Sunday, March 30, 2008

Home Group

I really, really love the people in our home group Bible study. The group meets at our house--12 adults and 13 kids, plus 2 babysitters.

We had our monthly potluck today. By the time the last family left our kitchen was sparkling clean, with the floor swept and the dishes done. I mostly did what I could while sitting down, helped put away some things, and then watched and pointed out where dishes belonged when I reached my limit. They left us with enough food to provide lunches and dinners for the next few days--meals I won't have to cook.

The people in this group are really finding ways to be involved in each others' lives. We trade babysitting, teach each other new skills (I'm currently teaching one person how to make kombucha, and we're learning together about natural/organic food options in the area), pray for one another, encourage each other, and help each other where we can.

"What can we do to help?" is a common question when prayer requests are shared. And these people actually follow through on it.

It's wonderful to have people like this in our lives. Today, especially, they were so caring and encouraging to DH and to me as we shared the happenings and realizations of the last few weeks.

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The 6 families in our group are the kind of people you'd want in your life, both in a crisis and when things are going smoothly. They're the kind of people who would be there in a heartbeat at the hospital or coming to get the kids if a crisis happened--and the type who are learning (though it's a stretch for all of us, I think) to accept help and support from the rest of the group, too. Although we're not related by blood, we're family of another kind. That's the family of Christ in action.

This week DH is going to babysit for one family so the husband and wife can go on a date, and the wife and kids are going to come over another day and help out here. The girls and I will probably visit with another family if I'm feeling up to it one day, too. One of the other women and I are talking about ways to consolidate our grocery shopping, since we're both interested in healthy eating and whole foods.

Two of the ladies talked to each other and decided that they're going to come over together next week to help me work on decluttering or whatever is needed. Several people volunteered to come early to our group meetings and help DH get the house ready, since I usually need to rest between church and group and it's a big job for DH to do alone.

We've pooled resources to help people within the group as needed, and several families have also spearheaded group efforts to raise money or put together food boxes for needy people in the broader church and community.

We're still growing and learning as a group and in our relationships with each other, but this is the type of group we're growing.

I'm so grateful to be a part of it. Even though I'm one of the ones that is still learning to be vulnerable and accept help. :)

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2 Comments:

Blogger Kevin said...

I keep learning, too, how such goodhearted community can be so powerful and greater than the sum of its parts, once we break down some of the barriers we've created.

Sounds wonderful. Thanks for the good news. :)

10:25 AM  
Blogger purple_kangaroo said...

Thanks, Kevin.

9:22 PM  

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