The Gatekeeper

This post has been on my heart for awhile and I wanted to share some thoughts about gatekeeping. I just read a friends blog that prompted me to write this post now. With another move in our future, I fully understand the trials of being new in a town. New to a church, homeschool group, neighborhood, group of friends, school...what ever it may be. Just new. The concept of a gatekeeper is to be the one when someone new comes into a group and to meet them at the gate. