Connecting

I haven't had much to say in the past few months, but being that we are in the Lenten season, I realize that it is time to start reflecting a little better.

I'm always very busy with work these days as I'm on a Mission to make my church a significant resource to the community in which it is situated. Rev. RPM is always talking about taking church outside the confines of our walls and minister to the un-churched. For those extroverts out there, this might be an easy task. BUT NOT FOR ME!!! I am intimidated by people I don't know, it can take me several months to even begin a conversation with somebody I have seen pretty regularly. This is why I love the internet, I can hide behind my screen and nobody has to see me. What a fantastic invention really. Going door to door to invite people to church is not my idea of a fun afternoon. It is scary and I'd rather just put a flyer on a door.

On Saturday I went to a seminar entitled "The Worship Way." Lucinda Holmes highlighted some easy ways to do worship in the line at the grocery store. Jesus taught us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, and part of doing that is being in relationship with one another. Everywhere you turn, you encounter people. I work alone during the week at my church, but today I have encountered and interacted with a total of 5 people. The first one was the guy at the Gas Station who sold me my coffee, I simply said to him, "Hi, how are ya?" And of course he responded and asked me the same thing. Then I asked him how life has been treating him. He answered, "it's a good day! Life has always treated me pretty good." Wow! It's not every day you encounter somebody that is that optimistic. A gas station clerk! Wow! So cool!

Generally, we get frustrated with people. We want everyone to be on our schedule, want them to orbit us as though we were the sun,  drive like we do, be aware of their surroundings like we are. Basically, we want others who don't fit into our lives to act accordingly and not get in our way.

But that isn't how life works. We are in this world with people we don't necessarily like and with those who don't function at the same level that we may. Here is the simple way to deal with this: You can't change anybody, but yourself. For me, I will change my outlook on how I encounter other people. A simple hello and how is life treating you may not be life-altering, but it's a start to changing my behavior and the small piece of space I take up on this planet.

Peace! And praise God for coffee highs! Woot