February 26th - Goodness

The story...

I experienced a wonderful day in my church community yesterday.  Why?  It may be that I, and my partner, were prepared for our role, leading children's worship, where we learned about goodness and worked out our faith together. It might've also been the old friends that I met - one needed help and asked for it, one sincerely thanked me, one reminisced about one who left us years ago, and others readily accepted heartfelt thankfulness for their service.  I met four new people, while sharing a meal together, and the balanced conversation seemed to show genuine interest and caring amongst the full group.  

My worship service was with kids instead of grownups.  We laughed, told stories about our lives, participated in the learning, clapped and interjected praise into the worship clapping activity.  We heard a wonderful story that God shared with us - being a good neighbor.  The group included people who were different from most of us - that felt good.  We ended the time doing an art project alongside each other.  We sat side by side, brushing shoulders and elbows, while we turned our blank piece of paper into something that kind of matched what was our imagination.  Finally we broke our assembly and pulled away from our togetherness - I looked back and thought "that's the way I want to live."

My project - my friends liked it and I liked theirs too.

Might the only church in town be more like that?  Hmm...

Just for today...

"If I urge someone to do what I think I would do in a similar crisis, and my advice is acted upon, the outcome may be an even greater tragedy, and I would be responsible for that. . . . . I do not know what course of action is right for anyone else. I can offer only comfort and compassion, and the good example of the life I am trying to build."  One Day at a Time (p. 57)

"Sometimes the forgiveness process fosters deeper unity and connection between people. Sometimes it points to the exit sign."  Hope for Today (p. 57)

"Shame is an excuse to hate ourselves today for something we did or didn't do in the past. . . . Today I will love myself enough to recognize shame as an error in judgement."  Courage to Change (p. 57)