It’s nothing like the good old days.

My dishwasher decided that it no longer wanted to drain. I followed the steps that I read about to see if something was clogged. I cleaned out the tubing and filter, but the water refused to drain. Rather than fight with it any longer or replace parts that would have cost almost as much as a new dishwasher, my wife and I decided to purchase a new one.

This dishwasher came with the house that we bought eleven years ago. I do not know how old the appliance was at that time. What I do know is that people, of course, say the same thing every time something breaks. “They don’t make them like they used to.” They also don’t make them as inexpensive now.

I see a lot of posts from older folks, many of whom are my age, remembering the good old days. They show pictures of devices that today’s younger generation has not seen.  I recognize more of these devices than I care to admit.

I remember our first VCR, metal ice trays, having only five channels, and our first video game (Pong). Reminiscing about the good old days brings back some great memories.

Today is not like the good old days. We no longer have 8-track tapes. We have music that we download or stream. We seldom write checks or pay cash anymore. Most pay for their goods and services with debit or credit cards. We no longer have to defrost our freezers like we used to do.

It is fun to think about the good old days. However, we cannot live in the past. We must move forward.

The old days had their problems, as well. In 1950, the life expectancy was only 68. Today, the average American lives until 79. In 1900, only 2% of homes had electricity. Today, it is rare to hear of someone without it. The mortality rate of newborns in the U.S. dropped from 58 per 1,000 to only 6.15 per 1,000 between 1933 and 2010.

Today has problems of its own. We have tools, such as the Internet, from which we can learn many things. The problem is there is also a lot of misinformation that we tend to believe. We have social media which can be used to reunite friends, but it is often used to conquer and divide. We have hundreds of channels of television to watch, but most are not uplifting to watch.

 

Past, present, and future all have good and bad things about them.  Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” (NIV)

There will always be things that can bring us together. The problem is the heart gets in the way. We would rather be right than lose a fight. We would preferably rule over others than humble ourselves or encourage each other. The problem is not the technology or the changing of times. The problem we confront is and always has been a heart problem. We all look too much at ourselves but love each other too little.

The future is coming, and these will become the good old days. Let us learn from our mistakes. Let us appreciate what God has given us as well as how far he has taken us. Let us continue to grow, not just in technology, but as loving, caring, and humble people who will choose to make tomorrow even better.  

Drinking from the Hose

There are many things I see when I drive through my neighborhood. There are always people jogging, walking their dogs, or selling lemonade on the street corner. However, last week I saw two young boys drinking from the garden hose. Of all the things that would bring back memories, it was this. 

I remember when my dad worked outside in the heat; he would always go drink water from the hose. I followed his example when I would play outdoors. My friends and I would all drink from the hose while playing outside. 

It seems like those were simpler times. We were not too good to drink from the hose. We did not require bottled water. We were not scared of what may be in the water coming from the pipes. It must not have been too bad. My dad did it and lived to be ninety. I did it, and at 50, I am still not on any medications. 

We went to the library or used encyclopedias to do research. Today, information is at our fingertips. It is surprising that libraries and bookstores still exist. I hope they never disappear. Technology makes things easier unless it puts you out of a job, which seems to happen more every day.  

My parents scolded me for not calling when I was out later than expected. People always wished that they could contact others instantly. With cell phones, it is almost impossible to hide. The busyness of life makes turning the phone off almost impractical. 

People always want to make things easier. When something new comes around, we must have it. Then after we have had it a while, we complain that life used to be much simpler. 

Someone came into the store the other day and asked for an atlas. Growing up, map reading was necessary for travel. Now we put our trust in the GPS. My GPS has taken me for some interesting turns and sometimes brought me to the wrong place. 

Someone else came to ask a question about a house phone. The other employee asked if I could assist because he had never had one and did not know how they worked. Am I that much of a dinosaur? 

King Solomon wrote, "There is no new thing under the sun”. While the inventions may be new, the motivation remains the same. Let us make things easier. The other thing that remains the same is we find reasons to complain about the new inventions. The book of Philippians tells us to do all things without complaining and disputing. 

How nice would it be with no one complaining? Let us strive for contentment. There are things that need changing. We can implement change without complaining.