Unplugging For One Week

Starting today (see author's note below) I'll be gone for a week--both physically and digitally. My family is heading on vacation and then I'll be going from there to speak at a women's retreat (in Peru, no less!).

Our weeklong vacation has been much anticipated. In this season we have been bi-vocational. That means we've had two jobs: we are missionaries serving with Pioneers International and we are also church planters in Parker, Colorado. It has been a joy, for sure, but one that has kept us going at a pretty fast pace. Some rest will be wonderful. 

Our roles (overseas missions, local church plant, writing, homeschooling, yada yada) keep us online a lot. Both my husband and I are connected to our devices for most of the day. We work via the internet, I write via the internet, we gather resources for our church and kids via the internet. It is ever-present. You and I both know that's a bad thing. 

So we are unplugging. We are taking Andy Crouch's advice and we are completely unplugging for an entire week. He says all families should unplug for one hour a day, one day a week, and one week a year. So here goes my one week a year!

When we arrive at our vacation destination, we will put our phones on airplane mode and throw them in the closet. This was my husband's idea and I have to admit--while it sounds doable as a I type, I've been worried about it for weeks. I am online a lot. I think it's going to be difficult for me. 

Here's how the next week is going to look: 

• No social media or internet surfing. No Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Safari. 
• No email or message checking. 
• No computer is going with us. 
• The only capability my phone will have is as an actual phone. I will check it one time each evening (I do have an elderly father and one adult daughter back home, so checking the phone once a day is a must, as our accommodations don't have one). 

I'll see you in a week, friends! I'll check in from Peru, Lord willing, and I'll be sure to share the results from this unplugged week. I'm pretty sure it will be blessing once I stop itching from the shock of being disconnected. 

In the meantime, if you're curious about how your phones and constant connectability are affecting you and your family, check out these books. 

Author's note: I originally posted this on November 8, 2017. Within minutes my husband said something like, "You're going to tell the world that we're out of town and that our house is empty? No." And so I deleted it. He had a point! The results from my weeklong media break will be forthcoming in another blog post. Spoiler alert: it was a great break.