Lock Screen Reminders

Been staring at your phone a lot lately?

So have I.

Last week I was on a city bus in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. We were driving along Kamehameha highway, north of Kaneohe alongside one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world on one side and the pristine ocean on the other side. (You already know where this story is going...) From where I stood in the back of the bus, my mind alternated between the beauty of the view out the bus windows, the concern that so many within the bus were staring at a business-card-sized piece of glass in their hand, and my own inexplicable inclination to pull my own phone out of my pocket and do the same thing.

Then I remembered this video below that I had watched a couple of Sunday's earlier with my sweet daughter, Emma. I remembered that at the end of the video the speaker presents two helpful questions technology users can ask themselves to see if they are keeping themselves in check. So I looked them up online, right there on the bus (I felt it was justified since it would only take a couple seconds... - but that's what we say every time we check our phones rather than look at something beautiful though, isn't it?). They are:

 1. Does the use of various technologies and media invite or impede the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost in your life?

 2. Does the time you spend using various technologies and media enlarge or restrict your capacity to live, to love, and to serve in meaningful ways?

And then I got this idea. If I had those questions right there on my lock screen, I bet it would give me enough pause to prove that I am indeed stronger than my phone, and help me make the best choice.

So I did it. I went home and got on Illustrator and used my b-class skills to put together a simple PNG that I now have on my phone.

Now I've got the idea that you might want to join the fun and start "seeing more mountains" again. I've created this blog post to serve as a home for the iterations on this theme that I (and you!) create. So, pin away, and enjoy. You too are stronger than your phone :)

If you want to contribute a design to be posted here, just shoot it to me in an email: markianmac@gmail.com
 

First shot.

sized for iPhone 4S running iOS7

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Day 2: 1 Nephi chapters 5, 6, and 7

So I guess I got a chapter ahead yesterday. That was nice because I'm very sleepy this morning, and not sure that I got as much out of my reading as I might have with more sleep. But I'm being consistent, and I think that's important. 

Thoughts:

- Nephi's mom uses language in 1 Nephi 5:8 that is very similar to the language Nephi uses in the famous verse 1 Nephi 3:7 - "I know of a surety that the Lord hath ... given (my sons) power whereby they could accomplish the thing which the Lord hath commanded them." It's a tribute to the influence of motherhood. 

- the word "preserve" has now shown up a number of times (3:19-20; 5:14; 5:21). There seems to be a pattern that the Lord preserves the scriptures to preserve an individual so that individual can help preserve a family (parents and children).

- the idea that you need to be faithful in order to receive God's promise blessings showed up again today (7:12-13)

Day 1: 1 Nephi Chapters 1-4

This is awesome! I'm really excited for this project.

Today was my first day, and I began with First Nephi chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4. I am using a red pen for acts of faith and obedience. I am using an orange pan for things that either are or resemble repentance. I am using a blue pen for things that seem to be related to baptism or making a covenant. I'm using a yellow pen to mark the blessings of the Lord that come in response to obedience, repentance, and covenant making. I am using a green pen for things related to enduring to the end or perseverance. And I am using a purple pen to mark how prophet-leaders teach others to come unto Christ, especially family members.

Thoughts:

- "Goodly parents" teach. That's what they do. They invite their children to come unto Christ: "I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord."

- Faith and action precede the blessing: "As he prayed" and "as he read," "there came a pillar of fire" and "he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord."

- Those who "come unto (Christ)" are not suffered to perish, but are "chosen" and are "(made) mighty even unto the power of deliverance."

- The record (or, scriptures) was obtained to help them "preserve," or endure faithfully. 

- Faith and sacrifice are linked. They had to travel, lose their money (3:22-26), and almost lose their lives to fulfill faithfully the commandments of God. It was a bit of a test before the Lord "delivered Laban into (his) hands" (4:17). 

- I will always love 1 Nephi 4:6-7. These verses touch and inspire my heart each time I read them: "I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. NEVERTHELESS I WENT FORTH." Movimenta-se!

2013 Summer Book of Mormon Reading Effort

So, this summer I plan to read the entire Book of Mormon between tomorrow, May 30th through me and Jess' anniversary August 19th. 

This year I'm going to focus on studying about faith, repentance, baptism, the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. I have soft-back hard-copy of the Book that I'm going to mark with five different colors. Should be cool. 

I'll record daily on this blog my thoughts from the day's study. 

Ready, go!

I'm Live!

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