My favorite part

Every night when Julia goes to bed, she likes me to tuck her in first. We always start by telling each other what our favorite part of the day was. Often, Julia has more than one favorite part. After we talk about our faves, we say a prayer which includes a thank-you for the blessings of our day and a request for more "favorite parts" to come the next day.

My favorite part of the day usually has something to do with getting to know other people. This is weird for me. This is new to me. I'm liking this. It's humbling and scary, yet rich and meaningful. But, I've been honest with Julia every time... when I have the chance to connect with someone - on more than just a "hello!" on someone's facebook wall - it truly has been my favorite part of the day.

I've made more connections with people this summer than I have made with people throughout my entire adult life. Okay, that might be only half true, because many of the connections I'm considering were there already - but they've been just solidified, deepened, made important only more recently.

As always, my geeky nature is to hide behind my computer screen and manage my relationships over the internet. I'm great with words... if they're in writing. I'm able to be open and honest with someone ...if it's in writing. I can express many of my complex emotions, concerns, joys, and complications ...if it's in writing. In person, verbally? I'm a complete dork. I acknowledge that and embrace that and I've accepted that as a part of who I am.

But, this summer - I've stepped up my effort to get to know the people that I want to be around. Without question, my attendance at church and my involvement in Relay for Life have been helpful. But, I've decided to take it upon myself to crawl out of my comfortable little shell and start taking some risks. And the payoff? Has been astronomical.

I've learned three important things this summer:

1. One must take risks to reap rewards.
2. Everybody is a little bit dorky sometimes -it's not just me.
3. If I let God take control over my social life, and if I just quit worrying so much about myself - about how I appear to others, about how I sound when I'm talking, about how my house looks or how messy my car is when I give someone a ride... if I just let God do the work... then being sociable is a lot less stressful. In fact, it's joyous.

We hosted a bbq party this past weekend, and invited some friends that are important to us. We were so humbled and thankful for the turnout. We rekindled some missed friendships and strengthened some new friendships and are energized and inspired to continue to meet people we love and love the people we meet.

My favorite part of this summer has been making new friends, keeping old friends, and learning more about myself in the process. God is amazing - I need to just "let go" more often.