Happy New Year!

Obviously I am way behind on posting. I can't believe it's been nearly a month since I was on here. I guess that's what happens around the holidays. I will do my best to catch up on past sermon messages soon. In the meantime, I'll do a little updating.

As you may know, I've been participating in a women's Bible study with two other ladies in the neighborhood. We have all really been enjoying the study. I am surprised by how much I do like it. I was a little wary before we started. We have three meetings left with this study and will have to decide if we want to start a new study. If we do, it would be a great opportunity to invite others to join the group. I would certainly share the group's existence with a few ladies I know in the neighborhood. We will see.

Our last meeting before Christmas, we talked about trying to find a way to serve our neighborhood. I suggested seeing if we could help a Welcoming Committee get started again. It appears that there used to be one but I haven't seen any glimpses of one in the three years I've been here. The other ladies thought that would be the best thing to look into right now as it is too cold to do any sort of clean up/yard work. I'm trying to get some information from the board and will hopefully have something to report to the ladies at our next meeting.

I was telling my husband about what we are thinking about doing. He reminded me that I have been working on a community newcomer book with my job at church that could be useful to those new to our neighborhood. I love how he thinks of these things! It's definitely a great idea and would save some leg work if we do get something started.

I'm actually excited about getting more involved with those around me and hope that everything works out. Even with a baby on the way, this project is something that wouldn't require too much work or time. I will try to remember to keep everyone updated on what happens.

Is there anything exciting for you as a new year gets into gear?

The Frazzled Female

I have joined a women's Bible study that a woman in my neighborhood has started. There are just three of us, but I am excited about getting to know the two other women. We all live on the same side of the neighborhood. I don't know that I would have met them had we not all decided to be a part of this group. I have met a lot of people through playing tennis, but I am always interested in getting to know more!

We have started going through a study called The Frazzled Female. I wasn't really sure what I was going to think of the book. Then I started reading the first section. It was all about thinking about God throughout the day and inviting him to be a part of everything I do. I almost laughed out loud because I had just been challenged through church and the Soul Revolution study to find ways to continue to remember God's presence. Here I was given the opportunity to continue to learn about ways to do just that. I am very convinced that it was an affirmation from God that I was doing what he wants me to do. I am continuing to try to grow in my relationship with him and, at the same time, connecting to people around me in my community.

Door-to-door Jam

A few months ago I was pondering how to become engaged in my community, more specifically with those in my neighborhood. I have met a lot of people through tennis which has been nice. And many of our immediate neighbors are pretty friendly, though we're not always in the loop as we have no kids. However, there are still several on our block I've never met or don't know their names, most particularly our neighbor immediately to our right. I was trying to figure out how to meet everyone. At Halloween a lot of neighbors gather in the cul-de-sac to have a potluck and pass out candy, but that's only once a year. I had thought about hosting a social or something, but we've been too busy to add another event.

About a month ago I picked strawberries and made waaaaaay too much freezer jam. I decided that passing it out would be a great way to say hi and connect. Who doesn't like strawberry jam, right? (Apparently Neal doesn't.) So I settled on that idea, but have been remiss in following through. Part of it is not knowing when people are home. The other part is I'm not particularly outgoing and the idea of going door to door (even though I'm not selling something) makes me a little nervous.

Recently I've been praying for courage because I know it's something that needs to be done (and the jam is taking up too much space in the freezer). Yesterday afternoon, as I was preparing to go to the gym, I figured it was as good a time as any to drop some off to people so I put six containers in a cooler and headed out. I figured it wouldn't take long. Two and a half hours later I realized I was not visiting the gym that day.

My first stop was our neighbor two doors down. I knew that the woman worked from home so I figured she would be available. Unexpectedly she invited me in to sit and talk. She shared that it seemed like good timing because her family had just learned a week or two before that her husband has cancer. They removed it but he still has to go through radiation. She asked for prayer. Apart from that, I learned a lot about her and her family. It made me thankful that I was finally being faithful to what I needed to do.

My second and third stops were to next door neighbors who were outside. We all chatted for a bit. One of the women is someone I have spent more time with than most of the other neighbors. It wasn't very long, but I passed out jam to both of them.

The fourth stop was to a family I had only spoken to at the Halloween potluck. I learned that the husband recently had surgery and is on disability. They were preparing to go to the pool so I didn't stay very long.

The fifth visit was up the street to the police officer's house. I hadn't really talked to him since Halloween either. He was a little skeptical about my purpose until I told him I lived three houses down. He remembered my husband and asked how Adam was doing. Kind of funny to me.

My last stop of the afternoon was to a house whose inhabitants I had never met. I had seen the woman going in to the house on the way up to number five so I knew someone was home. I rang the door bell and waited as a dog barked inside. I waited long enough that I didn't think anyone was coming. As I was headed back down the driveway the front door opened. So I met the lady and told her who I was. We talked for a while on her front porch. She's lived here since the beginning of the neighborhood. At one point she asked what I was doing and I told her I was trying to meet some of the neighbors and gave her the jam. She's very friendly.

All in all a very successful first venture. Not at all what I had anticipated. Much, much better in fact. I still have a number of other houses to visit, including our next door neighbor, but I am very encouraged after yesterday. I don't really know what all will come of this, but I am enjoying the process all the same as it's stretching me a little.

How has God been stretching you? How do you engage your community?