Fellowship

I live in northern Virginia, affectionately shortened to NoVa. We just got about 30" of snow and another 10-20" is coming this afternoon. I think it's already the snowiest winter I can remember, certainly the snowiest since I left Illinois at 18. I had gotten snowed in (on purpose) at a friend's house, along with a married couple. The four of us were there from Friday afternoon through Monday afternoon.

Our agendas were loose for most of the time, save that we had to shovel ourselves out Sunday morning and walk to the grocery store so we could have food for the Super Bowl and the next morning. We went sledding at a nearby middle school, attempted to build snowmen (bad packing snow), had a snowball fight, watched movies, played a bunch of games, and just generally enjoyed being with each other.

It was so refreshing for me to just be with people and have no schedule or real plans in mind. By nature, I'm a bit introverted. I get a lot of energy being in a small group of people I like, though, and I really like being surrounded by close friends.

I had left the group a few months ago and gotten warned by several friends about the problems of forsaking the "gathering of [our]selves together." I think that this weekend showed me that there is more than one side to that verse. How they meant it is that we are supposed to sharpen each other and hold each other accountable, which is certainly true. I think there is an additional meaning, though, even if it's not as important, and that's that being around people is meant to energize us and give us happiness. It draws us closer together and makes us feel good.

In one way or another, we're supposed to make each other feel loved, we're supposed to make Christ come alive to each other. A lot of people seem to have this view of Jesus like he was either a hippie who said he loved everyone and flashed the peace symbol often but wasn't altogether there or that he was some stoic sage who was serious about his work and completely focused on that alone. I, of course, wasn't there, but I like to envision Jesus as having real charisma, not just in public speaking, but in small groups, too. I bet he told some hilarious jokes, laughed easily and often, smiled a lot, hugged people or clapped them on the shoulder, did little things for them from time to time, encouraged them, and just was there for them.

I don't believe we're supposed to be around others simply to correct them, teach them, and challenge them to be more like God. I believe we're supposed to be around them to show them God's love and to accept the love they have to offer us and get our own love tanks refilled. And with that, I'm off to get ready for tonight, when our same group will likely be snowed in again. :D