Harrisville, home sweet home.

            I just got back from spending some much needed time with my grandparents, the greatest people on earth.  Harrisville, their home, has always been a home away from home sort of place for me.  It is the place where I feel the least stressed, and always know I'm going to have a great time. I spent the past couple of days without a cell phone and I tell you every time I turn my phone off I am rewarded.  I encourage you all to do it OFTEN! 

           So many of you know that some of my most favorite memories consist of two simple things; the first being outside, whenever I'm outside I'm at home and the second being sitting at the feet of someone with more experience, wiser, and who in a loving manner shares their life.  It takes special people to share their lives with others and I am encouraged every time I spend time with my grandparents, their whole lives are open for discussion and sharing. 

          I sat with my grandfather on Tuesday afternoon and went through a 1930 census from his hometown.  He shared stories of growing up, he remembered people from when he was 6 yrs old and could even remember their jobs. Community life sure has changed since then, the theme throughout was that everyone was in it, life, together.  When did everyone decide that things would be better if they went at it alone? When did we all decide that too many people had hurt us and that meant closing up shop and taking care of ourselves?  I dream of a world where I can remember at age 84 the people in my town when I was 6 yrs old, I pray that I can remember their faces and know not just their jobs but who they were as people. 

         If you've ever talked to my sister or my dad they will tell you I don't remember a lot, most of the time they spend telling stories I spend asking questions about who and when it all happened, some just a few short years ago.  Sad but true.  I still am striving to truly learn how to share my life, to allow others the rare but incredible opportunity to get to know me and me the honor to get to know them.  Every now and then I set aside my agenda to help rearrange furniture at my neighbors house, I put down my book to grab coffee with a friend, or I set down my windex and rush to a friend in need.  Those occasions are rare though and most of my day I spend thinking about myself and what I need to do.  I worry will he or she like me? Are they thinking that I could have done a better job? I'm consumed with self. 

            We are not designed to go at life alone but instead we are created for living together.  So I will keep putting myself on hold hopefully more and more often because if anything I've learned is the more I share my life the more I long to share more of it.  An urge so perfectly placed in us by God who designed it just right, if the creator of the universe can't go at it alone, then I sure as heck can't either.  The 12 disciples weren't there to watch and learn they were there to share Christ's life and by opening themselves up to community their lives were changed forever.  Let's stop walking fast with our heads down and look up and learn the person's name who is right there beside you or ease up and wait for the person behind you and learn theirs.  

            My prayer is that by the time we reach 84 we not only see faces and know names but we truly know the person as well.

How have you seen God today?