#feelthewind

They are called hashtags.  We oldsters called them pound signs, but there is no difference beyond a couple decades of technology.

In any event, they are used to establish the topic for a Twitter conversation that is open to anyone who wants to jump in.  A hashtag is both commentary and summary.  The same event might carry several hashtags depending on the variety of views out there in the social media world.

So......here's ours for Pentecost.  #feelthewind.  If you are inexperienced at these, you need to separate the words into  feel. the. wind.  It's a great hashtag for Pentecost, the day of rushing wind, tongues of fire, and accusations of excessive drinking at 9 am.

#feelthewind sets the tone.  What is our message?  What do we want to say to the world about that great rushing wind and the incredible Holy Spirit?  Twitter restricts comments to 140 characters so we would have to be brief, but this provides us with the great opportunity to hone our message about God's appearance as Spirit among us, moving us forward, granting us words to speak, setting us on fire.

According to the gospel of John the Holy Spirit comes as comforter, encourager, strength in faith, fearlessness in telling the story.  The Spirit is our advocate and our teacher; it is the teller of truth.  It is the power of the Holy Spirit which raised Jesus out of the tomb into new life.  Just saying: we're not dealing with some draft from a faulty window.

We are talking about the power of new life moving across the void of darkness and bringing life into being.....and it is happening today all around us.  With a little practice will we recognize the movement of the Spirit wherever there is healing, forgiveness, compassion, truth telling, and strength of faith.

What would you say in your tweet about Pentecost?  Let's try a few
    Could that woman giving lunch to that guy on the corner be the Holy Spirit at work?  #feelthewind

    Saw a child and dog playing and running and laughing.  Holy Spirit at work  #feelthewind

   Elderly mother and adult child holding one another's hands in silence at hospital.  Holy Spirit bring comfort  #feelthewind

Notice how our tweets sound suspiciously like prayers of awe and praise and intercession?  Just by tuning into God moving and working among us, our prayer life (which IS our relationship with God) grows and grows.

The Holy Spirit is on the loose, moving and shaping the world; it comes as both wind and fire.  Where have you felt the wind lately?

#holyspiritatwork