Compassion

Not much delay time after that wonderful message, song, testimony by a teen. When did we, as a church, get so awesome? Today rocked- that's it. It rapped, talked, rocked, touched, danced, worshipped, turned my heart inside out to see the youth group, the children- Oh, what an all about others moment.

I am not sure who writes these announcements sometimes. I know I do the typing, but.... Like the last one, Polly. You would think the author would have been able to follow thru and actually pray in every moment of fear. But then yesterday came- I - I mean the author- was so tired, disconnected from her feelings, and went into a little pit. And those darn pits always lead me to look for information. Stupid, stupid, stupid. So this last round was looking at some different foods, and with that came a little paragraph saying 'It's a shame, but only 35% of women who get ovarian cancer survive" OH, shut up already. Now that was me looking at a diet plan. Constant reminders- constant communication filling me with doubt and fear. That devil is in every pit! And he got me again. Today was much better- especially during and after the service.

Compassionate community. That is what we are. And we have so many different communities in our lives. First is our family, the people in our house. The ones there to witness the good moments and the not so good ones. The people we love the most, yet sometimes treat the opposite. Then we have our extended families, our siblings and parents, cousins, aunt and uncles who are there for us. If we're lucky we live near them. I wish I did, but I am glad my children live near theirs. I miss cousins. Then we have our neighbors, school, work, and club friends that make up yet another community. The best friends community, in which we can share our deepest and darkest moments. Then our church community, including our home group, our bible study groups, our corporate groups, all of that and so much more. Some of us have different levels of commitment within these different communities, and that is ok. Just like we learned last week, we have different levels of friendships, and that is how God intended it.

I've been so blessed to be able to rely on all these groups to help us thru this cancer journey. Parents who stayed with me, friends who came with me to chemo, tons of excellent cooks, people who took my kids for playdates, people who I don't even know who were praying for me and my family. Then the communities surrounding my sisters and parents- a sister going thru a divorce whose friends and neighbors were there to help, a sister who lives way too far away, whose friends and home group helped so that she could come here to see me, my parents friends who keep them busy and lifted up. So many people, so many ways to reach out and love. So many ways to be blessed by others and in return to be a blessing.

The most important community we can have is that communion with God, where we let him in and allow ourselves to know and understand that he already knows and understand us. Love at its deepest level.

I cannot express what my heart feels for you all, for what you have physically, emotionally, prayerfully done for me and my family. And for my sisters friends who helped them along with their own journey of 'my sister has cancer' and with the divorce, and whatever else I am not aware of. Even though I may not know you I appreciate your willingness to love. And to my besties, umm... yeah.

'I have been blessed, now I want to be a blessing, I have been loved, now I want to give love, I've been invited, I want to share the invitation, I have been changed to bring change to bring change!!'

Polly