So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Romans 12:1 (MSG)

This weekend I was laid out with the flu. So, I watched a lot of television. Since DVR technology allows Wendy and me to fast forward through the commercial breaks of all our favorite shows, I was struck by all of the commercials I was forced to watch with live television. I was amazed at the sheer number of ads for phones and gadgets, and I was struck by the common theme of how they claim they will make our lives easier, more streamlined, and more whole. We can communicate faster and more efficiently, they tell us, thus the gadget will make our lives better.

As I sat fighting off bouts of nausea and chills, I thought about all of the claims. My experience is that technology has often made my life more fractured. Things that once had a dedicated time and place in my mind and schedule now have access to me 24/7/365. I can’t concentrate on one task without being beeped, buzzed, or reminded by pop-up of another task requiring my attention. The conversation I’m having with one person is interrupted by a text, IM, or tweet from another person.

I’m not bashing technology, which I appreciate and use to my advantage on a daily basis (like not having to watch commercials). I don’t, however, want to be blind to how it affects me and my life. When I read the beginning of today’s chapter, I asked myself how all of this is affecting my relationship with God. Am I more connected with God on a day-by-day basis and in deeper relationship, or am I more distracted? If my daily life is supposed to be an offering to God, what’s the quality of that offering?

Today, like most days, I have a lot more questions than answers. Nevertheless, God, here I am. Me, and my day, are yours.

Wait. Hold on a sec. I just got a text.