I Got Connections :)

My Pastor talks a lot about "being connected" and "getting connected" and "staying connected" on a regular basis.Whether in sermons or just during announcements, there is always something he is encouraging us to get connected to. The main 3 entities to establish this connection with are Creator, Church and Community. We call these "the three C's" and there are several ways to take a personal inventory and see if we are indeed connected or at least on the way to being.

The word "Connection" is often used in the mainstream media to describe relationships between people. "We had a strong connection" or "She is a nice girl, I just didn't feel that connection" are typical statements you would hear on The Bachelor or other popular shows. But what does that mean exactly and what message do these types of statements send about connection? Especially in our relationships with others, it feels like the common thinking is --a "connection" either happens or it doesn't; and if it doesn't, we move on to the next person we could find that connection with. Connecting with people is almost in the hands of fate or the universe and we take no responsibility at all. But this is what has me thinking .... we are responsible for maintaining our connections (relationships) and this requires hard work. How can I be connected to God if I don't pray or seek out this relationship on a daily basis? Here's a really great quote I read today on a friend's Facebook status:

“A significant source of cynicism is the fracture between my heart and my behavior. It goes something like this: My heart gets out of tune with God, but life goes on. So I continue to perform and say Christian things, but they are just words. I talk about Jesus without the presence of Jesus. There is a disconnect between what I present and who I am.” - Paul Miller, 'A Praying Life

This not only outlines the importance of maintaining a connection with God but warns of the "disconnect" within ourselves -- What I present vs. who I am. When I perform my self inventory and look for ways to be connected with my Creator, Church and Community I must also ask the question -- is who I am connected with what I present? Is my heart really in this?

In that same token, our connections with each other as a body, as family, as friends need to be nurtured and respected. It isn't my job to "fix" anyone but it isn't an excuse to leave them high and dry either. Relationships take hard work especially real, solid ones. I can enjoy all the things I seemingly have in common with a friend and pass the moments having a great time but that doesn't mean we are connected.... real, unconditional love is something we can achieve even though it's hard.. but just because you love me unconditionally, it is not my free pass to walk all over your feelings. We need to make adjustments, accommodate each other, communicate openly and not be afraid to show acts of love. The "work" everyone talks about in relationships is what will establish and maintain the "connection". Not a twist of fate, or a change in the circumstances. Can we work hard and keep this connection in tact in spite of the circumstances? I think that's the question which makes real, solid relationships last whether romantic, between family or friendships.

Today, I am reflecting on my own connections... with God, within myself and with others... Grateful that I don't have to float or wander alone but have relationships to be connected with :)

~April