My family and I spent 12 hours at the hospital today while one of us underwent an intensive spinal surgery. Through Facebook, phone calls, texts, and emails, we all got the word out that we needed prayers. They poured in like water over the dry ache of my anxious heart. Thanks to God that the surgery went well. Our family member is in good spirits, though in a lot of pain. It will be a long recovery, but we are all willing to do whatever we need to help, and our church family is right by our side.
But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from evil.
2 Thessalonians 3:3
A Christian Life 
Debbie, when you told me last week about your blog, you also mentioned this challenge facing your family during spring break, so you all have been in my prayers. So glad to see here that all has gone well and to hear how your church family has shared prayer and support via social media during your time at the hospital — the kind of time when these media are of most value, I think. Last week a colleague in another state posted an update from the hospital about her mother’s declining condition; I didn’t know her 4 friends who replied but was struck by how each one offered seemingly just the right word (literally) at that moment: Peace, the first one posted; Faith, wrote the next; Hope, said the third; Love, wrote the fourth. Among the many blessings we can thank God for, this newish means of providing support is one. I pray that all will continue to go well for your family in days to come. And if you need any neighborly help, just let us know (presumably a snowplow would not be involved!).
Thank you, Dr. Dolly! A young family member asked, while we were in the waiting room on Tuesday updating our Facebook pages, how we had managed to “get the word out” before social media. We explained the “phone tree” – how each person never had to call more than two or three people who would each then contact two or three more until the word made it all the way around town and through the family. Technology may change over time, but the reasons we use it don’t really ever change, do they? And every method of communication, from discussion at the village well to posting on social media can be used for good as well as for bad. Although… the further removed from face-to-face interaction, perhaps the more liable the interaction is to be insensitive… Hmm, that sounds like a topic to explore in a future blog post… 🙂
True, the reasons don’t change much though the mechanisms come and go, with their pluses and minuses. I recall what FSU’s Catholic chaplain, Father Ed, advised students attending his retirement party last year: “Please, put down your phone at least twice a day and embrace someone or converse face to face” (well, actually I paraphrase). Though I’m not a big user of social media, when it comes to that or phone trees/prayer chains, I vote for social media — it would be sad though if in lieu of a few hugs at a hard time we got just a hundred tweets!
PS Please, feel free to dispense with the Dr. D!
Martha
Thanks, Martha! 🙂