{"id":1995,"date":"2011-11-06T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-11-06T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/?p=1995"},"modified":"2011-10-28T09:10:50","modified_gmt":"2011-10-28T13:10:50","slug":"the-importance-of-fun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2011\/11\/the-importance-of-fun.html","title":{"rendered":"The importance of fun"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Book of Acts tells us there are three things that the early church did.\u00a0 They are pray, study the doctrines of the apostles and fellowship.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>At Special Gathering, which is a ministry within the intellectually disabled community, we try to do all three.\u00a0 The first two are a given.\u00a0 We have times of prayer during our chapel worship and in our small classes.\u00a0\u00a0 We learn from studying the scriptures during our chapel programs.<\/p>\n

We have also learned that fellowship\u00a0is\u00a0just as important as the other two.\u00a0 And\u00a0we try to do it equally as well.\u00a0 Usually that means having fun together.\u00a0 Several times a year there is a time of fun for both Vero and Melbourne programs.\u00a0 In Vero, we may go out to dinner at Boston Market.\u00a0 When we go, there is a wonderful bonding that always happens. \u00a0After one such event, one of our members got off the van, bounced into the house and announced to her caregiver with a giggle, “Linda Howard made us eat too much.”<\/p>\n

Once a year, the Melbourne Special Gathering goes to barbecue restaurant. \u00a0For years, we’ve had barbecue and french fries.\u00a0 My personal favorite foods.\u00a0 After the lunch, most of us head off to a recreation social held by Brevard County.\u00a0 By the time the day is over at 4:30pm, everyone is exhausted, happy and ready to head home.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Working with teenagers, I learned there are two places that you really learn about your members, transporting them in a vehicle and over a meal.\u00a0 In each place, there are barriers that are broken down.\u00a0 The Bible teaches that we are to instruct our children when we walk in the way and when we are at home during meals.\u00a0 God knew that there is something about these two times that helps make communication possible.\u00a0 We don’t walk places anymore but we do ride in cars.\u00a0 In Special Gathering, we transport almost everyone.\u00a0 I have seen deep and lasting friendships develop between the drivers and members.<\/p>\n

I think that part of the effect of being in a car is the closeness.\u00a0 We are told that each of us has an invisible space that is called our personal space.\u00a0 And usually, we don’t like people invading our personal space.\u00a0 However, in a car and sitting at a dinner table, you must sit close as a result we must invade each other’s personal space.\u00a0 Thus, forcing ourselves on each other in a good and wholesome way.<\/p>\n

Part of the joy of our annual retreat, Camp Agape, is that we are able to eat together.\u00a0 Over the years, I’ve developed a pattern of eating at one of the front tables.\u00a0 That way, I can see everyone as they stand in line, get their meals and make sure everyone is able to get their food safely to a seat.<\/p>\n

For several years, I felt guilty that I didn’t “spread myself around more.”\u00a0 It seemed that I should sit at different places.\u00a0 But the times I tried moving around had worked as well as I thought.\u00a0 I found\u00a0people were sitting in their own small groups and great friendships were being forged during the meal time.\u00a0 Small intimate\u00a0parties have broken out during our dining times.\u00a0 Fellowship was happening.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>God understands us because he made us.\u00a0 A portion of who we are demands that we extend ourselves to others and become a part of a community.\u00a0 Perhaps one of the great things about being a part of a cloistered subculture are the intimate and deep friendships that are formed, nurtured and developed among people who love to pray together, study together and have fun together.<\/p>\n

Are there some ways that you have learned to mold fellowship times into bonding times? \u00a0Who are the people that you have learned to bond with? \u00a0Do you believe that meal time adds to that bonding?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Book of Acts tells us there are three things that the early church did.\u00a0 They are pray, study the doctrines of the apostles and fellowship. At Special Gathering, which is a ministry within the intellectually disabled community, we try to do all three.\u00a0 The first two are a given.\u00a0 We have times of prayer…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":387,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,5,20,40,186,49,16,8],"tags":[21,688,7,726,315,715,701,694,689,6],"class_list":["post-1995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-autism-spectrum","category-christianity","category-church","category-faith","category-hope","category-inspiration","category-intellectual-disability","category-mentally-challenged-community","tag-christian","tag-christianity","tag-developmental-disabilities-2","tag-faiths","tag-fellowship","tag-hope","tag-inspiration","tag-intellectual-disability","tag-mentally-challenged-community","tag-simple-scriptural-truths"],"yoast_head":"\nThe importance of fun - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2011\/11\/the-importance-of-fun.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The importance of fun - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Book of Acts tells us there are three things that the early church did.\u00a0 They are pray, study the doctrines of the apostles and fellowship. At Special Gathering, which is a ministry within the intellectually disabled community, we try to do all three.\u00a0 The first two are a given.\u00a0 We have times of prayer…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2011\/11\/the-importance-of-fun.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2011-11-06T05:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2011-10-28T13:10:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/files\/2011\/10\/eating-out-e1319756062525-150x150.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Linda G. Howard\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The importance of fun - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2011\/11\/the-importance-of-fun.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The importance of fun - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith","og_description":"The Book of Acts tells us there are three things that the early church did.\u00a0 They are pray, study the doctrines of the apostles and fellowship. 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