I mighta shoulda called this post Twirly Thursday (see Swirly Saturday), because I’ve got a feeling my thoughts might spectrum-hop, to put it mildly (and ambiguously). Hang in if you want. Check out if you don’t.

You may or may not have noticed that my posts usually go up at 12:01 a.m. (my time) and that this one is over 12 hours late. That would be because 1.) Nina’s Golden Birthday was stinkin’ awesome but totally tuckered me out. and 2.) I sat in front of my computer last night FOREVER in all kinds of anguish because I couldn’t crystallize a single one of my 1400 swirly thoughts.

There’s no way I can explain all that’s going on in my head (I wouldn’t do that to you if I could), but I do want to give you the smallest peek. Here goes nothing.

I’m overwhelmed. Six days into 2011, and I’m already in waaaaay over my head. Over-committed, over-stimulated, over-everything. This post is (supposed to be) part of a Read-Along for the book @stickyJesus, a Christian’s guide to sharing your faith online. We’re on Chapter 4, and I missed weeks 2 & 3. Boo. More on Chapter 4 in a minute (or six).

Then there’s the Your Secret Name Read-Along, and while I’m so excited that so many of you are hopeful and energized about how God is going to use this book in your lives, I’m already out of steam (don’t worry, I’m not giving up, I just need to pray for some passion).

Not to mention the stack of books I picked up at the library yesterday and the couponing I’ve decided to try, and my new-found desire to be a better steward of God’s earth (especially as it relates to bringing justice to God’s dear children who are oppressed). Then there’s Mail Month and Pay It Forward 2011 (a Facebook thing–had so much fun with it last night) and reading through my Bible again (this time in the Message).

And praying for the whole world with the girls and each praying for one of our kiddos in the orphanage each night and selling S-C-R-A-B-B-L-E magnets to raise funds for our Cambodia Trip (this potential trip is the thing that’s most lighting my fire these days).

And so on. AND ON AND ON.

Why oh WHY can’t I just calm down and focus on one (okay, a few) very important thing(s)? Don’t answer that. Although, I am currently accepting advice.

So, the title of my post. Chapter 4 of @stickyJesus is all about creating a buzz about something online. Getting people talking. And the best, most awesome thing we can get them talking about is JESUS.

Social networking AMAZES me, so much so that I’m working on a big project about it. Shoot, add another thing to my toppling pile. If I were to recount to you all the PHENOMENAL things God has done through my online relationships, I’d be here forever and a few days. I love, love, LOVE the internet.

But.

On today’s post, Michelle (leading the Read-Along) asked if Jesus would be on Twitter. If he were walking this earth in 2010, would he take advantage of social media to reach as many people as possible with the Good News?

I have my doubts.

But you know what? I also think he came to earth when he did for a reason. A lot of reasons, but I think one of them was to purposely be on earth before the whole technology thing went wild. I’m not sure why, but that’s what I think.

I knooooooow that the whole online thing can get out of hand, but I also believe with everything in me that the internet is a powerful, powerful tool for sharing Jesus in a way that just wasn’t possible even 10 years ago.

And if I had to sum all that up in just one word, it’d be this: tuk-tuk.

And if I had to sum up this post with minimum swirl, I’d say this: I know God has given me many talents and passions for a reason. I know he has given me a fairly sizable online platform for a reason too. But apparently, what I don’t know is how to find balance and moderation. Maybe moderation’s not the right word. I don’t want to live a life of moderation. I want to go all out, to empty myself on behalf of the poor and lost.

I just can’t go at it at breakneck speed and in 500 different directions.

So help me. Let me glean some of your hard-won wisdom. Tell me this:

1. How do you balance all the passions God has given you?

2. How do you keep from being overwhelmed and over-committed to “good” things?

3. How do you make sure that you’re using your online presence for Christ and being as effective as possible?

Thanks, friends! Come back tomorrow for a post that’s half-as-long!

For the next few Thursdays, I’ll be posting my thoughts on each chapter of @stickyJesus as part of Michelle’s read-along. You’re welcome to join us! The chapters are short, and it wouldn’t be that hard to catch up.

I did warn Michelle that we’ve got our own Read-Along going on (wooo to the woohoo! I’d be THRILLED if you’d join us!) and that would be my first priority.

But I like to juggle.

So @stickyJesus. If the title seems whacked to you, you’re probably not on Twitter. And that’s okay. Basically, Twitter is a social networking site like Facebook but used for different sorts of things. It’s a little shorter, faster, maybe shallower but doesn’t have to be. Tami Heim and Toni Birdsong, the authors of the book, did a great job of sharing how Twitter (and all online interaction) can be used to bring glory to God.

Now that’s what I’m talking about. The subtitle of the book is How to Live Your Faith Online, which happens to be something I’m very passionate about. Which also happens to be a huge part of the writing project I’m working on right now. Cool how God orchestrates this kind of stuff.

The first chapter of the book starts off with a little fiction narrative about The Land of Shiny Things (where we all live). The piece starts when you wake up and ends when you get to the office (which would be your desk at home for many of you).

Chitchat and office banter exist to delay the euphoric cliff dive into the shiny stream of e-mails and other online destinations corralled on the other side of your shiny laptop screen… you are persuaded of your unique presence as you join the other 1.9 billion people on the planet who inhabit the internet daily. You need to know and be known, and there’s little room for God in this shiny equation.” (p. 6)

Gulp. I can so relate to the euphoric cliff dive.

But lest you think this is a book decrying the rampant (over)use of technology, it’s absolutely not.

Relax, Tami and Toni tell us the next page over. There’s no need to renounce your residency in the Land of Shiny Things or mask the evidence of your connected life. There’s no shame. This is the hour to which you’ve been born–so by all means, power up! Just power up the way God wants you to. That means with a God-breathed strategy, Holy Spirit power, and divine discernment. (p. 7)

Whether you ever plan to read the book or not, I’d love to get your thoughts on some of the ideas I’ll be posting here on Thursdays. Be careful what you say though. It just might end up in a book (with your express written permission of course).

So tell me:

1. What kind of boundaries have you set in place (in theory anyway) so that your life is a healthy balance between online and face-to-face interaction?

2. Would you consider yourself an embracer or a balker of technology/social networking? Please explain.

Thanks, friends, and have a great day! I’ll notify the Scripture Spiral winner later today!

p.s. Other people will be linking their Chapter 1 posts over at Michelle’s but as of right now, she doesn’t have hers up yet.