life.
We're in our 10th week out of 12 already. wow how time flies.
We realized that something we haven't done is be good communicators with all of you. this is something that God is really showing us. He is a God of relationship, He has created us us to be relational and in a lot of ways we have dropped the ball. It's easy to update a blog, write a newsletter or even join Facebook (which I did, look me up-Laurie Whitten Witty). But real communication comes in picking up the phone, visiting people, writing a personal email, sending a handwritten note. I have realized that I've become dependent on "mass emails", "social networks", "blogging" and I've really stopped focusing on the individual people I love.
Time. A common phrase these days is "I'm so busy lately!" Something I'm relfecting on that my mother-in-law and I chatted about while we were still in California and she had come for a visit is: when we say, "I'm so busy lately" - are we saying it all the time or is the "lately" accurate. Like are there times when we're not as busy or is this just an easy excuse to slip off the tongue? I realize that for me this has been an easy excuse - my "lately" has been for like 5 years...
"Oh I'm so busy because I work full-time and I'm planning a wedding"
"Oh I'm so busy because it's our first year in China"
"Oh I'm so busy...it's our 2nd year in China...AND I'm pregnant"
"Oh I'm so busy because I have a baby"
"Oh I'm so busy because now I have two babies..."
"Oh I'm so busy because we're in YWAM now..."
Are these life events valid? Yes! Do they take time & energy? YES! Are they excuses for treating the relationships in my life as something I will focus on when I finally have time?
No.
I will always be married, we will most likely always be in missions, we will always have children...babies, toddlers, school-aged, high-school aged...etc!
CONCLUSION: there will always be "something"! That's life.
BUT in the midst of the busy - take time to write a personal note, make a phone call, write a personal email, take time to listen to someone, not be so "me" focused and more "others" focused.
These are my thoughts-this is what God is walking me through right now. I realize living far away doesn't make things so easy but what I need to do is gather emails, addresses and send out more than a Christmas card once a year and newsletter twice a year.
I love you all, I'm blessed by your friendship and I want you to know that. My personality says, "don't write an email unless you can really spend a lot of time and ask about every aspect of their lives"! I need to get over that and just write quick thoughts to people, just so they know they were thought about!
We realized that something we haven't done is be good communicators with all of you. this is something that God is really showing us. He is a God of relationship, He has created us us to be relational and in a lot of ways we have dropped the ball. It's easy to update a blog, write a newsletter or even join Facebook (which I did, look me up-Laurie Whitten Witty). But real communication comes in picking up the phone, visiting people, writing a personal email, sending a handwritten note. I have realized that I've become dependent on "mass emails", "social networks", "blogging" and I've really stopped focusing on the individual people I love.
Time. A common phrase these days is "I'm so busy lately!" Something I'm relfecting on that my mother-in-law and I chatted about while we were still in California and she had come for a visit is: when we say, "I'm so busy lately" - are we saying it all the time or is the "lately" accurate. Like are there times when we're not as busy or is this just an easy excuse to slip off the tongue? I realize that for me this has been an easy excuse - my "lately" has been for like 5 years...
"Oh I'm so busy because I work full-time and I'm planning a wedding"
"Oh I'm so busy because it's our first year in China"
"Oh I'm so busy...it's our 2nd year in China...AND I'm pregnant"
"Oh I'm so busy because I have a baby"
"Oh I'm so busy because now I have two babies..."
"Oh I'm so busy because we're in YWAM now..."
Are these life events valid? Yes! Do they take time & energy? YES! Are they excuses for treating the relationships in my life as something I will focus on when I finally have time?
No.
I will always be married, we will most likely always be in missions, we will always have children...babies, toddlers, school-aged, high-school aged...etc!
CONCLUSION: there will always be "something"! That's life.
BUT in the midst of the busy - take time to write a personal note, make a phone call, write a personal email, take time to listen to someone, not be so "me" focused and more "others" focused.
These are my thoughts-this is what God is walking me through right now. I realize living far away doesn't make things so easy but what I need to do is gather emails, addresses and send out more than a Christmas card once a year and newsletter twice a year.
I love you all, I'm blessed by your friendship and I want you to know that. My personality says, "don't write an email unless you can really spend a lot of time and ask about every aspect of their lives"! I need to get over that and just write quick thoughts to people, just so they know they were thought about!
i luv u more for joining facebook ate laurie! i've been wondering long ago why u dont have an account there. pls. accept my add. we always think of you! and you don't fail to lift me up through your blogs. God Bless!