland, an unchurched city in one of the nation’s least religious states, and joined the ranks of people who don’t regularly attend services and barely know where to start. I don’t miss it much…

Suddenly, the blessed freedom of living in an unchurched city feels more like a void.Read it all

Be Careful in Sonora and Sinaloa

I learned a few minutes ago (thanks, Google Alerts!) that, as of yesterday, there’s a new travel warning for Mexico. (Sonora is of particular interest to me partly because I share responsibility for some people there.) Here are some portions of the travel warning, followed by a link to full deal, which includes sections addressing other states:

The Department of State has issued this Travel Warning to inform U.S. citizens traveling to and living in Mexico about the security situation in Mexico.

[…]

Millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year, including more than 150,000 who cross the border every day for study, tourism or business and at least one million U.S. citizens who live in Mexico. The Mexican government makes a considerable effort to protect U.S. citizens and other visitors to major tourist destinations.

[…]

There is no evidence that U.S. tourists have been targeted by criminal elements due to their citizenship. Nonetheless, while in Mexico you should be aware of your surroundings at all times and exercise particular caution in unfamiliar areas.

[…]

Due to ongoing violence and persistent security concerns, you are urged to defer non-essential travel to the states of Tamaulipas and Michoacán, and to parts of the states of Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi and Jalisco. Details on these locations, and other areas in which travelers should exercise caution, are below. Read it all

Above all, love God!
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