As a child, I remember few
things as exhilarating as an invitation to a birthday party! The feeling of
being included and my presence being requested to celebrate a friend’s life was
always a highlight. Having a young son, I see this over-and-over again as he
receives birthday party invitations and Tiffany and I have to play some
schedule hop-scotch in order to meet all of our commitments. Knowing how
important this is to him, as well as the child having the birthday party, we do
everything we can.
I saw this play out last week
as Ethan hosted a pool party for some neighborhood kids to celebrate the start
of the new school year. We have a child who is new to the neighborhood who
Ethan invited to come and participate. This literally made the child’s day,
week, and maybe even his year! He must have thanked us a dozen times for
inviting and including him. We then extended an invitation for him to join in a
slumber party with three other boys and we received another dozen or so
thank-yous. This got me thinking about just how important it is to include
people in our plans.
We are relational creatures.
In fact, this is why GOD created human beings in the first place…for the
purpose of relationship. From the study of Psychology, we have learned that one
of the most important needs of the human soul is to belong. We see this play
out on the playgrounds, in classrooms, boardrooms, sanctuaries, and places
wherever people gather. We have an innate and internal need to belong. This
applies to the here-and-now as well as the eternal. To hear that you are
welcome and wanted just does something to the human psyche and spirit. Whether
you are marking a life-defining watershed moment, or sharing in a simple cup of
coffee, no one wants to feel as though he/she isn’t wanted or special.
As we get ready for a BIG
weekend of celebration, I hope that you will reflect over this need to belong
and consider who you might invite to join you for what promises to be a special
time. On Sunday, we will celebrate the 7th birthday of The
Lighthouse and the 4th anniversary of the ministry unification
between Lighthouse and Cokes Chapel. We will have wonderful worship with
special elements as well as a covered dish luncheon following the 11am service.
We want YOU there in order to help us celebrate! We also want you to invite a
friend to help US celebrate these milestones. It won’t be the same if you
aren’t there, so please, make every effort to be present and help us fill both
of our worship spaces as well as the lunch.
I know how busy people are
this time of year. I also know how Tiffany and I can feel when Ethan receives a
birthday party invitation for what is always a jam-packed weekend. What we have
learned, though, is these parties are so important for Ethan and his friends,
that we do what we can to make it work. If this is the case for you this
weekend, I hope you will do the same and make every effort to attend. It is a
Sunday you will not want to miss.
You are welcome. YOU are
wanted. YOU belong! So come and help us celebrate. And let’s make the party
even bigger and grander by inviting someone else to come with you.
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