I recently posted about how we are starting our search for community from scratch. I’ve been contemplating this for a while, and yes, it may sometimes seem like we are starting from zero.

But we’re not. Not really. We’ve got a wonderful community around us, and I really feel like I should be acknowledging that.

Yes, there were friends, and entire groups of friends that have pretty much flat-out rejected who we are now. But, more importantly, there are friends who have not.

Snowy and Ash are our closest friends. We got to know each other on the worship team at church. They come for dinner at our house every Thursday night without fail. We have talked about our decision, and we are both open about it. They still come. They still actively seek our company and support us and love us and treat us no differently.

Our family has been very supportive. For the most part, when they heard our announcement they didn’t even really react. There has been no change at all in our relationships. My brother and sister in law have been showing up at our door for coffee regularly, and we truly appreciate their presence. We are the ones who have been dropping the ball on that relationship, in spite of their active attempts.

The bible study group that we’ve been a part of for years has enthusiastically expressed their desire for us to stay. We have a potluck every second Saturday and spend the evening talking. Much of our time was spent in simple relationship-building and chatting, so the group has graciously decided to make every second meeting just relationship and chat with us attending, and they will meet every other time for bible study. They’re a great bunch of people so we’re excited to be able to maintain this group.

We’ve had a number of people call and express desire to get together and spend time with us (Hi, Chris! Hi Mel!) and Jenn and the kids have gone out to see Dorothy and the kids a couple of times already. Dorothy and Jenn spend time on the phone a couple of times a month still.

In our neighbourhood we are always surrounded by people who attend a previous church, and we haven’t been treated anything but warmly and as happily as ever. Our kids have a couple of adopted grandmas from that congregation that still keep them well-supplied with goodies.

As dark as it seems sometimes, we need to stand up and recognize the folks in our lives that are shining lights. Thank you. Thank you to those that I am positive that I missed in this. If I didn’t name you specifically, don’t be hurt, I’m just trying to get this finished before dinner and as you know, my brain is iffy at the best of times…

Life is good.

Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, the other gold.

Related posts:

1. Starting From Scratch