Goodbye Social Media!

In the past few years social media has boomed. We've gone from old school AIM (aol instant messenger) to MySpace to Facebook to pinterest and everything in between. They have all had their benefits and drawbacks but are we arriving at a place in life where social media is actually interfering with life as opposed to enhancing it? I think so.

It's becoming for many a new addiction. People feed off of how many followers they have or if they have more "friends" than a co-worker. Their break just isn't complete without checking twitter to see what some celebrity is doing. I was slow to pick up the social media scene and even I catch myself saying, "I'll go to sleep after I check Facebook." Instead of playing with our children we are playing with TweetDeck, trying to be clever and witty.

Maybe we think we are liked more because we have more followers. I think we are so obsessed with getting approval from everyone that we are losing approval from our loved ones. We put a movie on for our children for "family movie night" and almost instantly my husband and I pick up our phones. We aren't doing anything as a family. I remember complaining to my husband that watching tv didn't mean we were spending quality time with each other and the same goes for media. When someone that you love and cares about thinks you are supposed to be spending time with them but you're on your phone, you are communicating that your phone is more important.

Social Media also gives this sense of not wanting to miss anything and expecting everyone to onow what's going on in our life. Friends have said, "you didn't call and say congrats on (insert random congratulatory worthy event here)." My response, "I'm so sorry, I didn't even know." "well, I put it on Facebook." My mother-in-law made the comment one time that she had to get a Facebook so she new what was going on with our children. Wow, how sad that we don't even call our loved ones anymore to share exciting events. We put on our many social media outlets an expect anyone that "cares" about us to see it.

I heard a report on a random day that my husband left NPR on in my car that was talking about a New England town that has had an outbreak of Tourette's amongst mainly teenage girls. One common factor was the amount of time they all spent using Facebook. Another report was talking about the number of early dementia cases increasing and suggested that it could be linked to the amount of information we are processing through social media and the ease of accessing information via the internet. And yet another report is researching a possible connection between autism and the amount of information expected to process even as small as the color of cars passing you on the road. No wonder ADHD is increasing, our brains are constantly expected to process everything around us so we don't miss anything, or make a mistake, or accidentally hurt someone. That's a lot to expect when you're 40, let alone 5. Our brains don't know how to focus on just one thing anymore.

So many reasons to put an end to the madness that surrounds social media, yet something tells me it'll be just like cigarettes...we know they're bad for us but some of us just can't kick the habit. I for one plan on kicking at least some of my habit. Maybe only using Facebook for mass postings to people that I really would call just for ease. Definitely not using it during daytime hours with my babies around. I imagine I'll be a lot more productive at home and maybe magically find some time to do those things I just can't seem to find the time to do.

Children, Pray Today: Day 86

Dear God, you are the light that guides us through this world. Continue to show us your way. Inspire us to dream and set goals and encourage us to achieve our dreams. In your son's name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 85

Patient God, we appreciate you always forgiving us when we make mistakes. Your forgiveness shows us your unconditional love. In your son's name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 84

Joyful God, thank you for puppies, birthdays, warm spring days and flowers. Thank you for all of the things that make us smile. In your son's name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 83

Dear God, thank you for always being here for us. Thank you for helping us to be strong when we need to be and thank you for holding us when we need to cry. In Jesus' name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 82

Fatherly God, thank you for sending us your son Jesus. We can learn so much about how we should live by reading about him. Encourage us to continue learning from his teachings. In his name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 81

Dear God, help us hear the words that you need us to hear so that we can carry out your mission for love in this world. In Jesus' name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 80

Caring God, today we ask that you take care of the people we love that are sick or hurting. Please heal their illnesses or comfort their hearts. In your son's name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 79

Loving God sing to us everywhere we go. Help us hear your voice surrounding us through birds, friends, and family. In Jesus' name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 78

Dear God, thank you for spring break! Help us enjoy our extra time with our family. In your son's name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 77

Dear God, thank you for friends and family that remind us that we are loved. Help everyone in the world feel as loved as we do so that everyone is happier. In Jesus' name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 76

Praise be to you God for blessing us with laughter. Fill our ears with this sound, Lord, that is bound to make us smile. Remind us that it's so much easier to smile and be happy. In your son's name, amen!

Children, Pray Today: Day 75

Loving God, help us become good communicators so that we can explain our thoughts and feelings without hurting other people's feelings. In your son's name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 74

All knowing God, in times when we don't get our way, give us patience. In times when we see our friends crying give us compassion and concern. In times when we think we are in trouble give us integrity so that we can be trustworthy. Grant us all of this Lord, so that we will become the type of people that breathe your love into the lives of the people we see. In Jesus' name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 73

Praise to you God of warmth and patience. Send us compassion so that we can learn to help other people. In Jesus' name, amen!

