Explaining Social Media to My 15-Year-Old Self

My one- and three-year-old grandsons in Calgary don’t question how their grandmother can appear on their mom’s cell phone screen and talk to them from far away. Why would they? As I watch them so naturally engage with technology, I imagine describing it for the kids of the 1960s and 70s. The following script springs to mind as I try to explain social media to my 15-year-old self. Since my initials back then were “T.O.”, I’ll call my young self TO and my current self TT.

TO: So, tell me what the year 2019 is like, when we turn sixty. Are we even still alive?

TT: We are! 

TO: Is it like the Jetsons? Does our car fly?

TT: No.

TO: It folds into a little suitcase, though, right?

TT: Um, no. Although those little smart cars are getting closer. They’re just not that smart yet.

TO: Bummer. Do we go from room to room on people movers?

TT: Not unless we’re at the airport.

TO: Do we have a robot maid? Is her name Rosie?

TT: No, we have a human maid. Her name is Terrie.

TO: Do kids watch TV on their wrist watches?

TT: Well…they can. Hardly anyone wears a watch anymore, though. If they do, it does a lot more than tell time. Most people just use their phones.

TO: What do you mean, their phones?

TT: Our phones have little screens on them, so…

TO: Oh, the Jetsons have that! Like a TV?

TT: Well, not like any TV you know. More like a computer.

TO: A computer? Computers don’t have screens. And they weigh a ton.

TT: Not anymore. You can carry them around in your pocket now, and nearly everyone does. 

TO: You must need an awfully long cord!

TT: No. They’re wireless.

TO: Wireless? You mean like a transistor radio?

TT: Sort of, yes. And they do it all…make phone calls, tell the time, the weather, send text, take pictures—

TO: Yeah, right.

TT: No, really. You can look up stuff on the internet—

TO: What’s an internet?

TT: Oh, gosh. Let me think. It’s like…an encyclopedia…with everything you ever wanted to know and more. Except you can simply say, “Alexa,” and ask your question, and it will answer you. Or you can ask Alexa to play a certain song or tell you a joke or give you the square root of 104,691. Or you can simply say “call Carl” and next thing you know, you’re talking to Carl.

TO: Far out.

TT: And you can use it to post stuff on social media. 

TO: What is social media?

TT: Oh, that’s how you connect with people to share stuff about your life…news, photos, recipes, opinions, links to other things on the internet. People get into big arguments on social media. Even with people they’ve never met.

TO: Sounds like a time waster. I don’t understand how the stuff you “post” gets from your computer to someone else’s.

TT: It’s like email.

TO: What’s email?

TT: Oh my goodness. We are a dinosaur, aren’t we? It’s like regular mail, but instantaneous. And without paper. I type it in, hit “send” and it displays on someone else’s screen.

TO: So I guess our typing skills aren’t completely useless.

TT: Not at all. I’ve used them to write books, columns, and more. Speaking of books, we can read those on our phones, too.

TO: Get out.

TT: No, really. You can carry hundreds of books around in your pocket.

TO: Even big ones? Like a Bible?

TT: Yes, even Bibles. In several different versions.

TO: No way. So do you use your phone to talk to God, too?

TT: Um…no. We still talk to God the same old-fashioned way. Directly. Instantaneously. Any time, day or night. No wires needed. Just pray.

TO: But that’s how I do it now.

TT: Right. It’s still the same.

TO: So I guess God is ahead of his time.

TT: You could say that. He hasn’t changed. Though you have changed a thousand times, He has not changed once.

TO: I think I’m a little relieved. 

TT: I think I am too. Anything else you want to know?

TO: I imagine you’ve done away with bad hair days, moodiness, and all-around general selfishness by now, right?

TT: Sigh.

A Little Good News Today

Sladen Peltier as Saul Indian Horse

Last month, Hubby and I attended a screening of the movie Indian Horse, based on the award-winning novel of the same name by the late Ojibway writer, Richard Wagamese.

In 1950’s Ontario, eight-year-old Saul Indian Horse is torn from his Ojibway family and placed in a religious residential school. In this oppressive environment, Saul is denied the freedom to speak his language or embrace his Indigenous heritage while he witnesses horrendous abuse at the hands of the people entrusted with his care. He is shown a depiction of Jesus Christ so far from the biblical account, it broke my heart.

Though Saul’s story is fictional, his experiences mirror those reported by thousands of children taken from their families during this sad and shameful period of our history. I desperately wanted the movie to be an exaggeration. I wanted to cling to the belief that the one admirable character in the story was truly good. When that hope was dashed, I found myself audibly whispering, “NO! No, no, no, no. Please! Tell me it wasn’t that bad.”

