Family Time: The lost tradition?

     This morning my family, parents and I went to a Christmas church service.  It was nice. The building wasn't overly decorated, the people were very friendly and the overall mood was pleasant.  The two highlights for me wasn't going to church, but being with family and especially watching my three oldest do dance moves to a few songs with joy and a bit of silliness.

    As I sat watching my children I couldn't help but smile peacefully.  It was so great to be together and be able to forget everything outside the walls that are so filled with the busyness of Christmas.  In short, it was good to slow down and remember what is really important to me - my family.  Family is really all most of us have in this world and our time with them is often too short.  Memories that were created can never be erased from my mind, they couldn't be bought and what happened this morning will never happen again the same as it did.

   It is my deepest prayer would be that all families in the world would experience the peace and joy that I did being and watching my family.  It's more precious than gold.

Merry Christmas!

Brian

Community?

     Over the past year or so I've been watching various neighborhoods around where I live and traveled and just can't help but wonder if a genuine community existed.  You know, the type of community that was open and friendly?  Where no thought about going over to our neighbor and asking for something because, well, let's be honest - we're to lazy to go to the store at that moment in time to get it for ourselves.  Or maybe we're just needing an extra set of hands to hold a picture in place so we can get that picture frame on the wall nice and perfect.  Or how about getting a knock on the door so you could let your neighbor in for a cup of coffee and good conversation?

     Day after day, week after week and month after month...

  ...we never really connect.  

                                      Yeah, you may have waved hello to your neighbor while you were rushing into your vehicle to get on your way to work.  Or maybe bumped into your neighbor and talked about the weather while you were trying to get your mail.  But you and your neighbor never really have connected.  

         And I can't help but wonder why?

 I mean 'they' are just next door. 

     What has happened? Why is it that we'll not get to know our neighbor?  Is it because we're too busy to add another life into ours?  We're not willing to 'get to know them' because of fear that we might have to do something for them?  

    Most likely we're just too busy.

         Isn't this the best excuse?  We're too busy.  We don't have the time or just don't want to use the energy to get to know them?  We may think to ourselves, "what's the benefit for me?"

  So, let's hear it.  What would be the benefit in knowing our neighbor? 

         Love to hear your thoughts.