Day Two | 31 Days of Thanksgiving

[Today’s day of Thanksgiving note comes from Sue Talbert.  The Talberts are past clients and dear friends to Mike and me.  Sue’s indomitable spirit and “God will see us through” attitude are hard to miss.  It was with a heavy heart that we saw the Talberts move from Michigan to Arizona, which they did earlier this year.  Nonetheless, we are happy to maintain communication and share thanksgiving with our friends via Twitter and Facebook.]

Community

We recently moved our family cross-country. It was a hard decision, an arduous task, and a huge undertaking all in one. We’re adjusting to our new life in Arizona, and for that I’m grateful.

But as we contemplate this holiday season in our new locale, I wanted to be sure to express gratefulness for the part of this journey that is the most valuable to us: community.

We couldn’t have accomplished our move without our beloved community in Michigan. Our 2|42 Community Church family and friends outside the church made this move possible. When I wrote out thank-you notes to all who helped packed, schlep, or actively move stuff, I tallied up 27 notes. 27 notes to 27 different families who made our transition possible. Make no mistake about it – packing up our house and moving across country in three weeks would have been technically impossible and entirely implausible without help from the friends in our community.

But what about our new location? It took us a while to find a church community where we felt as though we fit, but we are thrilled to have found a group of like-minded people who have welcomed us, given us a place to plug in and use our gifts, and a place to serve others.

Community is about doing life together – not being a hermit or a loner – it’s about sharing the things that mean the most to you over a meal, a cup of coffee or glass of wine, or getting families together to share adventures. Community doesn’t have to be religious in nature, although religious institutions tend to be where people meet others of similar interests and values and are able to form the core of community-dwelling.

Community isn’t just around when you need help; it’s about being part of the solution for others. It’s about building relationships that are transparent and life-changing in the good times so that you have an anchor when times are rocky, and so that you are able to be that anchor for others during their rocky times.

And so, during this time of corporate thankfulness and giving thanks, I’m particularly thankful for community. We wouldn’t be where or who we are without it, and we’re so very grateful for the people who make up our community.

[Here’s the link to all of the 31 Days of Thanksgiving posts.]