I have had a few thoughts running through my little head this weekend... but at the moment, I can only remember one of them. Hmmm... what happened to the second one? Anyway, I listened to quite a good sermon yesterday from my home church (I love it that they're online, though, pre-planning doesn't always happen, which means it often comes time to listen to a sermon, but there's no power and hence no internet...). Anyway, so the sermon I listened to yesterday was a few weeks old by now, but it was about building community through friendship. My pastor had some good things to say - some things seemed very "basic", like, things we should have learned in kindergarten about what it means to be a friend to someone. But I really think that somewhere along the way, we (and in this, I include myself!) have forgotten some of the basics of what it means to be a friend. It's way too easy to just get caught up in our own lives, and not really take the time to share the burdens of a friend. And he said that when we share the burdens, it means we actually have to share the burden. That means you might get sweaty and tired, because you're actually working hard to voluntarily take some of the load off someone else.
So I've been thinking about that a bit lately. Especially around here, where, quite honestly, it's been hard to have friends. There are people that I work with on my compound, and there are people that I know. But with all the coming and goings of people from this town, there are actually not that many people around that I would call my "friends". Yet I currently have 464 people listed as "friends" on my facebook account. (And no, Sean, I am not finally seeing the light about facebook - that's a whole 'nother conversation!). So what do I do to be a friend to both those folks who I have a relationship with (even if it's just through facebook!), and the people who I see every day (who, well, um, honestly, not all of whom I would call my "friends"), and the people whom I call "friends" who I see in person much more rarely.
Another point that he brought up in the sermon was the fact that Jesus calls his disciples "friends". He chose those friends. They didn't choose him. He chose them. So then, if I really believe that God is sovereign and in control of all these things, then, well, I have to believe that he also chose to put the people around me here because he had good reason to put them here. So maybe I better spend a bit more time working at being a friend and sharing the burdens of those folks that God chose to put around me.
So, that was my take-away from yesterday's sermon. In the afternoon, I had a wonderful time with some friends here, having a little potluck! Amazing what people come up with when you potluck! Good food, and good company, that's for sure.
Now, I still haven't thought of the other thought that was running through my head. So, I'll leave it at that. Good night, and have fun with your friends today!
So I've been thinking about that a bit lately. Especially around here, where, quite honestly, it's been hard to have friends. There are people that I work with on my compound, and there are people that I know. But with all the coming and goings of people from this town, there are actually not that many people around that I would call my "friends". Yet I currently have 464 people listed as "friends" on my facebook account. (And no, Sean, I am not finally seeing the light about facebook - that's a whole 'nother conversation!). So what do I do to be a friend to both those folks who I have a relationship with (even if it's just through facebook!), and the people who I see every day (who, well, um, honestly, not all of whom I would call my "friends"), and the people whom I call "friends" who I see in person much more rarely.
Another point that he brought up in the sermon was the fact that Jesus calls his disciples "friends". He chose those friends. They didn't choose him. He chose them. So then, if I really believe that God is sovereign and in control of all these things, then, well, I have to believe that he also chose to put the people around me here because he had good reason to put them here. So maybe I better spend a bit more time working at being a friend and sharing the burdens of those folks that God chose to put around me.
So, that was my take-away from yesterday's sermon. In the afternoon, I had a wonderful time with some friends here, having a little potluck! Amazing what people come up with when you potluck! Good food, and good company, that's for sure.
Now, I still haven't thought of the other thought that was running through my head. So, I'll leave it at that. Good night, and have fun with your friends today!
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