The most successful social network of all time

The explosion of what is called social media fascinates me. You've heard of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, MySpace---they're all social media vehicles, little technological introducers and connectors. Interesting stuff and quite the darling nowadays. You can't open a paper or see a newscast without some mention of social media--and with the coverage social media receives, you'd think that everyone is involved.

As much as I enjoy today's social networking, I have to say that I'm a fan of the old school---meeting, talking, and being with real people. A friend approached me at church recently and asked how I was. He was aware of the tender state my industry is in and the cutbacks and layoffs my company has endured. Then, he did the beauty of all social network activities---at least for Christians---he grabbed me, bowed his head, and prayed for me on the spot. So many times we hear, "our thoughts and prayers are with them" and most of the time that is a throwaway phrase. Not that morning.

Let's give some props this week to the most successful social network of all time. The one founded by that one guy who enlisted 12 friends to get it all going. They lost some members along the way, but it doubled, tripled, and quadrupled in size. The founder left but stayed in contact---it ran into many, many threats, it was distorted and ran off the tracks a couple times, it was highjacked and threatened, it split into different versions--but lo and behold after all these years, we still celebrate the founding and the triumph of a network that isn't a flash in the pan, isn't going to be yesterday's flirtation, and will be around long after the last tweet has Twittered.

This coming Easter weekend is THE weekend, folks. It ain't braggin' if you can do it---and He did it.

Woot!