Family and Community

There has been something I've been chewing on for a few weeks. Whenever I try to write about something specific, however, it explodes in my head into a thousand different things. Trying to follow one strain of thought is like a fly trying to walk across a spider web. Impossibly tangled.

Back when I was contemplating the creation of the universe, I listened to a teaching on Genesis 1 by Ray Mayhew. Ray taught at a church I attended back in Omaha. The few times I have had the opportunity to sit in on one of his classes, he revealed a depth to the Bible as only one who has studied the Bible intensely for decades could. One of the things he points out, that I suppose is rather obvious, though easy to miss, is the importance of the family in scripture. The Triune Godhead is an example of family. The creation of Adam and Eve and Eve as his helpmate brought about family. The endless genealogies scream family.

The whole of it is that our souls yearn to be knitted into families and have a sense of belonging to a greater community.

The reason I've been thinking about this lately, is that I have been feeling a bit disconnected. The advent of a baby changes the dynamic of life. In the struggle to maintain a basic level of survival in the immediate family, it is easy to lose touch with others. And the way society is shaped these days, it makes isolation even easier.

Most of us live fairly independent lives. We can easily survive on our own. All we need is a job and a grocery store nearby. Friends and family live miles away, and common activities are few. Because of this, it takes a concentrated effort to develop meaningful relationships with others. When a relationship becomes inconvenient or unnecessary, it is easy to let the relationship fade.

I have been struggling with the role of the technology in all of this. Internet sites like facebook and myspace promise connection to others. But at the end of the day, if I get sucked into the Internet, I end up ignoring my children or realizing that email is a poor substitute to spending time face to face with another human being. (That is why I have purposefully avoided facebook and remain on myspace only so that I can be my husband's top friend.)

A couple years ago, I was addicted to Beverly Lewis novels. Most of these centered on Amish life. I was struck by the interdependence (not co-dependence) of the Amish. Instead of trying to take on huge tasks, such as building a barn, on their own, the community comes together to help. Women get together for quilting and canning bees. Frequently, when a father turns over the farm to the younger generation, he and his wife will live in an annex of the family home, lending a hands where they can.


Lately, as I wish my mother lived a stone's throw away so that we could sit down for tea, or that I could dump the baby on her for an hour so that I could rake some leaves, I keep thinking about how nice it would be to be a part of a community where it wouldn't take so much effort to connect.