And just like that, it seems we might have friends now. Sunday night we went to our first church service since we moved two weeks ago, and boy am I amazed at how well God cares for us. I found a really huge church online in Livermore (35 minutes away) which is planting a church in Walnut Creek (about 10 minutes away), so we went to the second meeting of that plant Sunday night. What an experience. It was sort of half service, half meeting, and we got to see how the cogs in the wheels really turned. It was a unique opportunity to get to know people in a different way other than just saying "hi" at a designated time in the service. It was, simply put, this socially-anxious introvert's worst nightmare (and blessing). We had to break up into small groups of 4-5 to thoughtfully discuss how to make the plant an "Ephesians 4 church." We met this great couple who are on staff with the church in Livermore. They introduced us around after the service. Did I mention that, unbeknownst to us, they were having a BBQ after the service? Yikes! I was scared out of my mind!
But, this couple introduced us to several people, and we got to know two young couples in particular. Thinking of it now, I still can't believe how genuinely friendly and interested they were in us, our story, and how they could bring us in to their "family" at the church. We talked so long after the service that by the time we went to get food, there was hardly any left.
We were invited several times to a life group (they call them 'life groups' too), come to find out later that they are halfway through a Tim Keller study that Randy and I just bought a few weeks ago with plans to go through it together. Three girls got my number and we talked a lot about going to coffee and for walks along trails and to wineries and the like. By the end of the night I had long forgotten how badly I wanted to throw up from nervousness before. It just felt so normal and we felt at home. Sigh... home. A word I haven't come close to using about this place before. Community is good. It's the best thing.
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| We hung out at this park to buy time before church |
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| Randy made a new friend |
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| I now understand the expression, 'having all your ducks in a row' |
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| Jake likes to hang out on the balcony too |
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| Heard these gobbling outside our balcony door this morning - crazy! |
It reminds me of when I sat next to this super friendly girl at MVC 8 years ago who invited me to her flock that same night...
ReplyDeleteDusty's close friend, Tyler Thomas, is the head wine maker at Donelan Winery in Sonoma. He and his wife went to CSU with D. Check it out and share a hello from us if you happen to get to meet him.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are settling in. Love "the best thing". A sweet legacy to remember and a great focus on God's goodness to us. Love from the Fort.