The Gift of Community.

 The Gift of Community.

 

One of the things we often need, whether or not we ever consider it, would be community. The comfort of recognizing the person next to you or having to meet strangers from one week to the next is the difference between a small church and a larger one. Over the years since leaving my parental home, my own family got to observe the difference between a large gathering and one where almost everyone not only recognized you, but they knew the names of your children. After we stopped traveling any distance to attend church, it seemed too strange to start attending any other church. We realized that not many people would understand how we believed or what we considered important in a service. We had sung songs derived from the scriptures for long enough that anything that did not really include recognizable Bible verses or even the old familiar standards from a Baptist hymnal were not only foreign, but almost wrong-headed. Such differences have become, over the years, one of the major reasons that this old woman has not attended a local church and become familiar with members. Today, that was pointed out to me as a character flaw.

 

Now not many people have the chutzpah to challenge the old woman on her beliefs. Maybe it is simply the personality traits that come across as embedded in stubbornness. And maybe some folks are too timid to ask me to explain my beliefs. But when it is obvious that someone wants direction or encouragement, it’s time to reach out of one’s comfort zone to adapt to the needs of others. So, here we go to challenge my own character and beliefs. Guess who will be looking for a good Baptist church that is small enough to notice when a stranger attends a service.

 

The mopping of some (certainly not all) of the floors yesterday left me with sore hips and a sore rotator cuff. This morning, walking down to Patty’s to put out her trash, the sore hips were very noticeable. But it still felt good to walk. Every morning, when my feet hit the floor, it is easy to give thanks that walking is even possible! Still, it would be nice to be able to clean more of the house at one time than just a few floors. Sigh. Soon maybe the old body will recover more of the resilience that has always been there in the past.

 

Some pork loins have just been placed in the Ninja cooker, some of Brenda Jones’ eggs taken off the stove to cool after boiling, and some frozen leftovers heated up to make lunch for today. Love this kind of cooking! Jennifer has taught me so much about making my meals work out to be easier for a week at a time. But then, she works five days a week and then takes care of meals on weekends! Never knew how blessed this old woman was when she was that age and able to keep up with everyone in the family. Just keeping up with all the laundry and mending used to make me feel fairly proud of myself! Silly ol’ woman.

 

As soon as the surgery can be scheduled, my friend Michelle Malay is having a rotator in her shoulder replaced. She says it is an out-patient surgery and that Medicare pays for it now. She also said that there is a new out-patient facility behind the Ford House on Kell West also. Some doctors here in WF simply do not want to deal with United Regional. So far, since Dr. Kern has his own nursing team, this ol’ girl has had no problem with going to United. Back when Lewis had surgery there or when Hanan went there after being burned in an explosion, no way would that place have deserved any recommendation. The nurses were a lot of things, but kind was not one of them. Here’s hoping that Michelle will have a quick surgery and a good recovery.

 

The hints of the possibility of rain this week have disappeared and some suggestion has been made for Saturday, but no one around here is holding their breath. But at least the winds have slowed down to 19 with gusts only at 26 mph. Have a feeling that this is going to be a long dry summer. And Sylvia takes time to got wade in the water trough at least once a day. Guess that is one way to be sure that her “mom” will mop the floors!

 

Today is the last of March. Wonder if that will make any difference in anything. Think we are supposed to have some kind of alert on our phones on Thursday—not the sirens for storms at least. Just got an alert about a wandering man here in WF who needs to be found and taken home. SO glad that Mom never got totally lost. Realized my friend Janis was in trouble when she got lost on her way to church one day. She died soon after that. Hope my kids never have to deal with that situation.

 

Let us attempt to be an encouragement for others with a giving heart and kindnesses. May we show others God’s love.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.