Day 315 - A Webby First

The children were home from school today because it is Veteran's Day.  Laura had to go to the dentist with a toothache. This afternoon I announced to Hannah Grace and Joel that they were going to help me do a "first." I offered several ideas but also took suggestions from the floor.  Hannah Grace wanted me to adopt a pet on Webkinz. If you are not familiar with Webkinz, you can buy a stuffed animal that has a code on it at a store and then go to the Webkinz website and "adopt" your pet. You have to go the Webkinz website, join, enter your code, and so forth.  I didn't really want to adopt a pet on Webkinz.  Joel was not really for this either. Hannah Grace was really for it and said I had agreed to do this one day.  I think I actually did agree to that one day.  I adopted a pet on Webkinz for my "first."

We had a few Webkinz stuffed animals that Laura had found on sale at a store somewhere.  Hannah Grace and Joel found them and lined them up for me to choose one.  I chose the frog.  The robin was a close second.  Joel sort of swayed me a bit; he really liked the frog.  Then, I went to the Webkinz site and Hannah Grace helped me to adopt my pet. They asked me to name my pet. So, I have a frog named Flash.  I can even print out a birth certificate if I want to do so. I have not wanted to do so yet. There are a lot of things you can do on the Webkinz site.  You can decorate your pet's house, feed your pet, dress your pet, take your pet to the park, etc.  I'm pretty sure I will not take advantage of even half of the opportunities my pet is offered.  My pet has an undecorated house that he is sitting in naked (does a frog need clothes)  probably wanting some food.

I did play a few games.  The funnest thing I did was to play a game with Joel and Hannah Grace. One of them would get on Laura's computer and log into their Webkinz site. I would log on to my site and we could play games against each other.  That was the best part of it for me.  Having fun with my children is always a good thing.  I do feel a little sorry for my pet. His future outlook is not very bright for having fun and getting new things.

It is easy to spend a lot of time on these virtual websites these days.  The problem is they are not real.  I heard a commercial on my Pandora app about this very thing the other day.  The commercial is for Lumosity.  It starts off by saying something like, "Last year, Americans planted millions of acres of virtual farmland.  So far, these crops have fed virtually no one."  I love that commercial.

I know some of these virtual sites are fine for playing and entertainment, but it did remind me today that I need to spend my time doing things that matter.  Some things really don't matter and some things really do matter.  Whether people know Jesus or not really matters.  Whether I live my life to God's glory or for some other reason really matters.  How I live my life with my family really matters. If my family comes to know Christ or not really matters.  I remember someone telling me when I was in college that the only things that really lasts are the Word of God and the souls of men.  I remember learning that I needed to have an eternal perspective. In other words, I want to spend my time in things that will matter 1,000 years from now. I really believe some things that I do today will matter then.  Colossians 3:1-2 says, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." 

Glad the abundant life is also an eternal life,
Barry

3 things I thank God for today
1. Our veterans
2. The Constitution
3. Democracy