Related
Learn more about Bursting Your Bubble: A Relationship Revolution

Family Bonding: Eat Together
It’s hard for me to forget about dinner. My thirteen year-old daughter, Alyssa, poses the same question daily. “What are we having for dinner?” she asks, usually in the early afternoon. Her inquiry makes me think, because I can tell that the answer is important to her. After I tell her what’s on the evening menu, she goes about her day with calm assurance. Eating dinner together regularly provides more than good nutrition; it enables family members to share their days with each other, relax, laugh, discuss social issues and strengthen family relationships. Read more

Take action: As the summer comes to a close and school season looms, is your relationship with your significant other feeling the pressure? Try our Dealing with Demands online interactive life lesson to get things back on track.

You said it: This week, Jess commented on When You’ve Got That Ugly Fat Feeling, saying “Thank you to Karen Schenk, after reading article “When You’ve Got That Ugly Fat Feeling”, it was very inspiring.” Read the article and add your own thoughts: Read more

Blog: Try a Photo Scavenger Hunt
If you’re looking for a great way to get people laughing at a family reunion or other large group meeting, try a photo scavenger hunt. Read more

Video: Connecting Through Technology
In today’s Street Level video, we asked you: How do you keep digitally connected? Read more

Coming up next week: One of the topics of our upcoming online chats is “Right Living in an Immoral World” Join us in the chat room August 18th 2009 @ 4:00pm EST for this chat or see also our full chat calendar for other upcoming topics.

It hasn’t been all positive press for Amazon’s Kindle, however: “Recently Kindle owners who had purchased George Orwell’s 1984 or Animal Farm had their books snatched back by Amazon when a rights issue arose. The buyers were credited their $9.99, but such a recall could never have happened with actual books.” (NPR)

The irony of retracting Orwell’s book should be apparent to anyone familiar with it. I also wonder if the name Kindle was chosen to pronounce the death of traditional print media, with paper books becoming “kindling”. I don’t think the world is ready for that to happen though. I consider the Kindle to be an interesting product, but I find its cost to be prohibitive ($299 or $489 depending on the model, with electronic books costing nearly as much as their print counterparts) and I’m not ready to give up my usual paper books quite yet.

Do you own a Kindle or other eBook reader? Do you think eBooks will eventually replace paper books?

Related reading
Books that changed geeks’ lives
Why should I read a 2000 year old book?
Bet you didn’t know it was a book about relationships

Facing AIDS with Hope Statistics indicate that 50% of youth under the age of 15 in South Africa will die within the next 10 years. Every day 7,000 new HIV infections occur in people aged 10-24. I decided that I couldn’t just sit and do nothing. We decided to team up to educate ourselves on the AIDS pandemic in Africa. This research lead to taking a group of students on a short term trip to South Africa where I was approached by a local social action group to join in the work they were doing. Read more

Take action: Everyone harbors feelings of bitterness from time to time. What about you? Why not try our Escaping the Root of Bitterness online interactive life lesson?

You said it: This week, Michelle commented on Romancing Your Wife, saying “I agree… but what are the men thinking about this?… is it too forward to email this to my husband?” Read the article, add your own thoughts, and maybe forward it to your significant other: Read more

Blog: Gadgets on a Plane – Are you packing?
Gadgets are always a great idea but with the ever decreasing rules for carry-ons, you need to choose wisely. Read more

Video: Tips for Getting Through Airport Security
Are you tired of the long lineups to get through airport security? Watch this video for tips on how to get through airport security more quickly. Read more

Coming up next week: One of the topics of our upcoming online chats is “Cultivating Goodness” Join us in the chat room August 13th 2009 @ 9:30pm EST for this chat or see also our full chat calendar for other upcoming topics.

Commercial flights aren’t as comfortable as they used to be.

As with any flight, there are ways to make your experience a bit better. You just need to come prepared.  Gadgets are always a great idea but with the ever decreasing rules for carry-ons, you need to choose wisely.  With your sanity and survival in mind, Shaun Smith offers up the 10 best gadgets to have on a flight.

More for people who are going places:
Now that you’re traveling in style, do you know where your life is going?
Where do we go from here?

The edges of the screen are fuzzy and peaceful looking. The seats are appropriately spaced. People tilt their seats back with a smile (and with plenty of room on both sides). Children are sitting cross-legged in their seats with their safety belt fastened perfectly around their little waists. The airplane swooshes gently into a sky laden with puffy clouds.

Welcome to your flight.

I am relaxed by the in-flight commercial, until my knee bumps the chair in front of me and jiggles the screen (and a fellow passenger, sorry!). I wish I was as short as the people in the safety video. As the flight gets longer, my already insufficient leg room shrinks. The person in front of me decides to play a cruel joke and tilt his seat back to take away what precious room I have left. And then the child two rows over decides that now would be a good time to test out her singing ability.

But there is a moment, when I get my satisfaction.

The beverage cart comes around, and I order a can. I’ve noticed that when you order a can of anything, they give you the full can. Not just a small cup, but an entire drink all to yourself. Insignificant as it may seem, it is my one moment of bliss.

Welcome to my flight.

As with any flight, there are ways to make your experience a bit better. You just need to come prepared. With your sanity and survival in mind, I offer up the best 10 gadgets to have on a flight.

#10 – The Neck Pillow
Sure, it’s not really a gadget in technical terms. But after watching Lord of the Rings for three hours straight, trust me, you will thank me. Your mini DVD player does not double well as a pillow. A neck pillow will help keep you from sleeping on your neighbor’s shoulder (which means you might actually get to sleep) and guarantees that you won’t spend the next few hours working the kink out of your neck.

