a helping hand

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, “Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.” Proverbs 3:27,28

We're learners. We can't help ourselves, it's how God made us: to learn. The big issue in life isn't what we learn but more how we use what we've learned. As children, we didn't get to choose our family's socio-economic background or their level of education- we grew into awareness surrounded by both the good and the challenging of our particular spot in life. Not much more than a century or so ago- our families position in society determined OUR place in the world. That's changed in most of the developing world... not everywhere... but certainly in nations that insure an education for every child and in areas where the Internet, TV and newsprint tell stories of the wealthier nations where people have stomachs full enough to pursue their dreams and those images ignite new hopes and dreams in the hearts of children and young adults that thought they'd never break away.

Neither of my parents ever learned to use a computer: they just didn't see the need. When I first got a crack at a keyboard- at Golden West Junior College- the fall of 1972, long before the PC, Internet or blogging, -I got into it. It was one of my favorite parts of my 2 semesters in junior college- full on computer access for every student in every field of study, required. Orange Coast Community College District was WAY ahead of the curve. The heart of a school was a massive computer room filled with an IBM 360 that we hooked up to with monitors, took tests on and even pushed those old funky computer punch cards into: what fun!

When I became a teacher and was asked to head up the Apple Computer program at our campus, I jumped at it. Getting boxes of new Apple II's and IIe's to set up quickly became a highlight of the week- that and spending an extra 30 minutes or so a day on one of the first computer games that went beyond "PONG," "Escape from Rungastan." If I remember right, the monochrome green monitor would flicker on and as the 5 inch floppy began to spin, words came across the screen: "You are in a room."

It all sounds pretty simple now... but we felt like we were on the brink of something that would change our lives... little did we know that in just a couple of decades we'd spend much of our days in front of brightly lit, incredibly colorful LCD displays, with larger screens then we had on our televisions in the 70's and 80's and carry "smart" phones in our pockets with more computing power than anything anyone was even working towards. A quarter of a century ago I wrote on the need for computer literacy among educators and leaders as an essential tool to our successful growth as a society. I was passionate about it... believed it then, believe it still. Think I felt like I'd found a place where I could finally help... a new way to help.

In retrospect, it's easy to see that our time with computers often causes as many problems as possibilities. My wasted time on "Escape from Rungastan" was pure innocence compared to some of the heartbreaking ways people have used this new, powerful tool and as a society we seem to have forgotten the basics of every tool: be careful- they cut both ways -be it a knife or saw or a laptop or desktop... tools are just that- tools. We choose how we use them.

Use your time online in positive ways. And when someone has obviously lost their way online... point them back in the right direction. One of my favorite new "helping" tools online is www.letmegooglethatforyou.com.

A friend has a question: about... well about just about anything... and you go to www.letmegooglethatforyou.com, type in the question you think will help out and then send them the link the site produces. Let's say you need help with your Spanish. Go to the site, type in: How do I say "How can I help?" in Spanish? Click the link to see your solution.

Pretty cool.

The writer of Proverbs said we should lend a hand whenever we can... think he would have liked this cool new tool online. It's just one more fun way we can help!