Small Group... Fun and Insightful

Thursday ended as most days do, my first thought being on what I should eat for dinner. I felt famished, so in my desperation for muy delicioso comida, I made a phone call. I dialed the number, put my phone on speaker, you know that new law, and waited for the salutation, "Hey-Louh," it was PB, after my greeting, I got right down to business, "Is there going to be dinner at Small Group tonight?" My stomach perked up and began leaning to my right. I thought, what's going on here, come to find out my stomach was aching to hear a "Yes," more than my ears. To both of ours dismay, the answer was, "No, but we'll have snacks afterward." I went to McDonald's and my stomach made a jeer at me - like it's my fault we're not having some of PB's food tonight. Who'd want to pass on that, you all know he can cook, and come to find out - facilitate a small group as well.

We began by opening up to 1 John, chapter 1. We didn't read it, or even talk about our favorite scriptures, he just asked what it was we learned about God that we'd previously been unaware of. The responses were brilliant and my ears began salivating at the tasty morsels of knowledge and insight that were being delved into. Bernie, in Bernie fashion; quiet, reserved, reverent, serenely, said "His (God's) very character encourages hope." I think my eyes welled up in the corners. I thought, that should be on a billboard by the freeway with an invitation to commune with hope at Experience Church. The conversation continued and moved into the power of confession and how confession frees us, as Tina pointed out, and removes our guilt as PB pointed out - but then the scrap that we all wish we would have said was delivered, faster than UPS, with more insight than Katie Couric and with the poise of Mia Hamm, Brooke leaned up from her enviable spot on the couch and said, "It's almost harder to accept forgiveness than it is to admit your fault." OOOOhhhh, I could stop talking there. That's a free tidbit you can marinate on for a while. Even PB pursed his lips, nodded his head to the side, and said, "That's good." We all looked around at each other, and I had to ask her to repeat it. It's Brooke's quote, but God only knows how much I'm itching to share it with someone when the opportunity presents itself.

The conversation soon lost it's serious candor and after the closing prayer we digressed into discussions pertaining to funny noises (e.g., pink, orange, brown). We all laughed so hard that our sides began to hurt, we had to slump in our chairs to catch our breath. Bernie immediately began to get concerned for me, "Can he breath, is he OK?" I was fine Bernie, I was just in love with the moment. Lyn closed the evening by reminding us that fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ, coming together to know Christ, and being able to express our love for what he's done for us and in our lives is like, "Walking on a cloud." Yes indeed it is, and so is a good pair of Sketchers.