The Fellowship of the Travelers

My word for the moment is fellowship.  Can't get it out of my head!  It was a few days of fellowship....filled to the brim with meals with family and friends, babysitting babies, finally seeing my son's Philadelphia apartment (goodness, it took a doctor visit to get me to the city!!!), coffee dates, making beach plans, rejoicing in old friendships and impromptu visits. Fellowship. After a season of self-imposed exile, it felt so good to be back in the land of the living.  When I first went to the emergency room and we thought maybe I had pneumonia, I canceled everything. Didn't leave my house for a week. There was a freedom in having time to just BE. To spend hours journaling prayers and scripture and songs and just soaking in the Truth.  Remembering that this life is more than what we DO. So much more. Remembering that the our spirits are who we really are and rejoicing that my spirit can thrive even in a painful desert. Stripping away all the titles I've carried of worship leader, cook, employee, choir member, athlete, co-worker as well as daughter, mom, wife, sister, friend, Grams and knowing that being a BELIEVER is my most important title. One that will carry me through whatever I need to face in the here and now.

I've cautiously, slowly eased back into "normal" life.  It took me weeks to get up the courage to go to church (and I still have not been to a complete service)....afraid that the caring faces would cause me to just cry more and feeling at a loss of what to say since I didn't know anything.  Finally I attended a meeting after the service and was reunited with my worship team cohorts.  That was a perfect re-entry into my church fellowship. The hugs and prayers were a balm for my soul.  I'm ready to return. I'm ready to be on the worship team!  I may not be able to sing like before and I may shed a tear or two, but I CAN worship!!! I returned to choir practice tonight and the welcoming fellowship was sweet. My week is shaping up to be a typical pre-diagnosis week with work and grandchildren and fellowship....and life.  I like that.

Fellowship can take many different forms. Simply put, it's two fellows in a ship. Isn't that what we all are seeking? To know that we're not alone. To know that someone else is in our ship, helping to paddle and steer or just checking out the sights along the way. To feel like we're on the same team. This season of testing is reinforcing to Jerry and me that we are a team, in this together. That's a good thing to remember and a concept easily forgotten in the middle of a busy life where we're pulled in many different directions. Believers are encouraged to not forsake fellowshipping. We NEED each other. Fellowship can be messy...people don't always have the same opinions we do. Imagine that! Fellowship takes time! Being in fellowship requires putting our own needs, our own opinions to the side and seeing from another's point of view.  Just listening rather than talking. Asking sincere questions. Who doesn't love being asked a question that requires a thoughtful answer....and when the person actually takes the time to listen to the stumbling, rambling answer? I know I do. That is fellowship. Telling stories around the dinner table. Taking the time to help with a practical need. Sharing soup. Sharing smiles over a cup of tea. Sharing a walk. Fellowship. The Bible talks about this in Hebrews 10:23-25:

Let us hold fast the confession of our HOPE without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together...but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

None of us knows the future....what the days ahead hold for our lives, our country, our world. But we can have HOPE that our faithful God will go with us, showing us how to love each other and walk in the good deeds that only we can do! We know that God has placed us here together for such a time as this. Fellowship opens the doors for God to work in our lives, to use us to bless others and bring them into richer fellowship with Him. I want to make my "dot" on this earth as full of fellowship as possible....fellowship with Jesus and fellowship with my beloved sojourners. Thank you for walking with us on this journey. This breath is all we have. Let's make the moments count! Party, um, I mean, fellowship on!