Pure Angst

The modern world has its new anxieties.  One of the chief is finding myself without a cell phone in hand.  In all the months in the USA, I had instant access to everyone I wanted to talk to.  I haven't had one since getting back to Nairobi -- but NO COMPLAINTS.  I am working to live my life without complaining.  But back to cell phones - before we left Nairobi, we went to the phone company and asked them to set our plan so that our phones would no be deactivated even though they were unused for several months.  They agreed and entered it into the computer.  But...of course both our phones were deactivated.  So we drove into the city and went to the office, waited in line, then found out that their system for reactivating lines is out of commission for a while.  The technician took a friend's phone number, wrote down the deactivated numbers, and promised to call and let us know whether the lines were still available.  But...of course no call.  Now it's the weekend, and we have to wait until at least Monday before we can go back and try again.

  I'm trying to living without complaining...when I conquer this, I will need to work on NO ANXIETY!  Over the years we work on our anxieties and are able to overcome them with God's help.  And then new anxieties appear, prompted by the very things we love most about the modern world.  "Cast all your cares on Jesus" is one of the standards by which we live, but every new thing in our lives brings a new challenge to our life of peace.  

  At least I had the internet chip in a phone and could do email and access the world that way.  It doesn't work with Skype for phone calls, but it works for communication.  Isn't it amazing how used we have become to instant communications with everyone?  The internet and the cell phone have become wonderful tools for missionaries, and we value them highly.  

  Still, the most important task as a missionary is to share the life of Christ with others, to train and encourage others to serve the mission.  The cell phone and the internet can aid that, but cannot replace the personal touch.  So, living without complaining and living without anxiety are more important than having technology working the way we want it.  The conclusion is that, since living without anxiety is more important than getting a working cell phone, I must turn loose of anxiety about not having a cell phone in my hand. 

  How's that for logic?  Now to make it so...