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Ah, Community

Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.  Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!  Hebrews 13:1-2 NLT

Loooooong story short*...In 2007 my life changed yet again forever.  God plopped me, through a trip to Kenya, into a community - a family if you will - of people who have impacted Lanny, the redheads and I in deep and profound and wonderful ways.  We are family.  We cheer each other on, we fight and make up, we challenge each other, we plan each others weddings, we take each other in during major life changes, we become caretakers when sickness or a physical disability hits.  We have traveled far and near together.  We have gone months of one not speaking to another due to misunderstandings, only to make up and continue through life together in a different way.  We lovingly and obsessively call each other "the fam" and we read each other's hearts and minds.  Throughout the years we've invited people to join us in our sleepovers, get togethers, coffees, studies, transitions, etc.  But when all is said and done it is us who can all plop on couches in a room together, not speak and be totally at ease.  (And yeah we do a fair amount of cuddling on those couches - with our various kids that have been born and with each other!)  We love each other as true brothers and sisters (remember I said we fight and make up?!?) and we are "the fam".  
Community is risky because it involves being real - morning breath, bad hair days, bad heart days, devastating news, incredible joys, amazing moments, facehurtsfromlaughing moments.  I hope you have a community or I hope you find one.  It has become a vital part of living out this life God has gifted us with.  We'd have it no other way.

*Want the longer version?  Check out www.heart-for-him.blogspot.com - go to my first entry in 2007 and read up from there.  :) 

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