Pre-game: The Internet!?!

We decided to get rid of our internet.  When we first had it hooked up we got a special introductory price of $19.99 per month…not a bad deal.  After six months it returned to its regular price of $53.99…unacceptable.  I called the company to see what kind of deals they  could offer us and we ended up getting it for about $30 for another six months.  Our bill arrived the other day with the new price of $53.99 on it…and we made a decision.  We decided that it would be good for us to get rid of the internet to go along with our New Year plan of simplifying our lives.  Not only would it save us money each month, it would help us, specifically me, to refocus my time and attention on more important things (say, our kids or our Lord!).  So far, this internet loss has proven to be more difficult than expected!  I still have internet on my cell phone, but it is hard to write emails or messages on Facebook via “swype”.  It is also harder to check the news, which may end up being a good thing for Justin as it is a time consumer of his; it is harder to keep in touch with friends and family in an easy way; it is harder to watch movies (for free) when we want to just chill; it is harder to find a last-minute recipe for dinner.  It is also quite difficult to blog when one does not have the internet!  Thus, I am blogging in Microsoft Word and posting my days whenever I get access to a free wi-fi spot, which will probably only happen on a weekly basis. 

Overall, getting rid of our internet was a great way to start the new year.  It truly does simplify things.  It reduces the amount of energy we are using in our household (since we no longer need a router and modem plugged in), it reduces wasted time (on things like blogs and news sites), it allows our cash to flow more smoothly throughout the month, it forces us to use other means in communicating with friends and family, thus nurturing deeper connections with those we care about. 

I’m so excited for this year.  I love that our “resolution”, if you will, is spread out and not going to get dropped in a few weeks.  It is a complete change in lifestyle and an ongoing process that we are both committed to.  I think it will last much longer than this year as well.  Thank you Kelly family for inspiring us!  Thank you God for convicting our hearts.  Thank you reader for following along with us in this journey to become less stuff-focused and more God-focused!