There’s something soooooo great about unwinding. Coming home at 10 pm after a LONG day in professional attire… Taking off the shoes, taking off the bra (ladies, can I get an “amen”?), and changing into loungewear! Getting comfy on my great green sofa and stretching my feet out on my ottoman. Kicking back with a blog and a small bowl of Edy’s Limited Edition Girl Scouts Thin Mint Cookie ice cream. Maybe I’ll watch some Arrested Development. Or maybe I’ll just enjoy the silence. The house is empty tonight. It’s kinda weird, but also kinda nice.

I look forward to a quiet day in the office tomorrow, as well. I mean, I never look forward to the office. But I do look forward to the fact that it will be quiet. I did a lot today and got a lot checked off my To Do list and will continue to work at it tomorrow.

Tonight I made the decision to be social for a bit, something that I haven’t been real into lately. It’s just sorta hard right now. But I have to remind myself of the importance of community and fellowship. Without it I am isolated and tend to lose my focus. I get too self-absorbed.

I was challenged recently with the question, “Why is it ‘not good for man to be alone’?” (Genesis 2:18) I don’t have an easy answer. I just have my own experiences, knowing that I function better with someone else.

My friend Stephen shared a message about community this past Sunday that I would have loved to hear had I been in town. He talked on Ecclesiastes 4:7-12.

7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

8 There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
"For whom am I toiling," he asked,
"and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?"
This too is meaningless—
a miserable business!

9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:

10 If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!

11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?

12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

“Pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” Wow. That is so true. We all need friends. True friends who are there for you as you travel the valleys, ones who stay with you and hurt with you as you suffer and strive for something better, ones who will walk beside you, always encouraging you and reminding you that there IS something better, something worth striving for.

Not every friend can handle that. I heard someone say recently that when he went through a rough time he realized how many of his “friends” should actually be referred to as “acquaintances.”

I’m grateful for those friends who have been there for me. And I pray you have friends like that in your life too, someone who will help you when you are in the valley of your life, someone who will reach out and help you up when you fall down.