Day 35-Start by sitting together

Pausch says that by sitting together and working collectively creates synergy. When dealing with groups of strangers we should:

1. Meet people properly.

2. Find things you have in common.

3. Try for optimal meeting conditions.

4. Let everyone talk.

5. Check egos at the door.

6. Praise each other.

7. Phrase alternatives as questions.

The first group I think of is Jesus' disciples: Peter, John, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James,

Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, & Judas Iscariot (and Matthias after him). How many personalities there must have been there. We know that many of these men were fishermen, but at least one- Matthew- was a tax collector. What was it about these men that made them Jesus' choice?

When I think of the disciples, the first thing I think of is the Last Supper. The Last Supper is Jesus' final farewell to his men: he washes their feet, prophesies his betrayal, predicts Peter's denial, shares his final meal as the first communion takes place, & he calls for his disciples to follow his teachings. Even Jesus didn't spread his message alone, so why do we think we need to be independent? Also, it is important to note that Jesus had them all sit together one last time.

For Lent, our church as sent us some instructions of things to do with our child before bedtime. As a unit, we sit down and list our best and worst moments of the day. Then we take turns blessing each other by kissing our index finger and then making the sign of the cross on one another's foreheads while saying, "God loves you. Jesus loves you. And I love you." We then open up a devotional and say/sing a prayer together. This has become my favorite part of the day. Sitting as a group. Learning from and about each other.

Today I swabbed my cheek to become a potential donor for bone marrow. In our community, there is a 6th grader in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant. Her school and the entire community has rallied around her. They have gone so far as to have a 24 hour Marrow-thon drive. These donors will go into a database that could potentially help this little girl. Additionally, your sample could be used to help someone else who needs the gift of life. This drive has the potential to keep giving for years to come. Synergy.

Mike Krzyzewski once said, "A basketball team is like the five fingers on your hand: if you can get them all together you have a fist." Let's make a fist.

-God, Thank you for the ideas, joy, and effectiveness that groups of people can cause. I pray that I always appreciate my fellow man and keep in mind that they have something to offer. Amen.