How Many Times a Day Do You Check Your E-mail?

Part of the reason for my edginess last week was the pressure of a compressed work schedule in anticipation of a conference in NY, NY. I hate to leave the comfort of my cave, but I usually wind up all the better for it. I should be getting back today, so here is a post that I had prepared for last week, but I wound up getting too upset on 10/17/2010 to publish it.

I heard this today as I prayed in silence with friends during lunch break.

"How many times a day do you check your e-mail?"

Not, "How many times a day do I check my e-mail?"

This occurred as I was thinking about the times I have felt God's presence, or seen Jesus' face, heard him whisper in my ear, felt his beard, smelled his breath.

Then I had a fleeting thought about why those times seem so few and far between.

Why doesn't God "pop up" more often? (You've got God!)

Then the voice came...

"How many times a day do you check your e-mail?"

Oops, I have been ignoring You haven't I?

The answer to the question seems obvious, and it is this, "More times than I stop what I am doing, sit down, and seriously pray during the day."

According to AOL's 2008 survey, the average email user in New York checks personal email 4 times per day. Meanwhile, they also check work email over 3 times in a given weekend.

We go to church once a week at best.

I think I will sign off now and compose some e-mails to God. If I keep sending them, He will e-mail me back (Luke 18:1-8) of that I can be sure.

(After  typing this, I checked the lectionary for 10/17/2010, and guess which Gospel lesson popped up?)