Community, Encouragement and Change

Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but let us encourage one another"

I love the idea of community being a place we can "stir up the good works" of one another. It is very difficult to maintain and foster many individual relationships, and leaving a community can also be painful. Learning how to celebrate the times in one place, such as Elementary school, and moving to another give us a chance to talk about respecting memories while embracing new opportunities.

As our children move into their own interests we are finding the need to have time as a family key for a strong community at home. Our kids have taken over the use of my phone, and Istragram account. I worry about allowing them into these electronic "communities" knowing full well to be in relationship with another person or group can't truly be electronic. Facebook can give way to envy rather than happiness for others times of connection. My hope is to create a foundation that allows the kids to use this online media for fun but turn to their living community when in need of guidance, support or celebration.

Being an only child, moving quite a lot and being in very different communities then and as an adult buying fixer uppers to re sell as our small family grew at add a fuzzy pill to water speed, craving solid community has been a thread through my life.

At one point I'd helped get a women's group started in Saint Paul when James started kindergarden at a lovely little school. The women were a really interesting group and I greatly enjoyed them. When we moved I struggled with how to stay in contact, how to stay in community until one of them wrote me a note I still remember. She thanked me for the time of connection and shared that she had moved and knew the reality of young children (this was the 6 under 6 time), she went on to say you will organically find new community, you need support, be open to it and don't worry about maintaining every connection. Oh but how hard! To see a posted photograph and feel left out even though I had in fact declined the holiday party invitation! As we have transitioned yet again I am reminded of the truth in her words. 

Community is sacred and needed, but must also be allowed to change with out resentment.

A positive result in this evolution is when threads are interwoven. Our children seeing nursery school friends at a basketball tournament, having my own childhood friend from Italy find me on Facebook , kids meeting up with neighbors as new 7th graders together, Sheff hiring an old neighbors cousin, a so appreciated birthday invitation from an old classmate, making lifelong friends that weather the changes with humor and perspective. These experiences give breadth to the concept of community. 

Change and being part of different communities has also given unexpected gifts. The gift of having the pleasure to meet a vast array of faces, to have valued friends from different stages of our life and locations. The kids accepting and appreciating really different people, places and faiths. And most of all the gift of bonded siblings, finding friendship and encouragement  from each other. I wouldn't say when they stir the pot its always uplifting! But 83% of the time there is a community of support right where we are.

In our family history people would move communities by train and maintain friendships  by post! My mother is working on transcribing letters from when my Grandmother's family lived in China and wrote letters to friends in the States. Amazing to study communities of origin and how they inform the places future generations explore.
Where will these 8 riders find meaning and community? As long as they stay connected we will ride wherever they go.