Facebook addict? Really???

Do you find yourself groping for your smart phone or lunging for your computer just to see what the recent posts might be?  Do you find yourself stalking some of your friends to see if they are having fun than you are?  Do you find your self asking the question, "Should I hide or de-friend?"  Do you try to have your photos tagged often so your friends will see what an amazing life you have?  If you can answer yes to any of these questions, or myriad others, you are probably an FA.  That's right a Facebook Addict.

Currently there are no FA meetings available in your area.  But, you can do what I and of my closest friends have done . . . you can do a Facebook Back Away.  That's right.  First you compose a nice note.  And send PMs to your friends letting them know that you are performing an intervention on yourself, and you are backing away from Facebook for a time.  That way when you de-friend them, they'll feel good that they are helping in your recovery!!!  Then de-friend those folk whom you think you can de-friend.  Only you know who they might be.

Now your friends list is much shorter.  That's step one.  With a shorter friends list, that's fewer updates.  And the need to check so often will begin to abate.  You'll always want another Facebook hit, so be careful.  Going back just a few times a day can hook you all over again.  Remember once an FA, always an FA.

Hope this post today has helped.  Oh, crap, my phone just said someone wrote on my wall . . .

See ya around!

So Maybe this is Church...?

As you can only imagine, I've been thinking a lot about church in recent days.  It seems to me that perhaps we have put too much emphasis on all the trappings that only look like church but aren't really church.  I came across this video recently.  It was just made a few days ago.  I wonder?  Is this the way church might just supposed to be?  I mean, with the church people out there among the other people, rubbing elbows, and just making a little difference here and there.  I wonder?  I wonder if the Lord wouldn't be way more excited about Hallelujahs in a mall than in a cathedral.  See what you think . . .

It Must be in the Attic

Well it’s that time of year.  I bet you’re thinking that I’m thinking about buying a Turkey and planning that big meal for next Thursday.  Nope.  I’m actually talking about finding Christmas decorations. 

Remember that Aunchalee is from Thailand where they don’t celebrate Christmas or the trappings of the season.  But since she’s been “commercialized” by the Christmas gremlins, we typically do Christmas in a pretty big way.  She has rule and regulations as to how things must be.  She’s almost a Christmas trapping Pharisee if I might.  (You know those are the people that have to have things exactly their way or it ain’t right.)

While folk are out shopping on Black Friday, we are putting up decorations and maybe even the tree for Christmas.  The rule about the tree is that if it’s real, I might be able to hold her off a few more weeks.  But now for the hitch.  We never know exactly where all the decorations are.  We have several places and multiple red and green boxes where stuff is kept.  When you can’t find something, the pat answer is, “It must be in the attic.”

“Where are the automated reindeer?”  she ponders.  “Bet they’re in the attic,” I retort.  Actually, I hate those stupid automated yard things.  I hid them in the attic once.  But she found them.

One of the major rules according to this Christmas decoration person is that it all must come down on the day after Christmas.  She says, “Well Christmas is over.  Time to take the tree down!”  And down it comes.  More about that on December 26. 

Well, I better go help her get stuff down.  It’s Saturday.  I used to be able to say, “Sorry, I wish I could help.  But gotta get this sermon done.”  Oh well. . . .

See ya around!

Reilly the Band

Worth a listen . . .

Meeting Folk at the Cusp of LIfe

So, after visiting Monty Carter and Mosaic Community Fellowship in South Carolina, I decided to take his lead.  I'm at a place now where, without the demands of the church machine, I can get with people and begin to see where they really live and what their lives are really like.  Monty loves coffee and spends time, everyday, at one of the fastest growing religious places in the nation, Starbucks.  Aunchalee and I talked about it and decided it might be a way of networking and being with people I don't currently know.  (Hmmm.  It also may be a way of her having me out of the house to give her some breathing space. . . . Nah!)

So, this week I have given it a try.  I started at Coffee Times on Regency Road.  So, packed with laptop under tow (you have to have a laptop if you wanna look like your gonna hang around and not act as a stalker) I headed out for coffee shop ministry, day one.  The place was packed.  I got some coffee.  Found a seat.  Opened my laptop.  And . . . . hoped nobody noticed me.  Yeah, I'm one of those people who is supposed to really act like I never met a stranger.  But that's not me.  I grew up an only child.  I'm basically shy (ish).

Guess what?  It worked.  I did some chores on my laptop.  Had coffee.  And just looked around to see other people looking around too.

Yesterday, day two.  As I'm writing the blog entry, a fellow comes up and sits in the couch next to me.  He knows me.  I don't know him.  He begins to chat.  He asked me how things were going.  He hadn't heard that I retired.  He was visibly envious.  Then he asked if I had heard from a mutual acquaintance.  I hadn't.  He said he'd been having a hard time since his wife died.  He would really appreciate a call from me.  He needs somebody who might understand.  He's not used to asking for help.  Would I give him a call?  Day two, and already I'm meeting people at the cusp of life.  Of course, I'll be in touch with him this week.

Today is day three.  Don't worry.  I won't make this a running commentary of everyday in coffee land.

I really need to do decaf today though.  With as much coffee as I drank on days one and two, if I kept going at that pace, my cardiologist would require me to begin meeting people at a bar instead of a coffee shop in order to avoid the caffeine.  At this point, I can handle coffee shops.  I'm not sure about bars yet . . . afraid I might run into Jesus there!

See ya around!