I like to develop community in strange places. I don't want to just keep community within a "church" context. I have had the fortune to have my LMC (Laundry Mat Community), but I also have been slowly developing community at my neighborhood PetroCan. I know that sounds strange, but I know there is a guy there that I have slowly been having some neat conversations with. They are mostly short conversations, but over time they have developed into more then "hi. how are you?" type discussions. When I first met him he had a cool mohawk and had that whole punk/gothic thing going on. At one point he had cut it off and we talked about that and even discussed later him growing it back. He now has very short hair, doesn't look as "odd" as he once did. I asked him last week when he was going to do a mohawk again, he smiled and said that sometimes you just have to grow up. I smiled in that knowing way, I guess sometimes you just do. Today I found out his mom works at the PetroCan as well. She is a neat lady. I have talked to her a couple of times. Anyway, its just another place to go and not have assumptions put on me. I'm not expected to be one thing or another. I just walk in and have slowly allowed a flow of conversation happen. I have truly enjoyed it.
Another place I have truly enjoyed community is at our favorite restaurant, East Side Mario's. Blake and I love to go there because they have NTN Trivia there, but we have also enjoyed community with the workers there. We have learned some about their lives and they in turn have learned a bit about our's. We had not been there for awhile, but recently we went there. We both had to laugh because the workers there got on to us for not being around. It wasn't one of those things where they missed our money, but one of sincere wondering where we had been. Its nice and one again so encouraging.
I want to develop more relationships like this. I think these are the relationships that impact the kingdom the most. They to me are where Jesus is. I wonder if any of you have developed anything like this and if you haven't, I truly encourage you to do so. :)
Blessings guys!!!
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2 comments:
I like this post because I can identify with liking to form relationships at the places i go every day, or often. There is a little shop around the corner from us called "SnS" that is owned by Pakistanis, and I like to go in there, and they know me by name, and I know their names. They even know what i get and if i don't get it they ask why not! It's so much fun. I also had a friendship with the crossing guard as i saw him almost every day this school year taking "my" kids across the street to their school. And, last but not least, at the place i get my hair cut, and have been since i was eight. My friend Brent has been cutting my hair most recently, and his partner Travis does an excellet job, too. He helped me face my family reunion this weekend!!
Hey Soda!
That is awesome. :) You hit on some settings that I didn't even think about as well. :)
Awesome!
Thanks!
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