Taking Time...

Pure and simple, people just don't respond or invest in each other much anymore- either that or I'm just, plain jinxed. I've hosted home parties- several in fact where I invited over 20 people, made a bunch of food and 2 people came. (Thank God those 2 came or I would have been eating egg salad finger-sandwiches for a month!) Why is that I wonder? For over a decade, I actively pursued family & friends via e-mail. Most of them were on the fast-track to a career while I was a TERRIBLY lonely stay-at-home Mom. I followed my husband all over the country, trying to raise children with no family around & precious few friends to depend on for support. (Now I'm a social person- I'm all about people. Seclusion is very difficult for me, but I don't want someone else raising my kids, so I stayed home.) Very few people responded and/or reached out to me. (Those of you who did take time to keep in touch- I am eternally grateful!) After a while I was starving for updates on my friends, longing to be heard, to be appreciated by someone on the "outside". I was mostly ignored. (Now, I've never seen 'Desperate Housewives', but at times I guess I was one.) I don't harass & clog Inboxes with unwanted mail, but many times I get messages that my letters were deleted without being read. Ouch! I think it has less to do with SPAM filters and more to do with not being much of a priority in the lives of others. It has been tempting SO many times to turn my back on those who seem to take my friendship for granted and cut them off. Now, I'm not the only lonely person in this world so I'm not writing this to have a pity-party for myself... stick with me- there's a point... Could it be this experience is my wilderness? Perhaps I've been allowed to feel this way so I can better understand how big the heart of God is?? He is always reaching out, inviting, trying to let people know how much He cares. I wonder what percentage of the population at any given time responds? Jesus healed 10 lepers- literally ejecting them from the ranks of the living dead to vibrant life and 1 comes back to say thank you. He died on the cross- gave His all knowing that a vast majority would ignore His gift, but He did it anyway. Big difference between my reaction and His- eh?! Shows me I don't have enough of His heart in me yet. Contrary to what many believe, the Bible isn't the 'Chronicle of Condemnation', but an actual love-letter from God. How often do I get busy and let it go unread or fail to keep in touch with Him? I need to be more responsive. Now, I'm not a perfect friend by any means, but I try. If I stop reaching out to others because they don't respond or satisfy my need for companionship, what does that say about me and my motives? What impression would that give about God?? If you are feeling ignored and unappreciated, I encourage you to keep reaching out to the ones you love. It's what Jesus would do.