Focus on the Family

With all of the inclement weather – we are being given a wonderful opportunity to focus on the family.

We are experiencing record snowfall here in the Mid-Atlantic region. It’s been a long time since church services and schools were cancelled this much due to inclement weather.  (Electronic media has been extremely helpful in staying connected to some of my favorite teachers of the word of God.)   

During each of these snow storms, our family is taking advantage of the chance to slow down the pace of life; to have no place in particular to go; to take an extra minute to cuddle a little longer; to remove those mountains; to be reminded that we are with important people – each other.  We have laughed, played, prayed, and purged.  It’s been great.

OK.  Now when is school opening…..

What if there were no Facebook?

I have started using Facebook this year.  It’s been great.  It’s one more point of contact for the people I know and interact with at this stage of my life.  The best part is that Facebook has afforded me the opportunity to reconnect with family and friends who I have lost touch with for whatever reason.  I can’t help but wonder – what if there were no Facebook?  Why did I lose touch with so many loved ones?  What ever happened to cause those old friends from way back to stop calling or from me calling them?  I am different now.  Older.  And hopefully wiser.  To those who I could’ve done more to stay in touch with or who I may have offended long ago – I am sorry.  But something larger is in play here.

As I have reconnected to my old friends from my old neighborhood in Philadelphia, reconnected to my former church members, reconnected to countless cousins and school friends, I realize I miss them.  I miss having neighbors who call when they notice the light out back was left on all night.  I miss those holiday dinners with family where it was too crowded to find somewhere to sit.  I miss worshipping with people who I had relationships with outside of the church building.  I miss that strong community I once enjoyed.  The real question now is what am I going to do with this awareness?  I can’t help but wonder – is this a long, sad look backward or a longing in my heart for what I know real community is?  What I know for sure is that each and everyone of us need to be part of a strong, trusted, real-life community.  Where do I begin?  The only answer that matters – I must begin with ME.  I can be sure that family and current friends know how much they mean to me.  I can call my old friends from way back and say hello.  I can visit with the now elderly ladies I once worshipped with at my old church.  I can take that leap of faith and open my heart to new relationships with the people I worship with now.  I can begin to organize the next family reunion or class reunion.  I can get the word out when the old neighborhood is having the next block party.  I can organize the same in my current neighborhood with the people who are now my neighbors.  Big sigh.  Maybe everyone is on Facebook.  Maybe I can just post something to their wall….