Currently Craving

Community.

We have lived in a town where we know one family for the past (almost) six years. We have driven to our Heart Group, driven to church, driven to work, driven to our home town, driven to our family, and driven anywhere else we needed to go in that time. They’ve all done a lot of driving, too.

TCR

I do not mind driving. That’s not it at all. I mind not being able to have a home where people just stop by on their way to and from the grocery store–just because they saw we were home. I miss having the home that acts as a hub for friends, family, and the like. I miss hosting and entertaining without being “a drive” for everyone. I miss community. My friend Wynne posts about her open door policy a lot, and I long for that. Growing up, I had the home people were always stopping by. All my friends knew where the key to the back door was, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to stop by even if I wasn’t there.

I can’t wait to be back in a community where we know people. I love the family we know here–tons–that’s not it. I want to be back in the action; I want to live, work, and worship all in one place. I want to wave at people I actually know on my runs. I want to have a knock on my door when I’m not expecting anyone and not have it be a solicitation.

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Will we stop hanging out with the friends who aren’t in our hometown? Nope. Not even close, we’ll be in the same situation with them we have always been in, so that doesn’t have to change. Someone has always had to drive (now they’ll just need to bring me things from “the city” when they come).

Group Shot

God has truly prepared my heart to go.

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I don’t know if I even thought it was possible, but what’s a little relocation to the One who can move mountains? 
  

5 Comments

  1. I know exactly what you mean. When we moved here from overseas I just envisioned this "normal" life where we know our neighbors and the kids would all play together and life would be grand … but I don't think that is normal in today's times when we move so much and have only lived places a short while.

    It's taken me 4 years and while I have made wonderful friends here who I cherish I still only know one person in my neighborhood.

    I tried to start the communication myself by hosting ice cream socials and park gatherings with food and bouncy castles but the reality here is people are so busy trying to make ends meet (at least in my neighborhood) they don't have a chance to relax and get outside and talk to people they've never met.

    I read this article YEARS ago about a neighborhood with one of those pink plastic flamingos and how each week someone would post that in their yard and their neighbors would know it was their turn to host everyone that evening. I wish I lived in a neighborhood like that!

  2. That's how our house was growing up. There were always people over. I feel like we are working on that with our home now but most of my good friends live 20 minutes or so away. Hopefully when everyone's kids are a little bigger there will be more jut stopping by. Who knows.

  3. hey, if God is calling you somewhere, you gotta go! good for you guys! by the way, I'm excited to be following along now! found your blog today and glad I did 🙂 come say hi if you get a chance! I love making new friends 🙂

  4. Oh, I totally hear you. We've lived in five place in the past ten years and we've never really found our community. The closest we ever had to one was in San Antonio and that was mostly because of one really awesome set of neighbors who became like family to us. I hope you find it – wherever you wind up 🙂

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