Update

I finished my research paper at 2330 on Thursday night, and after a few changes, mailed it on Friday, May 4. I'm glad to have it out of the way, although I wish I'd had more time to perfect it. I think I could have written a better paper. Oh well. It was a great learning experience. Now I just have to take the final exam...

I've been convicted lately about the amount of time I spend on my computer. I don't really surf the internet, I obviously don't blog a lot, etc., but it is distracting. I haven't completed a book in forever, something that really bothers me, because I "really like to read." I got my laptop in October; before that I used the family computer. That computer was downstairs, out of sight and out of mind while I was doing school. My laptop, on the other hand, sits in front of me at my desk, constantly beckoning. I regret the time that I have doodled around on it instead of reading, doing school, practicing the piano, talking with family, etc.

It really hit home this morning when my mom suggested that I should have an internet-free day per week. I realized that I probably spend close to an hour per day on the internet, and more on my computer. Yeah, some school is on my computer, but most of it is not. What have I missed? I haven't finished War and Peace or The Roots of American Order. Worse, I don't spend as much time in God's Word as I should. My research paper wasn't as good as it should have been, largely because I wasted time on my computer while writing it. This is my last year at home, and I've spent it at my desk in front of a computer screen instead of with my little sister, who will occasionally come in and implore me to take a break. I'm tied to my email account, where people think they can get me at any time of the day, and when I'm bored, what do I do but open my laptop? That's sad.

The way I spend my time really illustrates my priorities. Right now those priorities are not what they should be.

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12

Addendum

As I tried to fall asleep last night, I remembered that my paper actually started out as an inquiry into Nihilism. Then I switched to Existentialism, because there is a liberal theology component. I had some sort of complicated argument that about the irrationality of it all, but I got depressed, so I switched to classical education. I wish I had been educated that way. My one consolation is that, well first of all, I have the education I have because that is the one God has blessed me with, so it must be suitable for my purpose, but if I ever have a family I'll be able to educate them classically and learn along with them. Enter free will. Anyway, all that because I felt compelled to tell the whole truth about my research project.

To one thing constant never.