Hi Friends,

My goodness it has been a long time since I have written. I don’t know if you have missed my absence or not, but I’m happy to be back.

These last few months have been… full. I am now on staff at Scum of the Earth Church in Denver where I teach classes in Theology, Bible, and Spiritual Disciplines. I tend to slave over my work and when I finished I had no mental energy left to write on my reflections on life. So, that’s why I’ve been gone. And I’ve missed you.

I was just thinking about how hard it is to find community. I don’t just mean a play group or a book club (though they’re both great), I mean finding people who know you. Who get you. Who can read your sighs and lift you up just the way you need it. Who will laugh at the same stupid things and come alongside you in your causes and delights.

I have been blessed to have a few new friends in the past few months who have become that for me. I realize I need to invest in their friendships. It is a pretty special thing and I need to be vulnerable with them, telling them I appreciate them. I have been burned by people in the past so I’m a bit hesitant to do this, but I know it will feed my soul. Do you know what I mean?

I think we all ache for strong friendships and as moms they can be especially hard to come by. In many ways we are just not available for deep friendships. Our lives are interrupted by toddling children who dump water all over books or stuff Mr. Potato Head teeth into the VCR. It is hard to focus on others (and ourselves, but that’s another post). But we NEED each other.

In many ways, you, my virtual world of friends, have been such a community for me. You who are in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Texas, etc. and are too far away to have coffee with me, you have met me here in The Toothless Grin and have been my friends. I hope you will join me again in reflecting on life as a mom. I’m ready to be back.