As I have shared before, the "buzz word" on home assignment for us is connecting. Connecting to make new friends and re-connecting with old friends.
We do this through rather techie methods like e-mail, phone calls, Facebook and Skype. But we also do this through rather old-fashioned, every-day methods like going to a friend's daughter's baby shower, meeting a friend for coffee and golfing with our pastor. And we do it through ministry/serving methods like joining a Sunday night small group and a men's early morning Bible study and helping to lead a Sunday School class.
Sometimes at the beginning of home assignment when I'm feeling rather tired and overwhelmed and just want to crawl in a hole and sleep, I have to remind myself to make a conscious effort to "see" and "be seen". Often just through bringing a meal to a friend who is sick or showing up for a church potluck God blesses with some connecting and re-connecting, one conversation at a time. My heart is blessed when I step out to serve and be in community.
Recently, sitting in a living room full of chatting, smiley women, I looked around. I was surprised that I knew most of them....yet only for a few years. Most of them though had known each other for a lifetime. Yet these sweet, wonderful woman had graciously and generously let me into their already-full circle of friendships.
Last home assignment a friend asked if we feel like we are on the outside looking in when we come back to the U.S. Yes, we often do. But no, we often don't. We are thankful for that close-connected-accepted-feeling we always feel towards the end of our year of home assignment. We feel at home here and we feel a part of this church and this community. Unfortunately, just about the time we feel at home, we have to leave home.
Yet, even the apostle Paul, strong-bold-confident-independent Paul, needed community. A community of believers surrounding him with love, prayers and support. Friends who he felt comfortable with and friends who knew him.
"And the brethren, when they heard about us came from...(far away)...to meet us and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage." Acts 28:15
Paul needed, just like we need, the fellowship of love and the community of life. God gives us this through the family of God. Sure it does't always come naturally. And sure it takes work and time, but when God showers those blessings of community down our hearts are filled with thankfulness to be a part of the body of Christ.
So thank you. Thank you for the wedding shower invitation. Thank you for going out to eat with us and for inviting us over. Thanks for stopping by and for visiting with us in the parking lot after church. Thank you for sharing your life with us and for letting us share our life with you. Our hearts are enriched by you. I know you probably can't keep track of whether we are coming or going and we who knows when we will show up on your doorstep again. But your heart of love, acceptance and friendship to this nomadic-gypsy-family doesn't go unnoticed. It means the world to us and just like Paul, we thank God for you and we take courage.
