It's better together.

Growing up, I was an only child. I spent a lot of time by myself and learned to entertain myself when no one was around to play with me. This was the time before the internet, home computers, or texting. I did have a video game system that I spent time playing, but really, there's only so much of that I can do.I preferred writing, reading, doing puzzles, or crossword-type word games. I always enjoyed board games and card games, but most of those aren't much fun when you play by yourself, although, you always win!

There was one card game that I could play by myself that offered a bit of a challenge and didn't always allow me to win-Solitaire. All I needed was a deck of cards and a table or floor and I could keep busy for quite some time. I even knew several different versions so I had some options.

I heard an old joke a while back that said you should always carry a deck of cards with you. That way, if you were ever stranded or lost somewhere, you could pull them out and start playing solitaire. Pretty soon, someone would walk up behind you and tell you which move you should make next and you would be rescued! 

Funny but a little true. It's hard to resist offering advice to someone when they're playing solitaire and you see a move they should make. 

This happens a lot when I'm playing and my kids are around. And, although I get a little irritated with them sometimes, I must admit, it's much more fun when there's someone else there to give me a hint. It's more fun together.

I was at a friend's house the other day and she brought out a game called Solitaire, only you play this one with marbles. It's a lot like this one. At first, we took turns playing the game and seeing if we could beat the other person's "score". Then, we started playing the game together, each taking a turn to make a move. By the end, we were both scrambling to see how many moves we could make before the other person could see one. We were giggling and having a great time. So much more fun than when we were playing the game one at a time.

Kind of like life. God never meant for us to live in a solitary lifestyle, cut off from those around us by busy schedules or unwillingness to step out and meet people. He meant for us to do life together. I talked about that once on my old blog in this post. I have grown a lot in my willingness to reach oout and connect with those around me, but as I was reading Acts chapter 2, God spoke to my heart about this issue again.

The early church knew that life was better together. Acts 2:46 says, 

"Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. The broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts."

 Lately, my family has been spending a lot of time with our friends, the Gilbreaths. They have been amazing friends and support for us during a hard time when my husband spends a lot of his time working away from home. One of my favorite things about spending time with them is when our families share a meal together. Sometimes we eat at their house, sometimes at our, and sometimes we eat out. I've learned that the meal doesn't have to be fancy or expensive, the house doesn't have to be spotless, and the kids don't have to be perfectly behaved. The important thing is the time we spend together. 

So, I challenge each of you. Sometime this week, step out of your normal routine and your comfort zone. Invite someone to come share at meal with you, in your home or at a restaurant. It can be as simple as a 30 minute meal at a fast food restaurant in between the kids' activities. It can be a "hot and ready" pizza at the ballfield before a game. But, if you can, try to make the time to do it at home where you can sit down and have some time to relax and visit for a bit. You might be surprised to find that you enjoy it more than you thought you would.

Life is so much better together.