I have made so many friends through social media. A few of my closest friends in Arizona were girls I met through blogging. Our first play date here in California was with a girl I originally met on Instagram. I feel like moving to a new area is much easier these days when you can establish new friendships over Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
But since moving to California, I’ve also made a new friend the old-fashioned way… at the public library. It was one of the moments where God gently reminds me that He is leading us in the midst of the chaos, in the midst of the moving boxes and air mattresses and mini-fridges and ants in the kitchen {this is our life, you guys}. We had been living in our empty house for a few days, and I decided to take the girls to explore the local library around the corner. When we arrived, a fellow mom with a baby in a stroller noticed I was new and said, “Oh, you must be here for story time. I’ll show you where it is.” We just happened to arrive five minutes before toddler story time and suddenly Z was singing, playing, and popping bubbles with all the neighborhood kids. After story time, I walked up to the circulation desk to open an account and started chatting with another mom there.
Have you ever been in a conversation with someone new where you can just feel the Holy Spirit is very present and powerful in their life? This was how I felt talking to this woman. I just gazed into her eyes as she talked to me about Jesus, her seven kids, homeschooling, her church, and an array of other topics. By the end of the 40 minute conversation, I was ready to ask her to be my mentor, but instead I just said “Can I get your phone number? You’re my first friend here.” {The humble truth.} A few hours later, Angie texted to invite us over to dinner that night. A true picture of godly hospitality. I seriously want to be just like her someday. Since then, we’ve visited their church, met up at the library again, and I’m now officially storing my breast milk in her freezer since we still don’t have one at the Russum abode. If that isn’t true friendship, I don’t know what is.
In a world of tweets and Instagram likes, I’m pretty thankful to have met someone the old-fashioned way, by striking up a conversation. I’m thankful for toddler story time and for dinner invitations and for a God who sends me to the library at just the right time to meet other moms from the neighborhood. No detail is too small for a God that loves us so greatly.
So glad you are meeting people in the area. My kids have been sick for the past 3 weeks so we haven't had many play dates. Are you up to meeting up in Oceanside one day soon maybe next week or the first week in December? I'll email you more about it. Anyways, if you ever need anything let me know. Story times are great and I agree, meeting people the old fashioned way is fun. God orchestrates relationships we need most.