100503: On-line marriages and parenting?

Since I’ve been on Facebook the number one warning I’ve gotten is to beware of the additive lure that Facebook has.  I’m sure that is a possibility; but of greater concern to me is to never confuse the Facebook world with the real world.

Ever heard of on-line marriages?  Or what about on-line parenting?  The reason they don’t exist is that for a marriage to work there must be real-time touch and interaction.  The sad tragedies of Eastern European orphanages that had row upon row of infants that were wards of the state who were seldom touched, cuddled and loved and thus grew up emotionally and even physically scarred stands as a mute witness to the tragedy of not experiencing real-time touch and intimacy.

Within just a few hours of signing up for Facebook I had “friends” that I didn’t even know / people who I had never spoken to, seen, or interacted with in any way.  They were friends of a friend of a friend… / that’s not necessarily a bad thing but Facebook “friendships” must never be confused with real-time touch.  I’m afraid people today could weave themselves into isolation having hundreds of friends but no real intimacy.  If everybody knows then nobody is special.  If you’re always with everybody then you’re just with the crowd.  That’s not bad some of the time but it will not satisfy the deep longing in our hearts for intimacy.

Intimacy is based on exclusiveness.  The Biblical word for it is “holy” / that special, singular and sacred place that is set aside as a private place for “lovers only.” 

Will I ever get addicted to Facebook?  I’m sure I’m going to enjoy it / I like having “friends” / I like learning about what people are doing and what they think / Facebook is a good thing…but get addicted?  I don’t think so…I’m too addicted to being with Sonja.  I’m hooked on being with Lee and Jennifer and Briana – and “the Lad” and my dearly loved family at the FMCOG.  These dear ones are too special for Facebook to compete with and their touch and voice beats pictures and texting any day. 

So you may run into me out there in Facebook world but never doubt that I’m only visiting / my real world starts at 815 Savannah Place drive.

With “real” love,

dlk

Shout outs:

• I must say that it’s been a pretty boring day.  At dinner tonight Sonja asked us “What was the most exciting thing that happened in our lives today?”  I had to really think about it.  I guess the most enjoyable thing was watching the “strawberry” video of David Lee (see my Facebook page :)) / my meeting with Pastor Jonathan was OK (you can’t have a boring meeting with Pastor J!) and then Shirley Atkins blessed us with homemade dumplings and dessert and those biscuits I love…so my main shout out today is…
• Thanks Shirley for the food tonight – especially those biscuits!!!

Quote of the day: 

    “The gospel is good news. But much that has been called gospel preaching has been “bad” rather than good news.  Much so-called gospel preaching is a set of don’ts.” The gospel is not a recitation of what men should not do; the gospel is not even about what men should do. The gospel is the good news of what God has done, is doing, and can do through Jesus Christ.” _Bill Bennett, Thirty Minutes to Raise the Dead, p. 137