I just love how much patience God has, especially when it comes to realizing things He has been trying to teach us for so long. I mean if I was Him, by the second time I would be like COME ON! OPEN YOUR EYES! That's why I'm thankful God isn't created in our image, but that we are created in His.
Something He has been trying to teach me for a while now is the importance of community. While I was sick, this is what I struggled with the most, being alone all day. It made me realize how we as humans are created to be around each other and not in solitary. But I think the devil has really hooked on to the American ideal of personal space and reserved nature. After being home and at the house all day by myself, it was weird to be around people, I would want my own space or feel crowded. Just because I had been so used to being on my own. But Jesus doesn't call us to be on our own, He calls us to be in community.
During that time, even when I was feeling crowded, something in side of me was screaming out to those around me, wanting to be near them. When my mom would come home from work I would just follow her around, wanting to be close and hear her. It makes me want to go to nursing homes or hospitals and just sit with people, hear there story, tell them mine, just be close to them and connect with them. I think that is something God is calling me to do, that's one of the things He taught me through the mono. There are so many times when I get to caught up in myself and don't focus on the beautiful people around me.
It's such a beautiful moment when I realize how long God has been speaking to me about an issue, how many people He has used, how many situations big and small. It's incredible. Realizing the importance of community has been a journey, and now that I really see it I know it's been something God has wanted me to figure out for so long. From leading a DNOW group, serving at Kid's Cafe with others and connecting with those amazing kids, a couple sermons (including Dustin's dating sermon tonight), and surprisingly while running errands.
I usually make a point to say hi to the cashier or any greeters, and carry on any kind of conversation they start, but I don't usually press them for conversation. This past week so many times I've been going through the check out line, and while I'm focused on getting my money out I realize I haven't asked them how their day is and we have had no conversation beyond "hi." I know it's such a little thing, but God works in amazing ways. The thing that keeps popping in my head is when I was sick, and finally felt like I could venture out to Walmart, I got to like isle 2 and was sweaty and not feeling good. I pushed myself probably more than I should but found what I was looking for, checked out, and was leaving. There was this older Indian man at the door greeting people, and he smiled at me real big and asked me how I was doing and if I had found everything okay, and he gave me a sweet little side hug and told me to have a great day. I know he probably wasn't supposed to hug me, but it wasn't in a creepy way haha. That moment just sticks out to me because he was going beyond his job of saying "hi" and "bye" and connected with me. It brought a smile to my face, and a little joy into the pain I was feeling. After all, isn't that what all of us are called to do for each other?
love.
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