DSC_0132I went to a bible study this morning, and I think there was some shock that I was there.  This was actually my second time there and when I walked in the first time, it was quite a surprise.  I was by the far the youngest person in the room.  I would say that most of them were a good 20 years older than me, and retired.  Grandchildren and great grandchildren was their reality, mine is just finishing getting my children out of the house.

So I sat, and they were all introduced to me and I to them.  It was funny, and while I felt a bit out of place, they were all more than kind to me.  After the study, I was not sure if I would go back.  It had more to do with how they ran the study, than anything else, but I had decided to go at least the one more time before their August break.

So today, I walked into the class and was warmly greeted by all.  After the class, I made conversation with one of the ladies as she had asked prayer for her daughter and a job decision that was coming up.  From the way she spoke, I assumed her daughter lived in the bay area, and since that is where I am from, it gave me an “in” to have a conversation.  We spoke of her daughter, where she lived and the decision she would be soon making.  It was a nice conversation, and I was glad that I had found an opening to speak with her.

At that point, the teacher of the group walked out with me and made a comment that made me smile.   She handed me the binder of study materials that they were using and said that it was OK if I did not come back.  She said it nicely, and I know it was because she recognized that this group was not my peers, and not out of a desire to get me out of the group.  Whatever my feelings were before, by that time, I knew I would be back.  Really, how could I not?  This is a group of women that I could learn from, and like I told her, I might teach them a thing or two also.

Meeting these ladies also fits into the scheme of the new me.  I want to be challenged by who I know, and seek out those who haimages-1ve a different experience than I do.  I want to hear their stories, and see from their perspective.  This is important to me.  Why?  I think it is so I can meet people where they are, and not where I think they should be.  I think that is a lot of the problem with the world.  We expect everyone to be like….well us.

Everyone thinks we need to be unified, but I don’t like to think in terms of unity, but more like harmony.   Unity seems like sameness to me, and I know that in our ways of thinking many of us are not the same.  I like to think more in terms of harmony.  We are singing different parts, that look and sound awfully different.  All of us singing with the same goal 9165c3e52b881ae39233a13d8c8df74din mind.  It may sound a bit discordant when you take each part separately, but when it is all put together by a Master Conductor, we get something that is beyond what we could ever imagine. I cannot wait to hear their stories, and seek out the harmony that He creates