The Challenge

I started reading a new book today: Love at Last Sight. In the book they challenge you to name three relationships in your life that you want to make better. They can be friendships, special others, family, any relationship you have in your life that you think is worth devoting time to and make it better. I thought I would open the challenge to everyone I know because just after reading the first days challenge it really got me thinking about how much people don't put in an effort anymore and thats no way to set an example to show someone they matter.

SO here we go

Day 1: Being there Face to Face

"Being there" means actually being there. One of the best gifts you can give someone is your presence in their life. This is the problem in so many of our relationships we try to make them work at an arms length rather than making that extra effort to be truly present. This presence isn't what so many of us reach for- instead we go for technology. This while a very beneficial tool in our society, it is also a huge hinderance on allowing us to build meaningful relationships. Don't get me wrong I use and like technology as much as the next person and how it can help link us to loved ones we are forced to be separated from, but thats not the relationship I am referring to. Technology has created this idea in our heads that relationships should come to us. We have become so used to calls coming in, message notifications popping up, and inboxes constantly pouring in emails. It's almost as if relationships are like a package that are so easily delivered at our doorstep, and we end up managing the people in our lives as typing words on a screen and mouse clicks. We start to think relationships ought to be as convenient as answering a text message or hitting the name and calling the person back. It's as if we view creating and sustaining a relationship as an easy task. No relationship can work forever over technology and to ever truly build it into anything worth being a part of then it needs to be shown the value of someones presence.

Why is this so important?

For me when someone shows the effort to show up in person in my life speaks volumes, it shows that I am important to them. So I have to assume that for others in my life it means more for me to show up and be there rather than simply sending a text message, an email, or a phone call. Most of communication is nonverbal through facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice. So think about it if you are only ever using phone or email you are missing out on those nonverbals. Never underestimate the power of a hand on someones shoulder or a hug-physical touch holds so much more power than we give it credit for. Also being together allows for experiences to happen that last with you forever in memory way more than some words shared via texting. You are giving someone a valuable possession: your time. Once time goes by you can't get it back-this is why they say take everyday for what it's worth and live it as if it was your last because you don't know what tomorrow holds. I think of Hebrews 13:5 "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you"-this is how the Lord views His relationship with you. He is never too preoccupied to spend time with you and he is never too busy for us. So why is it so easy for us to throw out those excuses to those who we say mean a lot to us.

With all of that (sorry it was a big chapter today) the point of the challenge today and this week is to really take on being there! The easy part is deciding you are going to be there, the hard part is following through.

They put it nicely Love at first sight takes on this view: "I'll wait until they show up for me. I'm too busy right now. I'll just send an email, and if they are really my friend then they'll make the time and come to me."

The challenge is to love at last sight: "If I am serious about making sure the people I love know how I feel about them, then I need to take the initiative and get together with them."

Consider the three key relationships you have picked to work on: Think about what sort of being-there connection you can make with one of your key relationships this week and do whatever it takes to spend time with that individual. Don't allow yourself to make excuses-because those are just flags that maybe this relationship isn't worth it to you and think about how that would make you feel if they viewed you in that way.

Love today-Embrace the relationships you value and show the Lord you are going to appreciate that He brought that person (s) into your life.