Balance

The whole thought of needing community has been bouncing around in my head for awhile and I've thought about posting it on my Memories Forgotten blog.  However, I was reading Romans 12 right now and that brought all the thoughts to the surface, so it fits here as well.  I've been thinking about how we really have a lack of community in our lives.  Unlike when we were growing up and we had natural communities at school and youth group at church, that doesn't naturally happen for adults.  I wonder why not??  Many of us go to work at places with other people, but the sense of community is just not the same.  Many of us go to church as adults, but the sense of community is just not the same.  Why not?  Why are we so wrapped up in our own world that we don't reach out or open up to others?  Why does our free time find us often times sitting at our computers engaging with our "friends" on facebook? 

True community doesn't happen unless we're face to face.  I love facebook, but I don't feel a real  connection with anyone while I'm on there.  Besides, if you're like me, you don't want to post every thought or feeling that enters your mind.  It's just too public.  But, why is it so difficult to find a community we feel comfortable with face to face.  Why do we all lock ourselves in our homes with our immediate families?  Why don't we naturally interact with others and our neighbors?

There have been a couple of attempts to remedy this here lately.  We have started having a "Friendship Tea" where adult ladies get together about once a month.  Also, I am the coordinator of a new chapter of LeadHer  starting this week.  I am super excited about adult women getting together in community to support and encourage each other.

Romans 12 does talk about us all being different parts of Christ's body.  It is not possible for us minister in complete solitude.  We need to be in community.  We need to support and encourage each other.  We need to know there are those we can call when the world seems to be closing in on us.

It is also vital that we spend time with just God--reading the Bible, praying, and listening to what he has to tell us.  We need to learn to be still, but we need to have a community of women (or men if you're a man) we can call when we need a friend or who can call us.  And, we need to have a community that we can just have fun with and ask whatever crazy questions we may have.  I guess what I have discovered is that we must have a balance of both.
http://angel-memoriesforgotten.blogspot.com/2012/11/learning-to-be-still.html

How do you make time for balance in your life?

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Thanksgiving for today
444.  "Quarantine" to avoid illness
445.  Agencies who step in when needed
446.  Freedom
447.  Warmish days with time spent outside
448.  Sunshine
449.  Childhood memories shared with kids/cousins
450..  Students excited to learn
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