It's a God Thing

When the University of Alabama takes to the football field this weekend there is no doubt that I will find myself feeling homesick. There are times during moments of solitude my mind drifts away from what I am doing and transports me to Alabama. There will always be a connection as I was born and raised, for the most part, in this state. The fondness for my “home state” brings about a measure of comfort and I do find myself imagining what it would be like if I moved back to Alabama. Isn’t it natural for us to gravitate towards the things which bring about comfort?


The other day I was sitting in a waiting room with Dave Harrelson while Betsy was undergoing knee replacement surgery. There was another gentleman present in the waiting room, which prompted Dave and me to pick seats at a safe distant from him. Typically in locations such as waiting rooms we seek distance from others for comfort. Without talking to a person and learning who they are we often conclude there is nothing we have in common with them (no connection). This being the first time I have met the Harrelson’s my conversation with Dave started out in typical fashion, which was very general. Naturally I assumed they were not native to this area, as most residents in these parts have migrated from other regions of the country. Dave informed me they moved from San Diego. They had settled in Southern California after he retired from the Navy. Further discussion revealed he was from Anniston, Alabama. Oh my gosh, another kindred spirit whose roots are grounded in a state I affectionately refer to as God’s country. Remember the gentleman sitting in the waiting room with us? He overheard our conversation and said, “Did I hear y’all say you were from Alabama? I am from Opp, Alabama.” What are the chances that the only three people sitting in a waiting room, at Hilton Head Hospital, were all from the state of Alabama? Even better, the connections between the three of us go deeper than being natives of the same state. He and Dave are both residents of Sun City and former Navy. Opp, located in southern Alabama near Enterprise, produced former Alabama player and Coach Mike Dubose. All three of us found a connection.

I am constantly amazed at how we are connected to others in one way or another. Think about it, Bill Griffin had a daughter attend the University of Alabama, Ann Kundrat was born in Clanton, Alabama (near my home town of Selma), and Candace Gross’s son Jacob, was stationed at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery. Relationships are facilitated through connections. Comfort puts us at ease, which provides a way for relationships to flourish. It’s a God thing! Think of the diversity of the area in which we, members of the Church of the Palms, live. So many differences exist between us yet we also have a connection. We profess the same belief, at least I think we do (I am chuckling), in God through our creeds. I believe each one of us is a unique creation woven together in our belief in God. Our belief in God, as we examine the Apostle’s Creed this month, gives us a measure of comfort. Comfort facilitates our relationship with each other. It’s a God thing! God has intended us to be in a relationship not only with God, but also with each other. Yet we should not limit the scope of our relationships to others. Christians often push away those who are not like them, thus rejecting God’s intention for creation. We at the Church of the Palms are here for a reason. We, in every aspect of our lives, are to be a witness to the God we profess a belief in. ALL humankind was created in God’s image and this gives us a connection to each other no matter who it is. Let us take this message to the people. It’s a God thing!