I am pleased to present Part Three in my exclusive online presentation of "Communications in the 21st Century" by Rev. Dr. Trey Kuhne, LMFT:
A few years ago I had the privilege to go to Hawaii and do you know what the official favorite potted meat is in Hawaii? You guessed it: Spam. But Spam has become a word today to define something more than the mysterious potted canned meat – it has come to represent all those unwanted and unsolicited emails or texts we get on our communication devices daily. What is Spam you ask? Well, for one I have personally not responded to at least 100 emails designating me a winner of hundreds of sweepstakes/lotteries all over the world. I bet I have graciously passed on over 1 billion dollars by now with all those winnings I could have had! Spam is/are unsolicited emails selling products that enhance my brain power, man power, spending power, spiritual power, and everything in between. Spam is literally information overload – overloading the computer networks and overloading our own information boundaries.
Most everyone’s computer has virus/spyware protection that tries to filter spam. Otherwise we would be so flooded with so many emails we couldn’t go through them all to find the emails that we need to read and actually respond to. I believe it is the same in our relationships. Each one of us encounters so much information daily from advertisements, magazines, internet, TV, social circles, movies, and work that we need to learn to filter some of that information before letting it come into our lives. Spam wreaks havoc on computer networks. In relationships like marriages, families, and even our social lives, information overload can also wreak havoc on us manifesting anxiety, depression, stress, and a host of other mental and physical problems.
So how do we filter the informational overload – or spam – that occurs everyday with us? I think we need filters. Spiritual filters would include being grounded in God’s Word, letting Christian values and beliefs influence your decision making and information gathering. Psychological filters would include being aware of your mental and physical space (boundaries) and being in control of that space as much as possible. Do not let anyone/anything into that space that doesn’t belong. Be aware of what information you share with others and be guarded with personal information. Filter out the “noises” of bad information that comes from other sources that tempts you down paths that you don’t want to go down. You may have to utilize some powerful filtering systems in your life by changing your information gathering practices: turn off the tv a few night a week, limit internet access times, spend more time with others that you wholeheartedly trust and can rely on, listen to what God has to say to you about Himself and you in His Word and in Church.
Grace and Peace,
Dr. Trey Kuhne
Dr. Trey Kuhne is a pastoral counselor and licensed marriage and family therapist with Pathways Pastoral Counseling located at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, 400 Dupre Drive, Spartanburg, SC 29307. He specializes in working with individuals, couples and families. Call (864) 542-3019 for an appointment. He may be reach via email at: pathwayspc@aol.com.