Caring. 'cause God says so.

Howdy,

Not much news on small group front. I've been working/sick. (And perhaps sick of working?) ;)

However, that just means I pay that much more attention in church!

We, like everybody else, have been talking about money. In both churches, actually. My "home" church takes a more truthful/pessimistic view at it. Talk of things getting worse, prophecies of harder times, what have you. "New" church (gotta figure out how to label these two with better names...) takes a friendlier view.

First off, we're blessed. Ridiculously. Go to www.globalrichlist.com. Type in how much money you make a year. Myself, I'm in the top 5% of wage earners. I have a relative who was in the top .001%. (No, you don't need to know who.) The point is, we are quite well off. Shoot, I work a part time job and a non-profit! And I'm apparently sitting on top of the world. Even if my rent is a greater percentage of my income than I'd like... ;)

I was told to have no problem making money, but to give away that money. Okay. Fine by me. I care enough about money to pay my bills. At the same time, I'm trying to have something resembling a savings account. (A task which my car likes to laugh at. Often.) Still, I like to think that I tend to do what I'm told to do. I give when my gut gets me. I figured I was pretty much covered.

Then he had to go and make it personal.

That's right, he brought family into it! People! Sigh. People are my weakness. I'm an introvert. If I know you and you're cute and like to play Scrabble, I may think you're delightful. But more often than not, I'm quite ready to just sit around and shut out the world. Scratch the cat's ears, watch tv, enjoy a good comic book. But calling up my siblings? Seeing how they're doing? Having conversations about their children while they cry in the background. (I should clarify: It's the kids who tend to cry in the background. Well, usually.)

However, Facebook has been a boon in that regard. Easier to check in. That darn website also makes my family harder to ignore. They're right there! Activities and everything! Which just makes it that much more tempting to never call them... even though I know I should. What can I say, it's a work in progress.

My family of friends? There I like to think I'm covered. There are my speed dial people. They know who they are. I call them and leave long messages. I'm e-mail them, get tired of waiting for a response, and e-mail them again. My "chosen" friends.... really, they have no escape from me. I do care about my family. It's just a nuclear/radioactive/what-the? kinda of family.

Still, if there's room for improvement in how I give? Especially time/compassion-wise? It's with people.

But... but... comic books have big pretty pictures! They call to me! ... I know, I know. Like I said, work in progress.

Groups: An Assemblage of Personalities

My group that I attempted to go to a few weeks ago? The one where I was the only visitor? Well, they met again on Monday. But I slept in. Oops. What can I say? My Sundays have mutated. I go to church, possibly my other church, then go home. Watch some tv, fall asleep, watch a bit more tv, then fall asleep for real. Which leaves me waking up around midnight or 1 am. And when your groups meets Monday nights @ 7.... well, it makes for a long day. I'm only human. Here's hoping for next week?

I did make it to a second group in the middle of the week. Let's just take it down to simple-ville, shall we?
-Pros:
Very friendly, welcoming leader
A guy recognized me from church
Gathered to worship God
Didn't get lost on the way (Yay!)
Talked about how bread=life in the Hebrew concept, how meals are intimate. A concept I'd never known before

-Cons
Bunch of people I've never met... can only remember ~ 3 names now
Goes until 9:30. My brain shuts off around 8:30
Yet another trip south in the middle of the week. Over an hour driving for 2.5 hours of talking
Tended to drift off of the God-topic for tv/humor discussions

and oddly enough? The one I had the biggest problem with? They were discussing how last year they would get food from a bakery. Well, more specifically, a bakery's dumpster. The food is tossed out still in the packaging. A: They're old enough to know better. B: Yeah, I'm a bachelor, and I'll eat food I find around... but really? Serving to a group? C: It's illegal to dumpster dive in Washington state. Ever-so illegal. So I don't think a Christian Group should be happily breaking the law.

Nice people, different way of thinking, and a whole new world for me. (I obstained from communion. Which is a bit harder in a small group/circled/in someone's living room.)

I know I work next Wednesday, but after that? I dunno. Good company, but not quite sure if the group is a fit for me. Or my tired, sick of driving, ways.

You find what you're not looking for

I have myself a new church. A new laptop. A new fall season (especially the TV season) is upon us. Oh, and we get to vote for a new President. New new new. Is it any wonder that I find myself with a new purpose?

Getting to my churches is... well, interesting. I can get to NSFC in about twenty minutes. Quest takes me at least thirty-five. Going to both is... well, it makes for a long day. I had my new route all planned out, and sure enough, I arrived at Quest with ten minutes to spare. I'm not much of the meet and greet type, so I sat in my car and pondered. I have all these things. Concepts, talents, technology. It's mine to do with what I want. And I'll admit, I could use something to take up my time. Distract myself from "being single", and all that goes with it.

Over the ten minutes in my car, I figured something out. A project, of sorts. I had just obtained the final pieces that would make it work. I'd started out doing something, but over the years I've done less of it. And I have these talents that could be added to it. And I have this technology that will help with it... Before church, I had a pretty full-fledged plan of what I can do to fill my little corner of the universe, and hopefully promote Christian beliefs.

Of course, I was distracted a bit during the message. But I do remember Pastor Eugene telling us that we should be about something. That we shouldn't just go to church and have that be it. That life wasn't going to be perfect. We should be trying to change things. Trying to invoke God into our lives. (Ideally, into others' lives as well.) Which is exactly what my project I came up with should do. In theory...

So yes, it's taken about a decade. Perhaps a little more. After all this time, I think have an inkling of something that just might help a few people. Not grand, sweeping, "save the world" change... but every little bit helps.

God and I have a few bugs to work out, how it will all work practically, but I'll let ya know when it has a visual form.

Oh, it'll be visual. I promise. ;)

-Not- the end.

Gather ye people! Or.... not so much

Howdy,

Yes, Monday was my first C-Group. An opportunity for folks from around the area to get together and discuss things one on one. Emphasis on the one on one....

I thought I had given myself plenty of time. Left PSC ~ 7:15, and had to drive up to Queen Anne. Then up the hill, take a right... oops, missed the right. Go up to the next block, take a right, finagle a u-turn... make an illegal left (ssh!), go around the neighborhood... and repeat for aobut 20 minutes. Look, I admit that I get lost, but those neighborhood street signs? The white letters that are supposed to relfect on the green background? Yeah, they don't. I can't read those dang things for jack squat. Sigh. I showed up to the 7:30 C-Group around 7:45. ...and I was still the first one there.

Turns out I was the only one there.

Yep, nothing says togetherness like poorly attended functions! ;) Now, the family who was acting as hosts are quite friendly. Amiable. Offered me pie and tea, asked about who I was, we talked about the economy... it was quite a pleasant little 30 minute chat. However, it felt very much like I was a lone fellow invited over for dinner. Not so much a group.

Apparently it takes a few weeks for people to figure out the whole group thing. Assemble. Line up their schedules. The organizers said they'd let me know when more people were ready to come.

On the one hand, I became acquainted with a very nice family. On the other? Well, let's just say i was aiming for "the more the merrier". Hey, at least I didn't have to worry about elbow room or finding a comfy seat!