The more telecommunications develop, the more computer technology increases, the more online access we have, the more connected to one another we should become. Seemingly that's true. My sons both have face book accounts, I don't know the exact number, but I know their friend count is in the 200+ range. I've seen people with over 500 friends. We are more connected then ever, we have more friends than ever, and yet studies tell us we are lonelier than ever. Just guessing here, it seems the more we use technology the more disconnected from one another we become. Real relationships are displaced by online relationships. Real dialogue is replaced by brief three or four line postings on our face book pages, it's easier that way yes, but, it also come with a price. We know others less, and we are known less, even when we have 200+ friends. We are isolated.
That's not the way we were designed, we are created for community, we are cast in God's image. God exist in three persons, in community. When God created Adam, God saw that Adam was alone, and declared that it wasn't good and so God gave man woman so he would not be alone. Why is it then we are more connected in theory, but in reality we are increasingly alone? What are we so busy with that keeps us from truly feeling connected? Busier than ever before, isolated like never before, how can that be? Maybe we traded quantity for quality. We substitute two or three real relationships with hundreds of online relationships, and wonder why we are isolated.
Solitude is different from isolation. The gospels are filled with passages telling us Jesus rose early in the more to pray, or Jesus went off by himself to pray. Jesus wasn't isolated, he was in solitude, and in that solitude he continued to be with his father, alone yet in community. I think that's the model for us to follow regularly, practicing solitude, in that solitude we find we are not isolated or alone, in that solitude we commune with our creator, and in that solitude we learn. We learn that we are not alone, we learn that we are to go into others isolation and bring them the good news of Jesus Christ. In solitude isolation disappears.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Omni's
God is omnipresent, meaning He is everywhere, all the time, in the past and in the future. Before us, during us, and after us. He is two places at the same time or a million and two places. Doesn't matter if we can or not, He is God and He can we are man and we cannot.
So why do we try? Looking at my schedule for Thursday morning I now see I have a meeting from 6:00-7:30am, which just happens to coincide with another meeting across town, scheduled from 7:00-8:30am. I seem to have doubled booked myself. Naturally both meetings are of equal importance and of course I need to be at both of them, I must, I scheduled them. Thinking back it never crossed my mind that I was omnipresent, never even entered my mind, if I were omniscient, all knowing, it would have occurred to me. Since I am not all knowing I have this slight dilemma.
If I were omnipotent, all powerful I could easily handle this, I'd stop the sun in it's tracks, make time stand still, cover all I need to in the first meeting and then move on to the next. You may have guessed by now though, I am not omnipotent, not even close.
So here it is, I am not any of the omni's, since I am not omni anything I am giving myself permission to screw up my schedule every now and be doubled booked, I'm going further, I am going to try to stop knowing everything and acting like I do, lastly since I am not all powerful I, will try to stop fixing and being involved in everything. You can call me omni-less.
God is all powerful, all knowing, and ever present that's all I have to say on that.
All this to say, Ken I won't be at Caribou 7:00 Thursday morning.
So why do we try? Looking at my schedule for Thursday morning I now see I have a meeting from 6:00-7:30am, which just happens to coincide with another meeting across town, scheduled from 7:00-8:30am. I seem to have doubled booked myself. Naturally both meetings are of equal importance and of course I need to be at both of them, I must, I scheduled them. Thinking back it never crossed my mind that I was omnipresent, never even entered my mind, if I were omniscient, all knowing, it would have occurred to me. Since I am not all knowing I have this slight dilemma.
If I were omnipotent, all powerful I could easily handle this, I'd stop the sun in it's tracks, make time stand still, cover all I need to in the first meeting and then move on to the next. You may have guessed by now though, I am not omnipotent, not even close.
So here it is, I am not any of the omni's, since I am not omni anything I am giving myself permission to screw up my schedule every now and be doubled booked, I'm going further, I am going to try to stop knowing everything and acting like I do, lastly since I am not all powerful I, will try to stop fixing and being involved in everything. You can call me omni-less.
God is all powerful, all knowing, and ever present that's all I have to say on that.
All this to say, Ken I won't be at Caribou 7:00 Thursday morning.
Monday, October 5, 2009
When and Where
Really, for sure, this month I'll focus a little more on getting my thoughts online, I have been a little lazy in the past 34 days, okay a lot lazy. I should have done what another blogger did, simply posted a note that said "I'll be gone for month." That way I could claim that it was all part of my plan, I scheduled not blogging into my month, I meant to not blog. Another great thought after the fact, actually a good lead in for something I've been mulling over for awhile, or as a friend says "I've been chewing on this far awhile."
How many of our days are centered on when and where? Whens the next big thing and where is it. In high school we seem to live and die by the when and where. We've yet to learn so many important lessons that will eventually lead us to discover the when and where are not as important as we think. All we know is acceptance is found in the when and where. If we know the when and the where we can be there, and in being there we find acceptance. Seems we never really out grow our need for the acceptance found in when and where.
The when and where never asks two important questions, who and what. That's where the difficulty comes in. Without thinking of who and what, and focusing on when and where we expose ourselves to just about anyone and anything, and that is never wise.
Parent are aware enough to ask those four simple questions, where are you going, when will you be home, who will be there, and lastly what will you be doing? The answers to those questions may not always be entirely accurate, but they are always important.
These questions are equally important to everyone, a when and where life attitude leaves too much to chance, acceptance isn't really found there. The only things found in the when and where is loneliness that comes in being where you shouldn't be when you shouldn't be there. How many stories end with someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Unbridled when and where leave too much to chance.
How many of our days are centered on when and where? Whens the next big thing and where is it. In high school we seem to live and die by the when and where. We've yet to learn so many important lessons that will eventually lead us to discover the when and where are not as important as we think. All we know is acceptance is found in the when and where. If we know the when and the where we can be there, and in being there we find acceptance. Seems we never really out grow our need for the acceptance found in when and where.
The when and where never asks two important questions, who and what. That's where the difficulty comes in. Without thinking of who and what, and focusing on when and where we expose ourselves to just about anyone and anything, and that is never wise.
Parent are aware enough to ask those four simple questions, where are you going, when will you be home, who will be there, and lastly what will you be doing? The answers to those questions may not always be entirely accurate, but they are always important.
These questions are equally important to everyone, a when and where life attitude leaves too much to chance, acceptance isn't really found there. The only things found in the when and where is loneliness that comes in being where you shouldn't be when you shouldn't be there. How many stories end with someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Unbridled when and where leave too much to chance.
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