He said, "abide in the vine," not in the Apple.

"Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me."  ~John 15:4

Abide - meno; a primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy): - abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for) x thine own.

Lots of cool things here on which I haven't thought before, but that's all head stuff: what do all these words feel like in the real world? How do I walk them out in shoe leather?  To what existing relationship in my own life may I look for an example of passion like that, dedication like that, tuned-in-ness like that?  

Enter Facebook. 

Turns out most of us have an existing relationship to which we may look for insight.  We all know what it feels like to dwell with and endure with and be present with and tarry with our phones.  I mean, where else can we keep up friendships, get inspired about art projects, home improvments, DIYs, get ideas for dinner, learn a new catch-phrase, find a fashion statement, keep up with current events, research ideas for how to handle a needed response, a health problem, an in-law, a child, a marriage, a co-worker, an enemy, a friend, an addiction?  Where else could we get Google, Wikipedia, Pinterest and Instagram under one cover?

A friend and I were marveling again just yesterday that we get to be in this club which is infinity-deep and a constant source of secret joy.  And, low and behold, this club has a physical book we can consult about everything.  How many of us have wished for that on any given day?!  "I have four sons!  I wish there was a manual!"  I married a type- A/B/OCD/Unmotivated person!  I wish there was a manual!"  "I don't know what to do with my life!  I wish there was a manual!"  

There is.  And as Pastor Kyle frequently says, "Seriously, you should read it-- it's amazing!" Between its covers lie the answers to all the above questions and any other we might possibly think to ask in the course of 70-100 years of life on this planet.

If I were to accept the challenge of this meme, continually living in a state of expectancy, remaining in the presence of and standing on the physical Word of God, surely that might add up to the outward characteristics of abiding.  It's worth a shot.  

And by a shot I mean more than trotting off to tweet about it.