Resolution #5- Get out of my comfort zone at church

This resolution is kind of a mish mosh of serveral different "goals" in my life. They all fall under the umbrella of "getting outside of my comfort zone" though and they mostly pertain to church. Our relationships with people at church, our participation in our congregation, attendance. So here goes..

I desperately WANT to feel a sense of belonging in our church home. I want to feel like we have a family there. I want to feel like we can join in and be of service to other members there and vice versa. I realized that to achieve this I would need to get "outside of my comfort zone". So here is a list of specifics I have given myself for this resolution.

1.) To find a class home and make it a priority to make it to that class. This is harder than it might sound because right now at our church this is some controversy or splitting happening in our age group. It mostly has to do with the NAMES of the classes but long story short there are 2 different sunday morning classes ben and I would fall into. We have visited both (many different times) and we have now chosen which class we are going to be a part of. Now on to making it a priority to actually be there, every single week! This is harder for us simply because aiden is SUCH a good sleeper that he will sleep till 9 AM no problem. Class starts at 9 and so I always feel bad waking him up in time to get us to class on sunday mornings. I have to get over it. It's important for him to be there, it's important for us to be there. End of story. No more excuses from me!

2.) To volunteer and involve ourselves in the work the church is doing. This is to not only make us feel like we know more people but also that we are "helping, feeding. ministering. connecting, with the congregation in even the smallest of ways. To accomplish this task. I am now a team leader in the nursery, serving with the babies during worship services 2 times a week every 10 weeks. I realize this is not much, but it's something. Ben has been volunteering with the "servant's men" who are in charge of communion and the dismissal of the older kids (3-5 yr. olds) to "Kid's Crossing". There are the first things we have volunteered or signed up to be a part of but hopefully as we continue to get "outside of the comfort zone" there will be more opportunities.

3. ) To build relationships. This is important for ben and I as a couple to build relationships with couples like us who have young kids, live similar lives, same life goals, etc. But more than that I think it is especially important for ME to build relationships with other young mommy's who know what my life is like every day. Women who I can bond with, share with, minister to, and vice versa. So here's where I get realllllyyyyy outside my comfort zone. It's my belief that relationships aren't just going to happen! Sitting in close proximity in a pew once a week isn't going to magically turn you into best friends. So I started saying "yes" every time any of these young couples or ladies asked me to do something. Even though at first I wanted to say no. From there I made it my goal to do something outside of church with someone from church every week. It started with going to the park with a girl who has a 16 month old daughter. We took her daughter and aiden and had a great afternoon playing at the park! Then we had a couple who lives close to us and have a baby boy over to dinner. (I cooked!) Next I had a couple of girls over to my house for a playdate. Then we were invited to a couple's house for lunch after church. Then I was invited to a mommy playdate of about 5 mommies at a friend of mine's house. Now we are setting up recurring playdates for us mommies to get together (with our kids) on a regular basis. Next week we're going to the zoo (if the weather is nice!)

This resolution is VERY important to me. I believe wholeheartedly that the women who are your friends when you are raising your kids, will continue to be your close friends forever. I have already felt that on so many different occasions when getting together with these girls and talking to them about what we are all dealing with...with our husbands, kids, house, spirituality, finances...just everything and you start to see so much of yourself in these other people! It's such a blessing to have those friendships and I am so glad I made it a priority to get out of my comfort zone and to make church and the relationships I wanted to form with people AT church a priority!

And now that I am OUT of my comfort zone, I will start taking pictures at all these mommy get togethers. I guess it's time for them to be introduced to the crazy picture taking part of my personality!