Connection with others is found when we are willing to step outside of ourselves, to reveal our hearts and to take steps beyond the safety of our normal.
Earlier this week I wrote about the difficulty of finding friendships and community in this military life.
Yes, it has been difficult to forge connections.
Hard.
Since then I have witnessed God’s blessings as he is hearing and answering the cry of my heart.
In both finding peace with who I am and in finding connections with others.
The words of Emily Freeman in Grace for the Good Girl are finding their way to my heart as I connect with those masks she talks of…the expectations of perfection for myself…and the hiding, oh, the hiding. I am learning so much about myself and finding connection in the words of another who understands my heart.
In revealing my heart through writing my struggles, I have found connection with others who struggle with the same form of loneliness, who are desperate themselves to find the same kind of connection that my heart desires.
I invited some other homeschool mamas to come to my home this afternoon to connect. Our children will play and craft and we will talk about our year. This was a big step for me. It’s my first time inviting friends over in the two years that we’ve been in this home.
First.
Time.
And honestly, I’m scared.
My house won’t be cleaned to perfection.
There are amazon boxes containing Christmas presents to be wrapped lining my hallway.
I may have cookies, but there’s no juice and we’re almost out of milk.
And I’m not even sure if Jenny will get a nap amongst the other business of our day.
Maybe finding the connections my heart desires requires that I take the hard, big, even scary steps outside my own little safe place of comfort.
Because without connections it’s really not all that comfortable.
The post is linked to 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama.
To join in, just…
1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back to The Gypsy Mama and invite others to join in.
3. Most important: visit, comment, encourage the person before you.
- The topic for today was Connected.
Barbie says
Loved our post today! I am thankful God has brought you connections and friendships. My house is never perfect. I just don’t ever have anyone over. But I want to. So maybe I will. Jucie, or no juice! Have a great weekend. I hope to link up my post tomorrow!
LifeAtTheCircus says
I hope it went well for you. I too had someone over yesterday. My son had been wanting the 2 boys from his tutorial class to come over so I invited them… And I too had to swallow pride at a house that wasn’t as clean as I wanted… and no juice. Though I was thinking about it.. .and the people I like most in life, the ones I feel most comfortable around… they don’t seem perfect. They are real. When I go to a house and I see a less than perfect room.. I breath a sigh of relief saying, “oh good they don’t have it all together either.” and when I am around people who seem to have everything all together perfectly, well, to be honest, I don’t feel very comfortable. So, good for you for taking that step of faith, I know it’s hard. But, I know if I lived close to you, I’d like nothing more than to spend the afternoon with you.
Carrie says
Good for you! You are braver than me!