Some teens know the best way to make their parents cringe is to simply say two words: "I'm bored!" I see it all the time on MySpace bulletins and blogs, especially during the summer. And the proclamation is certainly not limited to young people. Every now and then I get a phone call from a friend who says, "I'm bored. What are you doing tonight?"

When I was a kid I had a teacher who used to toss out pearls of wisdom like, "People who say 'I'm bored' are really saying 'I'm boring!'" I took that personally and felt insulted. "How dare you tell me that I'm boring!" Actually, my teacher was probably right.

I'll be honest with you. Nowadays I am so darn busy with my youth ministry, my music ministry, and my website ministry that I don't have time to be bored. In fact, I wish I could have the luxury of saying those two words in the course of my daily routine. And maybe that's the secret to canceling out boredom.

"I'm bored" might also be another way of saying, "Entertain me!' Instead of relying on others to entertain us or to take away our boredom, how about if we take charge of it ourselves?

Are you bored? First of all, don't just turn on the TV or pop in a DVD. Given the state of today's broadcast offerings, you'll probably end up getting bored all over again. Even if you watch a DVD for two hours, when the movie is over you'll probably say, "I'm bored. What's next?"

Are you bored? Step away from that television set. And from that computer screen. Forget the video games. "No! No! It's too painful! Don't make me do it!" Easy, friend. This is only a suggestion. Just get out of the sitting position and out of the house.

Walk, yes, walk to the mall and meet some friends. Forget driving or being driven. Let walking be part of the adventure. Notice your neighborhood like you've never noticed it before. Soak in the sunshine. Too hot? Good. That will only make a cool drink even more refreshing.

In fact, forget the mall. Do something creative with your friends. Do you play instruments? Start a garage band. Is art your thing? Walk over to the local art store and get a huge canvas. Put it on the floor and throw paint at it, in various weird color combinations. Obviously, you'll want to make sure the floor is well protected, unless you enjoy getting in trouble at home. Hey, at least you won't be bored anymore! Make several new paintings and have an art show.

No artistic inclinations? Start a water balloon fight! After you've dried off, volunteer somewhere. Organize a bingo game at the neighborhood senior resident home. Go to your city's animal shelter or zoo and ask if they need any help. Collect canned food from your neighbors or at your church and give the donations to the local food bank. If you need help with finding volunteer opportunities ask your youth minister. No youth minister? Get your friends together and make an appointment with your pastor to ask him why your parish doesn't have a youth minister. (Remember to be polite!)

Don't like my ideas? Think I'm way off the mark? Cool! Write down what you don't like about this Spirit Spot and email your thoughts to me. I'm listening, and maybe I'll incorporate your ideas in a future article. By the way, have fun doing that.

My point is, there are lots of ways to dispel boredom, if you put your mind to it. Every morning, God blesses us with the gift of a new day. Each moment of every day is an opportunity for an exciting new adventure, a surprise encounter, an awesome change of pace. I think Tom Booth hits the nail on the head with his new song, Present Moment:

Lord, help us to live in the present moment.
Help us to pray in the light of this day.
Lord, help us to love in the present moment,
for we know not the time.
So we give our lives,
placing our trust in you
in the present moment,
in the present moment.

Yeah, prayer is a good way to break boredom, too. God might give you a few ideas on what to do next, if you simply take the time to pray — in the present moment.