July 23, 2006

A Little Inspiration, Please



"One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few."
~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh ~


Despite living in what once was the middle of nowhere, we attend a fairly large church. Big enough that our pastor introduces a new member by saying she's been visiting for months, and I've never laid eyes on her. I always feel bad about that, because I can remember when I did know everyone. When I could tell the first-time visitors on the spot. When we were crammed into an old sanctuary so tight that you learned more about your neighbor than was appropriate for a Sunday morning. Now we have so many interesting and Godly people at our church, and I want to get to know them. Truly, I do. Still, I liked it better when I knew everyone pretty well. But, the more our church grows, the more I find that I can't keep up.

That used to bother me. I mean, I'm a small town girl. I love that the local gas station owner sells pumpkins & corn from his garden. I love that the owner of our favorite Italian restaurant(we have 2) knows me by my first name. I love that my daughter's school principal taught me in elementary school. I love that she had friends whose parents went to school with me, and that we all look out for each other's kids.

But I'm learning that I just can't be friends with EVERYBODY. I can get to know women and share with them as sisters-in-Christ. I can talk with them & pray with them. I can teach them in Sunday School or lead them in a Bible study. And I have a lot of FRIENDS. Women I love & enjoy spending time with. But God has blessed me with a very small group of SOUL-SISTERS. Women who feel like family to me. Women I would drop everything for if they needed me. Women who've done the same for me. Women who will honestly tell me if I'm straying from God's Word. Women who remind me of a Pooh cartoon I once saw, where Pooh & Piglet are sitting together.

Piglet - "Pooh?"
Pooh - "Yes, Piglet."
Piglet - "I just wanted to be sure of you."


Praise the Lord...I have friends I can be sure of!

I've made attempts to widen my circle of Soul-Sisters, only to fall flat on my face. While the thought of having many close confidants sounds good in theory, it just doesn't work in my life. If there are too many, I can't devote enough time to each relationship. I might miss births and deaths, marriage troubles and triumphs, laughter and tears...all the threads of a cord not easily broken. A bigger circle also means that I lose perspective on just how special each woman is to me. I forget exactly how much I need her & how much she needs me. I don't ever want to take that for granted.
When I focus on the few amazing Soul-Sisters God has placed in my path, I realize I'm so tremendously blessed that I don't need to collect any more. They are rare creatures, these fantastic women...and I am a better woman for having known each of them.

14 comments:

sobeit said...

You and I sound so much alike in that we like the small town church. I am having such difficulty lately...a little different than yours, but it's related.

I like my church. The preacher is great, but in four years we may have spoken for 20 minutes. The church hasn't gotten too big. Everyone pretty much knows everybody...except me! I'm not from here (only been here 10 years...sounds like a long time, but it isn't). I'm single, without children. It's seems that I don't fit anywhere in my church! It's like they are a family, and I'm just a visitor. My church isn't that big, and it shouldn't feel that way. I think that I am soon going to start visiting elsewhere! I have to find a place to thrive!

Okay...I rambled,...sorry if I bored you!

Kelli
http://sobeit89.squarespace.com

Sarah said...

Thank God for Soul-Sisters! I still have room for a few more, but the ones I do have are so precious to me.

We are now part of a very large church, and even though we've been here for 3 years, I still sometimes miss the comfort of knowing everyone in our church in Washington.

Melissa said...

Kelli, I emailed you privately.

Sarah, aren't SS just the BEST? 2 of mine have moved away, but I'd be there in a minute for them if I needed to be.

GiBee said...

Melissa -- wonderful post...

This Journey of Mine said...

Thank you - your post is right on. My husband and I are about to move away from the only place we have ever known as home. Away from my own "soul sisters." I have been fighting the sacrifice in my heart for months now. I trust the Lord and I know that He will take care of all of my needs. But, boy oh boy, am I grateful for my friends that I have had!

Brenda said...

Great post!

Girl Raised in the South said...

Melissa, I cannot tell you how much this post means / speaks to me. This is something I've been struggling through for over two years; going back and forth between a few close friends, and a wide circle of fun hang-out girlfriends. Soul-sisters says it so well. I've recently realized I have a group of three precious friends. They can't always be available to me; that doesn't mean they don't care. Just like I can't do that for them. But they could call me in the middle of the night in trouble and I'd go anywhere for them. You summed it up perfectly. And I too love Gift From the Sea. My mom, my sister and I each have a copy of it that we reread now and then; obviously I need to put it on my nightstand with the other books youve recently recommended to me. We are obviously hearts of like thinking, you and me. xoxoxo

Melissa said...

Bev,

Never read this book. I just used the quote from Christian Women on Line - Get Inspired Fridays. You'll have to check that out.

I'll have to get that book.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ said...

Melissa - So well written. I thought of the same thing with friends, and a few are certainly better than being surrounded by many that we cannot get to know well. Your words were beautiful.

http://joyinthemorning.clubmom.com/joy_in_the_morning/2006/07/in_other_words_.html

Ann Voskamp @Holy Experience said...

'If there are too many, I can't devote enough time to each relationship."

Yes...to hear Him calling where and to whom... and then going. Therein is the beauty of this Body of Christ.

Warmly,
Ann V.

Ellen said...

Nice post. I'm also on the CWO blog ring.... and your blog title is very familiar to me. ha. Nice choice! Small world! Great minds DO think alike! Bless you.

Jana said...

Beautiful post! I have a small church, but still only a couple of close friends. I think you're right - that's the way it should be.

Amydeanne said...

Thank God for soul sisters! Thanks for sharing!

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