(Let me start by apologizing for no post yesterday.  I was away with no internet access.  But I can say that I was grateful for a break from electronics!)

Today I am grateful for Facebook.  I know — I can hear some of you already saying “WWHHAAATT??? FACEBOOK?!?”  I have to admit, I like Facebook (which is why, my daughter tells me, teens are running way from Facebook in droves — because old people like me are now on it!).   I know there is a lot wrong with it.  I am aware of the danger of being constantly plugged in and continually living out loud. And I know that some things on it are far from appropriate. All those things are true.

I don’t love Facebook across the board.  But I really love my group  of Facebook friends.  I am grateful for Facebook because my friends post some of the best and most inspiring things each day.  Like this story about my friend, Rob Wright, Bishop of Atlanta, and his ride with local sanitation workers to mark Martin Luther King Day (King’s last action was to stand in solidarity with striking sanitation workers in Memphis)  You can read the story about Rob Here.  Or the fascinating article my friend Linda posted about teaching mindfulness in low income pubic elementary schools. You can read all about it here .   Or the wonderful quotes that are posted with equally wonderful pictures — like:

“Be content with what you have; rejoice in how things are.  When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” Lao Tzu

Love that!

Sometimes the posts just make me laugh — like the one my sister posted about women:

“Women are Angels.  When someone breaks our wings, we just continue to fly — on broomsticks.  We’re flexible like that.”

Made me laugh out loud!

Sometimes I just love looking at my seminary friends’ pictures of their beautiful children, or college friends’ pictures of their children’s weddings and grandchildren. I get to see pictures of my grand nieces and nephews (some of the cutest little people on earth!) and keep in touch with my very grown up and very busy nieces and nephews all over the country.  It would be impossible for me to keep in touch with all these people without Facebook.

And then, of course, there is always the added bonus of occasionally posting something that embarrasses my kids :)!

All of these things make me grateful.  These friends and their posts help remind me that good things are happening everyday and good people are working to bring the kingdom into this world.  They remind me of how blessed I am to be connected to so many different and interesting people.  And they remind me to laugh everyday!  Life is short.

So for all these reasons, I am grateful for my Facebook friends and our vehicle for staying in touch,  as imperfect as it is!