Italian Dinner

I have a long history of liking to go out for Italian food especially with my husband. Love the food but in thinking about it. I love the slow pace and the chance to take one course at a time.

We nibble and talk and slow down. Of course, its doesn't hurt that there are leftovers. The kind I am thinking about isn't food. Because a slow down in our pace can lead to a big, long conversation later. The kind of deepen communication we all want. It isn't the kind of fast food conversation that happens when you rush or are rushed at work or in all you have to do.

The slow down conversation starts and meanders and listens and talks. Yes, both of us get to chip in and really hear the other person's heart.

I will always advise for Valentine's Day or other that people go out for a long, unhurried dinner and just slow down. You might be surprised by what you find out about yourself and your loved one.

Go Out There To Connect

We need to have human connections to be real. This is something that we learn as we go along. If we don't know who lives next door, we are the poorer for it. How can we love our neighbor if we haven't taken a few minutes to talk to that person.

We are commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ to love one another and this is the only healthy way for us as believers. We may not feel like getting invovled. We may neglect the fellowship of believers but we grow weaker and less certain for our own withdrawal.

Wherever we are we need to "touch base" by not only reading the Word of God but also by being in personal connection to our "team" of believers. We are blessed when we hear someone else pray for our needs as they are blessed when we pray for them.

Jesus went around doing good but He didn't do it by himself. He had his disciples, weak as they were.  He had a team and He led them and taught them together. Yes, there were times when he took one or more aside but the norm was doing ministry together.

Do you have a big dream that God has given you to do? Don't think you can or should work this out by yourself. Share it with your Christian friends. If you don't have any: make some. How do you do this? You go to church. You talk to people. And you go have coffee with one or more or you serve in some way in the church and get to then reveal your dream to others.

God wants us connected to each other because we are the body of Christ. A leg or an arm can't do the job. A head or a toe can't do the job but when we all connect together, then we can see something happen in the Kingdom work. Don't give up. Get up and get connected. Start now! You'll be glad you did.