Smilies

I'm not really sure why I called this particular post "smilies." I'm not really writing about them. It's just that I've seen a lot of them lately and I've noticed they come in various shapes and sizes. Like this one: :)  That's the one that I use. It's easy to type. Simple.

There are people who type it backwards, like this: (: I'm sorry, that's just wrong. It's like the little face is looking backwards. No.

My mom uses this smilie: :-) I'm not sure if I like it or not. There's a whole extra character to type (less efficient) and the little dude has a slot for a nose. Nah. I'll stick with mine. :)

The different kinds of smilies I saw this week kind of reminded me of my small group. Not that we're "all smiles" all the time, but after we met this past Monday night, all I could do was smile.

We have a good group. It all started with a Facebook post near the end of summer. "Anyone interested in starting a small group?" Just like that, we had one. :) God is good. :)

Monday night was a good discussion. We're going through the Book of 1 John. It's a good book. It's a short book. It's a book filled with the basics of Christianity . . . and this is a great encouragement. But what I find equally encouraging are the people in our small group. Every one of them I respect greatly. Every one of them has been through their fair share of pain and suffering. I am proud to call them my brothers and sisters.

Are you in a small group? You really should be. If you're not, you are really missing out on an incredible experience. I think in many ways a small group represents the very best attributes of the early church. There is mutual support and love for one another. A small group also provides accountability for our actions, a good source for advice and encouragement and a means of sharing each others burdens and struggles. It truly is a support group - a support group that includes Jesus. You can't get much better than that! :)

There I go smiling again. It's hard not to. There is not one member of the group we had this past Monday that wouldn't give you a helping hand if you needed it, whether they knew you or not. Yeah, we're a bunch of sinners. Yeah we fall down. But we get right back up, and with each other's help we'll be just fine. I am both humble and proud to be a part of that group. Not just because we have fun. But because we have fun . . . while talking about Jesus.

Jesus is our source of joy and comfort. He is the reason for the season as they say. Jesus provides us strength to get up every morning and the peace to fall asleep each night. Jesus is the reason we came together as a group. He is the leader of our group through His God-breathed words. Jesus is the reason we gather in fellowship and in love . . . all in the name of Jesus.

I love you my brothers and sisters!! You have blessed my life greatly and I smile whenever I think of any of you. But to God be the glory. Amen! :)

"13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.  While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them." - Luke 24:13-14