#9 – Cell phone
This is a great gadget to have on the plane…so you can put it away! Nothing is more annoying than someone trying to talk on a cell phone above the noise of the plane. So please, set your ringer to quiet, text to your heart’s content, and realize that your conversations are much more enriching when you’re not sharing them with the three rows in front of you.

#8 – Charger
Some airlines come equipped with a standard plug-in for all of your gadgetry. Bring along a charger just in case. Instead of hoping that you have just one more minute of battery life left (and three hours of flying), you’ll be able to keep your devices fresh. (And you’ll be able to finish your Rocky marathon!)

#7 – iPod
Tired of your music? Download an audio book in advance of your flight. If that doesn’t entertain you, try out a few new podcasts. They’re a great way to learn about something new and pass the time. Just make sure you charge the battery before you board. Or better yet, bring item #8.

#6 – DVD Player
What better way to spend the flight than to catch up on a few movies? If you’re riding with a friend, bring an adaptor (or buy a DVD player with several headphone ports). They’re not too expensive and they make the hours fly by. Several airports offer DVD rentals and a few major hubs have kiosks where you can rent a player to take with you.

#5 – Tooth Brush
Again, it’s not technically a gadget (unless its electric). But if you’re stuck on a long flight, there is nothing better than spending a few minutes stretching out and brushing your teeth. Not only will it help you feel refreshed, but it’ll make your drool smell a little bit nicer when you fall asleep without your neck pillow.

#4 – Portable Gaming System
Just like their full-sized cousins, a portable gaming system offers hours of entertainment. But don’t get too carried away when you finally rescue the princess from the angry dragon. (Space is limited.) If you’re intent on doing this for a few hours, you may want to cart along another set of batteries, just in case! (That handy charger works here too.)

#3 – A bottle for water
Chances are the small shot of water they give you from the beverage tray will help…for the next ten minutes. Carry on a small bottle of water to help keep you hydrated. You’ll be so happy that you’ll forget this isn’t technically a gadget.

#2 – Laptop
This is probably the best gadget to have on a plane — provided you’re not spill-prone. If you’ve got a laptop, make sure it is charged (or see #8) and bring your favorite movies or games along (or, if you must, get some work done).

#1 – Headphones
This is the greatest invention known to airlines (and probably the reason they charge you $5 to buy them). Headphones have the potential to make or break your flight experience. Loud child two rows back? You’ve got the solution. A set of compact, noise-canceling headphones will allow you to drift away from the fact that you are crammed into a small seat beside frazzled parents with screaming babies and behind the man who tilted his chair back.

With these gadgets on hand you’re all set to enjoy your flight! Just remember, ask for the full can.

-Shaun Smith

Is Your Family Ready for a Pet?
So, you’re thinking about opening your home, and your heart, to a new family member. And that is exactly what a new pet will become, an official member of the family. While this is certainly a very exciting decision, it is also one that carries a lot of weight with it. Picking a lifetime companion is an important decision making process that should not be overlooked or made hastily. Is your lifestyle pet-friendly? Read more

Take action: Feel like your life is becoming nothing but a series of demands? Explore our newly updated Dealing with Demands online interactive life lesson.

You said it: This week, jessie commented on College Sex&Love: What Men Want, saying “I have to say i absolutely loved your theory for the given topic!! It was personal, yet you remained uninvolved. Informative yet left one thinking.” Read the article and add your own thoughts: Read more

Article: Simple Ways to Energize your Summer
Try a few of these easy ideas that work for any body and remember how much fun summer can be. Read more

Video: Apple Reveals its Latest Tech @ WWDC
Find out what rumored improvements came true, and what pleasant surprises Apple has in store for their fans. Read more

Coming up next week: One of the topics of our upcoming online chats is “Can Anyone Really Know God?” Join us in the chat room June 14th 2009 @ 9:00pm EST for this chat or see also our full chat calendar for other upcoming topics.

Check the Apple website for more information on their new products.
Watch this video for tips on how to get good deals on tech gadgets.

Related reading: Success vs. Significance – With John Kang, President and CEO, of two multi-billion dollar companies

“Your Father knows what you need before you ask.” Matthew 6:8

Email, instant messaging, ICQ, MSN, chat rooms, teleconferencing! Technology has enabled us to meet and talk to people all over the world … instantly.

Just 15 years ago when one of our daughters was in Kenya for a one – year missions project, it took three weeks for our letters to arrive in her mailbox. How times have changed!

Stop and think about it. You have got to be amazed at the speed of communications today.

But even more amazing is the fact that God knows and hears our prayers even before we think about them or open our mouths. He even knows what we could have said and didn’t, how our prayers will be answered, how we will respond to the answer.

Technology is God’s idea. He wants us to use it to help reach and teach people to worship Him. We all can do it. Why, a friend told me about an 80 – year – man who is leading people to Christ in the chat rooms.

God is so great! Let’s worship Him today! He is worthy of our awe and praise.

“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit or stand. When far away You know my every thought. You chart my path ahead of me, and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment, You know where I am. You know what I am going to say before I even say it.” (Psalm 139:1-4)

Question: What prayer requests do you need to bring before God today?

About this Author: Katherine J. Kehler

Are you on Facebook or Twitter? Where do you draw the line when it comes to privacy on the internet?

There’s More:

Seeking real connection in a virtual world
On the blog: Technology you can’t live without