But it was. All my prayers cannot erase the past.

Though the story ends with some measure of hope and a tribute to the indomitable spirit of aboriginal people, it is sobering. It’s a story that sits with you a long time, one that every Canadian should see. We drove home in silence.

Three weeks later, I attended the spring concert at Westpark School. This Christian school has reached its objective of accurately reflecting our community by having a student body that is one-third First Nations. The students presented a delightful variety of songs, walking us through God’s creation of the world, the story of redemption, restoration, and revival.

The grand finale was a Dakota song of encouragement sung by adult drummers from Dakota Tipi and accompanied by Indigenous dancing by the students, some in full regalia, girls in jingle dresses, others with simple hoops. The song segued perfectly into another called Revival with the entire exuberant choir joining in.

This time, the tears streaming down my face were tears of hope and gratitude. This event begged the questions: What might Canada look like today if those missionaries had taken the same approach? If they had taught children they can choose to follow Jesus Christ without sacrificing their culture? That God hears their prayers and their praises in any language? That they are loved unconditionally and valued beyond measure, as human beings with histories and hopes and dreams and a future? That God is every color and no color at all.

I can think of no better prayer for our nation than the lyrics those children sang to close their concert:

The world is a desert, dry and thirsty
Your love is the answer, full of mercy
Give us your eyes to see the hurting
Bring us back to life
Revival, Hearts on fire
Holy Spirit rain down
Change us from the inside…
Shine your light
Bring healing to the blind
You break the chains
Let your glory fill the sky…*

This cry for revival is perfect for Canada Day. For only when God changes us from the inside will the differences on the outside become nothing but glorious diversities to celebrate and enjoy for all eternity. Thank you, children, for restoring my hope for future generations of Canadians and for bringing God’s kingdom to earth.

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne … crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (Revelation 7:9 & 10)

*Songwriters: Joshua David Silverberg / Julian Gamba / Kipp Williams / Lindsey Sweat / Lorena Castellanos

Click here for a video of the finale song on Facebook.

For Grads and Those Who Love Them

Occasionally, I am delusional enough to think there might be an eighteen-year-old somewhere who reads my blog. If that’s you, chances are you will graduate from high school shortly. Perhaps you’ve figured out your next step or perhaps you’re still as undecided as you felt at the beginning of the school year. You’re tired of people asking what you’re planning to do with your life. So many options lie before you, and with each choice you make, you eliminate others. It’s a confusing time.

I love this Winnie the Pooh poem by Benjamin Hoff:

How can you get very far

If you don’t know Who You Are?

How can you do what you ought,

If you don’t know What You’ve Got?

And if you don’t know Which to Do

Of all the things in front of you,

Then what you’ll have when you are through

Is just a mess without a clue

[But] All the best can come true

If you know What and Which and Who.

I cannot provide you with the “what” or the “which.” But I’d love to point you to the WHO, because when you know the answer to the “who,” you’ll be guided to the what and the which. (Also the where, when, and why!) Your creator loves you and knows you and wants you to succeed at fulfilling your purpose. God can be trusted. He will never leave you. He’s promised that. Seek him with all your heart and let him guide you, one day at a time.

In Joshua 1:9, God said “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” He is for you. He is rooting for you.

Maybe your graduation happened decades ago and now you’re watching your fledgling leave the nest. Life is showing you how nothing stays the same and it’s hard. Really hard. I know. I went through it three times.

I once heard a preacher say, “at any given time, you’re either in a valley or you’re coming out of a valley, or you’re about to enter a new valley.”

It’s the nature of life on this earth. But I’ve learned that amid all of life’s changes, we have a God who never does. Malachi 3:6 says “I, the Lord, do not change...”

The beauty of walking with God through all these hills and valleys is that we never stop growing. He wants you to grow through every season of change. So here are three questions you can ask yourself as you enter a new season.

·       What is it time to let go of? Mourn your losses. It’s okay to grieve.

·       What am I learning? Write it down! Don’t waste this season or this heartache by refusing to grow.

·       Who am I trusting? Remember that God is for you.

All of us will experience times of endings and beginnings. If you are in a season of transition, can I encourage you? You may not see the road map. You may not have any picture of what your future holds, but you can choose to trust the heart of our God. He says, “Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God. Trust also in me.”

He’s with you. You don’t need to be afraid.