Children, Pray Today: Day 72

Creator God make us stop and smell the flowers that are blooming so that we may smell your presence. Stand with us in the wind so that we may feel your presence. Sing to us through the bird's song so we may hear your presence. Let us savor every bite of food so that we may taste your presence. And finally Lord open the eyes of our hearts so we may see you. In Jesus' name, amen!

Children, Pray Today: Day 71

God thank you for nice weather so we can play outside and enjoy the place you created for us so that we can remember to be thankful for good times. In your son's name, amen!

Children, Pray Today: Day 70

Patient God drag us into the peace of patience so that we calm down and enjoy what we are doing in the current moment. In the name of your son, the one called Prince of Peace. Amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 69

God, this prayer will be short but important. Grant us the courage to go on when all we want to do is quit. Amen

Children, Pray Today: Day 68

Dear God. It makes me sad when my friends don't play with me. Help me not feel so sad. Remind me that there are lots of people that love me and no matter what you will always be my friend. Then maybe you could send me some courage to try to play with my friends again or even some new friends so that my heart isn't so sad. In Jesus' name, amen.

This one is inspired by a friend's young son who had a rough day.

Children, Pray Today: Day 67

Precious Lord, empower us with compassion so that we can be a good friend to everyone and lead other people to do the same. In your son's name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 66

Dear God, give us determination to get our stuff like chores and homework done with no arguing so that we can spend more time playing. In Jesus' name, amen.

Okay this one might be a bit more for the parents than the kids! :-)

Children, Pray Today: Day 65

Dear God, thank you for toys that we can play with. Help us remember to play with our toys so that we can learn. In your son's name, amen.

Youth Sunday Speaks Volumes

As a youth in middle school and high school I remember feeling like I lived for youth Sunday at church. It was a time when we could express ourselves, our talents, our thoughts. One time a year when we could showcase our faith and theology. Being married to a minister I have sat through or participated in one youth Sunday a year since I was in sixth grade and while we won't get into how many years that has been I will say its enough to know that what I experienced today was purely God working through the souls of our young people in a way that was polished and poignant.

Every year I have sat through sermons that made me laugh and made me cry and all sounded like young people not quite getting their point across in the way they wanted. You see there is something paralyzingly terrifying about standing in front of people that have raised you and helped you grow in your faith. Every young person with all their arrogance and invincibility complexes think its no big deal to preach and are grateful to be the one doing the talking instead of the listening. However, the moment they step behind the pulpit in practice and again during the services they realize the importance of what they are doing. In their nerves the message gets lost. Not today.
Today was God's message spoken through our young preachers. Their countless hours of work and prayers for them and by them resulted in their opening their hearts to what it was that God needed them to say in a way that everyone could relate to.

Our church is recently in search of a new minister and thus in a time of change. It is a concept that high school seniors grasp well. They feel how scary it is. They struggle with making decisions that point them down one specific path. Is it the right path, the wrong path? They may never know. But do not be afraid our young preachers said today, for God has promised to be with us. It was the perfect concept for our young people to present to a church congregation in the midst of a huge change. Our young preachers may never know the value and importance of their message today. Honestly I don't think anyone in the world could have spoken more honest or more passionate words to our congregation.

To all us adults that sometimes forget how much our young people really do understand, let this be a reminder that the young people in our churches are a reflection upon God's teaching through us. May we always remember that the people younger than us...know matter what our age...are looking to us for guidance. May we always remember to take every moment to teach. May we always remember to practice what we preach as hard as that is at times. May we always remember to value the thoughts of our young people for new ideas and feedback. Praise be to God for his amazing works through his children! Amen!

Children, Pray Today: Day 64

Amazing Lord it is through you that all things are possible. Thank you for speaking truth through the mouths of young people. Keep us strong and patient when others may doubt us. Use us to change your world! In the name of your son, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 63

Precious God, help us focus on what's most important in times of disasters...not why it happened but how we rebuild through your love. In your son's name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 62

Lord of all creation, we come to you in prayer thankful for warm spring days and cool spring mornings. We are thankful for the birds that are returning with their springtime singing. We are thankful for the blossoms on your trees. In Jesus' name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 61

Praise be to you God! Thank you for the warmth of the sun which reminds us what it feels like to be loved. Encourage us to get outside in nature on days like today when the sun is shining and the air is warm so that we might be reminded of the beauty that surrounds us. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 60

Giving God, show us the way to enjoy the time we have. Encourage us to slow down and enjoy what is around us so that we can have fun! In your son's name we pray.

Children, Pray Today: Day 59

God move our feet towards people that need a friend. Speak through our mouths to those people that need a friend so that they will see your love and go out to show that love to others. In Jesus' name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 58

God who shows us compassion, remind us to treat each other the way we want others to treat us so that everyone knows you love them. In Jesus' name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 57

Precious God we love you. Show us your never ending love so that we may show that same love to others. In your son's name, amen.

Children, Pray Today: Day 56

Playful God, thank you for giving us the time to play. Remind us to take time to play with our friends so that we can relax and build relationships with each other. In Jesus' name, amen.