Back to the Basics: What does it Mean?

Back to the basics --- I had heard that phrase for years, and even have used it myself, but I wanted a definition that we could all identify with in writing this post.  So, after some research, the following is a combined definition from several sources. "Back to the basics" means a return to previously held values of decency.  People might use the phrase when a situation has become overly complicated and they would prefer to return to more simplistic measures.

As I studied that definition, I sensed that some of my previously held values were taking a back seat.  I decided to do a self-check to see what had invaded my life and the values I had once held so tightly.

This is what I discovered about myself.

1. My day begins at 4 A.M.   Yes, I am one of those crazy morning people.  For years, it was in the wee hours of the morning that I spent time in prayer and reading God’s Word.  Somehow, I started using that time to read the local and national news. “Certainly, I need to know what’s going on the world around me,” I reasoned.
2. I also began using my early morning time to catch up with my Facebook friends. “God can come later in the day.  The news and Facebook is where the action is.”
3. As the early morning hours stretched into daylight and my husband made his entrance into the world, I continued to sit starring into that box in front of me.  “We’ve got the whole day ahead of us - -he can wait until I get caught up on the news, Facebook, and the many morning blogs that I have subscribed to. After all, we have been married for 46 years; he knows I love him whether I talk to him or not.”

I think you get the picture of what had invaded my life, robbing me of values that had once been my priority early in the morning.  My computer had become my best friend.  It greeted me with a smile every morning.

Don’t get me wrong - -the computer is a valuable piece of technology when used wisely. But, I was not using it wisely.  Obviously, it was time to get back to the basics of what should be of the most value to me: God, followed by my family.

What about you?   Do you need to judge yourself to see what is robbing you of values you once held onto so strongly?  Do you need to get back to the basics and bring your life back to simplistic measures?