affirming, sharing and serving

Relationships have always fascinated me.

One of my goals for last year was so really ponder and study friends and why am I friends with some folks and not with others.  Here are a few of my thoughts on that subject.

Our small group at church is studying Gospel in Life by Tim Keller.  Our last lesson was on community and I sure learned lots.  Tim Keller gives 9 'community-building practices'
1-affirming one another's strengths, abilities, and gifts
2- affirming one another's equal importance in Christ
3-affirming one another through visible affection
4- sharing one another's space goods, and time
5- sharing one another's needs and problems
6- sharing one another's beliefs, thinking and spirituality
7-serving one another through accountability
8-serving one another through forgiveness and reconciliation
9-serving one another's interests rather than our own

I thought that was a great list of things to strive for but more than that a list to see who do I have community with and how can I strengthen it.

I like having lots of people in my community.  Some folks don't.

Another thought I had was that some people don't want to have community with me.  When that thought first tumbled around in my brain my feelings were hurt because I can list several folks but then it became a freeing thought.  Not that I plan to make a list of folks that I won't have anything to do with but to realize that my time may be best spent working with those that do want community with me.

I am blest with a church that sees the need for lots of opportunity for community.  We have table for 4- four women meet for 4 months for fellowship, table for 8- dinner fellowship for all ages once a month for 3 months, Bible Studies, serving with other another on service projects and out-reach projects plus Sunday School and church.

Look for your community!  How can you build it up?