Summer classes start for me next week, so I got myself out of the house at a reasonable decent hour yesterday, and headed to campus to work on class plans, my summer syllabus, and course outline.  Once I got to campus and got in the door to my building, I stopped to visit with a friend, then another friend, then another friend.  After all of that visiting with coworkers/friends, I eventually made it up to my office.  Even after booting up my computer and settling into work, the visits kept up a steady stream.  Several coworkers paused at my door for a brief chat.  Then another friend stopped to talk and we ended up in a long conversation.  I gave up on work, got some lunch, and went home feeling a little frustrated by all of the chatting that had kept me from my work.

     On my way home however, I thought about the people I had spoken to.  They were all colleagues, who also happened to be friends.  Having good relationships with them is one of the things that makes my job so pleasant.  So, while in a sense, I felt that I had “wasted the day,” in another sense I recognized the value of the relationships and felt grateful to have work friends.

     Depending upon our individual work situations, we may spend more time around work friends than we do around our own families.  My work friends have encouraged me in numerous ways–providing open ears when I need to vent, the fellowship of a nice lunch off campus, being  walking buddies when we are struggling to fit in exercise, and bringing in baked (or bought) treats to share, and even small gifts.  One day in the spring semester, I had received some bad health news about my mother, and one of my coworkers brought me a Gerber daisy that afternoon with the message, “just to brighten your day.”

     It did brighten my day.  These examples show what a difference we can make to others just by being pleasant and encouraging coworkers. 

     Here are my simple, but very beneficial tips to being a good coworker:

• Make an effort to greet people by name when you first come in to work, or see them in the office.  A smile and a simple “how are you?” can improve a person’s mood.
• Try to bless the ones you work with by occasionally bringing in something homemade (or bought) to show your appreciation and to make an ordinary day more special.  It is fun to bring in baked goods if you are a baker, but people also really appreciate bagels and donuts.
• Don’t bring a bad mood to work.  Make an effort to be positive and pleasant to those around you.
• Be friendly with everyone, but don’t overshare about your personal life.
• Listen–and show an interest in the lives of your colleagues.  It breaks the ice, and you may find a coworker with whom you have a lot in common.  It may also give you an idea of how to pray for your work friends. 
• Pray for your boss.  Pray for your coworkers.
• Be open.  Especially when you are in a new position, it can be hard to get to know people.  Don’t be afraid to invite someone to eat lunch with you.  On the flip side–accept invitations.  Sometimes, it may seem like a burden if you are invited to lunch and wanted to run an errand, or if you don’t feel like attending the company picnic.  Even so, these activities make you part of the group and also reflect well on your committment to your company.

     Several years ago, I worked in an office where saying “Good morning,” resulted in a snarl from the others in the office.  Nobody wants to work with a snarler.  Having friends at work, and good relationships with colleagues takes a relatively small personal investment, but reaps great rewards in the overall quality of life.

     As I was checking out blogs the other day, I came across one by a Christian woman that took me a bit by surprise.  The most recent post discussed the evils of Facebook, and likened a Christian spending time on Facebook to going into a bar with the intention of witnessing.  I have heard a lot of jokes lately about “Facebook addicts” (some directed at me), so I began to ponder this…Is Facebook a worldly evil?  Is it a ministry tool?  Facebook is marketed as a social networking site.  It is a tool, and like any tool, it can be used for good or bad.  I believe that “the Earth is the Lord’s and everything in it” (Psalm 24:10), so in my mind, that includes all technology, including Facebook.

     Facebook has been a blessing that has allowed me to:

• Renew contact with long-lost friends– After I joined Facebook, I regained contact with many Christian friends that I used to know from church, friends I attended graduate school with, and many others.  It is great to be able to return to a friendship, and find that even with the passage of time and geographic distance, you can still relate.  You can still talk, reminisce, catch-up, and be social.
• Maintain closer contact with family and friends–Many of my family members, my husband’s family, new friends, and colleagues are also on Facebook.  We never see each other in person as much as we would like, but this site allows us to share family photos, and to keep up with how everyone is doing.  If a friend leaves an update that she is having a rough time or a bad day, she gets quick responses from others to cheer her up and bring encouragement.  I have seen prayer requests, programs that allow you to send scripture to friends, and a birthday calendar (a really great blessing to me!).   I am able to keep up with people so much more effectively.  I have also received travel advice, recipes, and praise reports on this program.  Social contact makes people happy!
• Have fun and enjoy my leisure time–I have not thought much about trying to witness to people on Facebook–the thought of it sounds awkward to me.  I see my time spent on Facebook as down-time, leisure time, recreation.  Everyone needs a breather now and then, and I find it refreshing to see what my friends and family are up to and how they are getting along. 

     That said, anything can be bad if it is taken to extremes.  Anything can become an idol in our lives if it steals time away from God and what we really should be doing.  It’s probably not a good idea to spend time on Facebook when you are at work (depending on the nature of your job), or to the point that you are neglecting face-to-face relationships with family and friends.  While some people might see it as a time-waster, I don’t see anything wrong with using Facebook as long as we keep it in balance and enjoy it in moderation.

     Finally, if you do find yourself with a “friend” who tends to leave a lot of updates or comments that you find distasteful or offensive, Facebook allows users to “block” a friend, to “unfriend” and to filter what people can see.