Yesterday I spent the afternoon with my small group from church (Small Group is sort of like a Sunday School Class). We spent the afternoon on Craig Creek. There was volleyball, horseshoes, swings, a creek to swim and canoe in, lawns to play in, hot dogs and hamburgers. A simple taste of old fashioned Americana. Simply put, a good time was had by all.
One of the things that struck me was this.... I have come to know these people over the last six months or so since I began going to this group. They are like any gathering of people, with cares, worries, painful things in their lives, concerns. Nearly everyone there has worries and hurts. We pray for each other a lot in this small group.
But despite the worries, there is room for God's gift of fellowship. There is the ability to release those worries for a short while and simply enjoy. The creek was beautiful. We've had a lot of rain lately and it's no longer too low. The water was clear and cool, perfect for swimming or playing,
and deep enough for the canoes to make their way upstream without constant dragging over rocks.
There was an unusually large group of young people, mostly kids of the adults in this small group and there was such joy in watching them have a good time with each other. The fellowship and conversation and fun was contagious.
And at the end of the day, all our worries were still there. All our cares still existed. But for a perfect Sunday afternoon, God had given us all a respite, a chance to simply enjoy the beautiful place and good friends he has blessed us with, and there was reason to go home tired, but grateful for his goodness.
Tom
PS - you can click on the images for larger versions.
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