Twittering Two

Watching the MPPs of our Ontario Government had new meaning for me. These are folks that I have prayed for… and because of that they are people that I feel I seem to know.

There they were in the middle of some very important debates, each rising to the issue of the day. Or in many cases they were bringing forward issues from the ridings that they represent. I never realized how important the things are that they deal with. It is amazing what happens when you engage in prayer on behalf of someone.

I was impressed to say the least.

It was at that high moment while I was engrossed in what was being said that a funny noise seemed to come from my TV speakers. It was odd. It didn’t fit in what was happening. Like… it was an electronic failure of some sort – like maybe feedback? The person speaking stopped what he were saying and looked sharply to his left…then grinned… then tried to go on. But couldn’t because the Speaker of the House had stood and looked to his right. All of the pages were on their feet with the Speaker.

What happened? What could stop the Ontario Legislature and the speaking men about really important issues quit?

A “Blackberry failure” is the answer… a plain old Blackberry! Go figure… an MPP in the Ontario Legislative Assembly at Queen’s Park was caught Red Faced as he “Twittered”.

I shouldn’t blame Twittering on this noise…but maybe another Twitter kind of call or notification…or even a telephone call arriving.

Being caught in the Legislative Assembly while someone is scoring points with some of his constituents back home in front of their TVs… made the Speaker grin and offer words of correction. Fortunate for the OFFENDER the dude that was Twittering never was caught on Camera.

The Speaker’s words told the story. With a grin on his face and laughter in his voice he said, “I want to remind Members that their Blackberry needs to be turned off…”

Now an entire population that was watching this from all across Ontario, witnessing this lively series of events are people that think a Blackberry is something you can put on your cereal in the morning. In fact they might even think there is something wrong with my TV. Not so. A Blackberry is a Cell Phone that is REALLY FANCY!

The Twitter world has invaded the top law makers.

This past week I was riding with a Twitter. That is right with him the vehicle. He is driving and we are on a very busy street. The light changed and we didn’t move. I waited and the guy behind us waited. I looked at my friend to see if he had experienced a stroke or had died of a heart attack.

Nope! He was grinning from ear to ear – about to laugh out loud at a private joke. He was also looking down in his lap at his right hand where his Blackberry was looking up at him. His right thumb was typing quickly a message into the small keyboard on his unit.

“Hey dude… the light changed!” He looked at me embarrassed. I had caught him “red handed” Twittering to some body.

Now to make it even more weird, he and I had taken some time to be together. You know like have some quality time with each other and “speak into each other’s lives”. You know…like share the deep things of what God was doing for each of us…like ministers do together… like some of the pain and some of joys… blah, blah…BLAH!

He asked me some great questions which caused me to really think. I carefully began to open to him in this quality moment together sharing some deep stuff that I had been thinking of…

In the middle of my sharing my true feelings… the traffic light had changed… and he never moved ahead… he was Twittering as I was sharing my deepest feelings – AND NOT EVEN LISTENING TO ONE DING DONG WORD I SAID!

The TWIT has been Twittering and not listening.

After my friend was caught not listening to what I said he tried to show how concerned he was about me. That was funny. I could tell this dude anything – even the most outlandish thing and he would never hear anyway – nor did he care. So I basically shut down and waited until the quality time together was over…getting back to my garage was more important than sharing with someone that can’t hear. The piece of wood I carve listens to me better than a Twitter.

Yesterday…
As part of my classes and studies I attended a S.E.B. Trade show at our Evinrude Center – a community center/Hockey rink complex.

The dude at the table I stopped in front of was warm and engaging. He was entertaining to say the least. He shared with me all the advantages of his business. Great stuff – really cool to listen to him. Then he asked me a question about me and my plans. I started to tell him my story… then there was a weird sound from his pocket… he jerked a little… eyes fluttered slightly… shifted his weight to the left. I was losing him for sure… MAYBE A STROKE right there in front of me…God what should I do for the poor man?

He slowly reached in his pocket as he listened closely to what I was saying and pulled out his Blackberry that was making a weird noise… then said, “Sorry…” and began to talk to whomever…

I excused myself with a “Seeya”. Aint worth the effort to share anything important… most of the world is Twittering.

I left the place and went out to my bicycle to ride home. I looked up and smiled – there was a blue sky and God was smiling too. No… not really but I felt it. I talked to him on the way home. He listened.

I used to be bothered when God became so quiet when I prayed. Not anymore. I am delighted with his silence… it proves he isn’t Twittering but rather really listening.

A THOUGHT…
I had a really funny thought… at the next funeral I do I would like to slip a cell phone into the casket when I walk by to pay my respects at the front, at the time just before the Funeral Directors do their closing and the little bow. Then as the service progresses… at the right moment… just after the prayer…I will call the phone in the casket and listen to it ring and Ring and RING. It would be at that moment that everyone in the room would be grabbing their own phone frantically to turn it off. Their wives would be glaring at them… TOO FUNNY…just TOO FUNNY. FUNERAL DIRECTORS would be in a panic because someone had done something as stupid as forget to take the guys cell phone out of his pocket….!!!!! OOOOieee too funny!

In a really weird way – I could show the living that some day the Twittering will be over. But a Pastor would never do that – would he…? ;-0

~ Murray Lincoln ~