Ma Bell...

So I did what I've been threatening to do for 3 or 4 years now...I cancelled my home phone service! Yippee! I remember as a young family how frustrated we would get with the monopoly that was South Central Bell. They had us. As a minister I thought I had to have phone service. If the phone rang, 2, 3 in the morning I would answer it on the first ring - "of course I'm up" (In theory that was true - I had to get up to answer the phone). And there was no option except Bell. I think it was my first experience with hatred :)! She was the big bad wolf, the ogre, the big bad witch, the great evil one...perhaps those digits in our phone numbers are the mark of the beast...

Caller ID was a wonderful step. I could actually "decide" who I wanted to talk to and who I didn't...but with my sickness (not sure what the scientific name is :)), I still answer 95% of the calls. I always envied Mel, how she could let it ring and not even care. If they really need me, they'll call back.

Then (picture the clouds opening and music coming to a crescendo) a little light from heaven filled my soul - the cell phone was born! I loved it. I had one when they weighed more than my laptop and had to be cared in an almost backpack looking contraption.

But I still had "Ma Bell" (if you know that term you're dating yourself) with a noose around my neck. I'd advise young couples to not even have a home phone, just a cell phone.

A few weeks ago we were cutting expenses and getting ready to move (we hope anyway) and I casually mentioned something about cutting off the phone. Melanie (my wonderful, unpredictable wife) agreed that one was no longer needed.

So today (Wednesday), I called the modern Ma - now South Central Bell and proudly told the lady I wanted to cancel my service. She said, we will be happy to suspend it for you. "No, it's time to cancel". She spent the next 10 minutes trying to talk sense into my head. Trying to "talk me down". As if what in the world will someone do without a home phone. Ah, it felt nice to say "no" about 10 times! I was polite but full of joy as each time I refused her obvious "logic" as to why and how I could do something different other than cancel. It was a waste of time - I don't need them anymore. My cell phone is about all I use anymore and Melanie with hers. The dragon has been slain, the serpent sent to the sea, the giant's head cut off, the beast has been banished!

But it all got me to thinking. I've tried talking sense into people's heads before. People leaving the Lord's church, people making unwise decisions for themselves, their family, their future. But I wonder it it's not like with my conversation with "Ma". If the heart is already made up our efforts to force a change probably won't make a difference. So our real effort might be to try preventative medicine with people - help them avoid reaching the point where they don't care. If they ever fall out of love with the Lord, His church, their spouse ... it is next to impossible to win them back (See Revelation 3 and Hebrews 6).

Bye-bye Ma Bell - I don't think I'll miss you. (ERIC - change our directory info :)).