July 12, 2011

Belonging

Companionship: feeling of friendship or fellowship.

I have been moving around a lot lately.  This past year I have set up residence at four different places.  I can say it is hard to find companionship when you move around so much.  I do keep in touch with people, but it is hard to find someone who has walked with you the entire time.  God has a funny way of working me into friendships.  I don't always go looking for friendship.  I just find it.

Have you ever watched over another person's pet?  It's strange especially if you have your own of the same species.  Here in Waltham my host family has two dogs.  They have a 6 year old Black Lab and an Australian Shepard puppy.  Let me say that the puppy and I did not get along that well the first couple weeks.  He likes to wake up at 6 and whine until someone comes to his kennel.  Now before you blame me for not knowing the needs of a puppy let me explain.  He wakes up at 6 and whines and then when someone does reach his kennel and lets him out he bolts straight to the lab and begins to gnaw on her.  Not your typical morning behavior.  He's a little strange to say the least. Something is changing though.  He's less dominating and more content.  He still wakes up too early in my opinion, but that's not a big deal (he has become my alarm clock).

Chillin' in my basement office
This is probably a poor analogy, but I am going with it anyway.  After being here in Waltham for a month I beginning to feel the same way towards the church here.  Sure I don't share the same views all the time, but we can work together for a common goal.  I am making friendships here. I am getting to know the congregation.  I am letting them know me.  I realize I am an intern and will be back in Grand Rapids in a little over a month, but I don't care.  I'm here now.  One of the best ways to create in myself the love for friends is to pray for the person individually.  Prayer itself is not hard, but remembering all of the people to pray for can be.  Thankfully I work with them weekly and my memory can recall that much.  I noticed that in the bulletin this past Sunday that there was a list of prayer requests on the back.  My name appeared on that list and I did not even submit a prayer request.  I felt like one was looking out for me by seeing that the church cared enough to pray for me even though I did not necessarily ask for it.  In the same way one of my first goals for this internship was to pray for the church each day.  It is a challenge, but also a blessing.  I am making friends.

I am allowing myself to heel a bit and in return I am learning a lot.  I think the best way to put it is we're chilling out nicely together.  May you find companionship in unlikely places.  May the annoying become the friend.  May your pride shatter over and over each day.  May you serve.  May you be blessed.

In HIM

1 comment:

  1. I like what you said about "but it is hard to find someone who has walked with you the entire time". Definitely feeling that right now. It's like when you come back from a different country and you try to explain the experience, but everything gets lost in translation (pun intended). I mean, we create a language when we spend time with people. With each different group of friends we have our inside jokes and our common reference and threads of conversation we can ALWAYS return to. But without those connections......well, I talk to God more..... And He's enough. Because he's been with me since before I was aware that there existed a 'me' to be with.

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