Finding Community: Pumpkin-Bombing

Tiny cute pumpkin-bomb

I woke up and my housemate told me to look out the window...a baby pumpkin was on my car and a large relative was in the middle of the front lawn!  I duped it pumpkin-bombing, like the current craze of yarn-bombing [knitting covers over someone's items and surprising them with it].  We think it could be the college students I work with...alas no one on Facebook is admitting to it.  

Gigantic ugly pumpkin-bomb

This creative clean [emphasis on CLEAN] prank made me feel loved. Finding community is not always serious business, it's about having fun doing silly things and laughing at the mischievousness.  It gave me a reminder how settling is not a horrible word but can show persistence through the challenges and longevity in the difficulties that sometimes produces this wonderful thing called community.

The thing I've longed for for so long was a sense of belonging.  I'm finding that it takes both the struggles and persistence to come into this deep beauty of being with others.  I'm now in my 6th year of employment at this university [which is the longest I've ever had a position.  My longest before that was 2 years.]  The institution has gone through many transitions and there were a few times in which I was praying about other opportunities, yet I am still here with no regrets.  It has taken me this long to develop my connections with colleagues, relationships with students, and contentment with the small town rural setting as a singleton in her mid-30's.  

Finding community is not always easy...but it is worth it.  Even when you get pumpkin-bombed.

[I took a sabbatical of sorts during my busy season at work.  And I'm okay with it.  I'm now starting from where I left off...and not letting Fear 3 be my truth!]

Assignment Day 5:  The Truth
Fear is big, but the truth is bigger.  Today, take out the list of fears and write down one line of truth under each. Don't argue with the fear, don't get tangled.  Just write down the truth. 

• Fear 1:  I'll be judged for what I say.  

             Truth 1:  You'll always be judged but the ONLY TRUE Judge is Jesus Christ.  You can walk in HIS confidence no                          matter who judges you.  

• Fear 2:  Writing about relationships as a single is scary...what if no guy wants to date me after he reads my writing...wait a sec, I don't really date anyways.  Never mind.

                   Truth 2:  Being vulnerable is scary but your story is for HIS glory.  Helping other singles navigate relationships is a                  high calling on your life and a guy that is the right one will like you for your writing.  

• Fear 3:  I won't be consistent in my writing and if I tell people then don't do it I lose face [well, hopefully I still have my face]  

                    Truth 3:  There is no need to have a legalistic way of writing.  Write when you can and let it come from a true desire                rather than a mandatory obligation [your face will always be beautiful]

(Completed 9/27/13 at 11:04 PM)