un-like

In the cyber-age, apparently there is a new clinical teen ailment, it's called "Facebook Depression", It's caused by seeing all your social media friends posting pictures of places they are going, parties they are having and awesome boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, all while you're sitting at home, in your pj's at 3:30pm finishing off a bag of old corn chips. Now if you happen to find yourself with this new ailment, you can go to a psychiatrist and be diagnosed and receive some happy pills that will numb you out of your state of depression and you can continue life as "normal" not feeling the effects of being bored and lonely.

In the alternative, I'd like to offer a different solution. It's a lot cheaper and you don't have to listen to elevator music in the shrinks waiting room. I know I risk sounding like the dad of 7 kids, but, here goes- "Get off your butt, go outside and make new friends, REAL friends...GO PLAY!" The best thing we can do to curb boredom and depression is get active. Now of course many of you are vigorously agreeing with my remedy, but, think about it for a minute. What about you? Are you constantly searching out new stories and information about people that are going places, doing things and living life? All while you do the "9 to 5, shopping, cooking and cleaning - rinse and repeat thing"?

John Wimber (the guy that started the Vineyard movement) is quoted often, after getting to a point early in his Christian walk he asked, "when do we get to do the stuff?" His pastor asked "what stuff?" to which he replied "the stuff Jesus did". It's a question I think most of us when we kind of realize that nobody's doing the stuff. Here we are, follower's of a man who's life affected the world so much it split time in two b.c./a.d. Who healed the sick, raised the dead and set the captives free and we settle into life as "normal" and become somewhat content to sit on the sidelines and read great stories about people that are doing the stuff.

Vince Antonucci wrote a book that has fast become one of may top ten all time favorite books. It's called "I became a Christian and all I got was this lousy T-shirt". It addresses the problem of Christians not living the Christian life to the fullest. He says it's like your family planning the most awesome vacation ever and it gets down to the time to leave and you get left behind. When they get back, all they bring you is a t-shirt. You missed out, but, you get the shirt.

Anyway.....if you have not read the book "I became a Christian and all I got was this lousy T-shirt" you should. I highly recommend it and it's required reading for anyone wanting to join the Operation: "Miami" team.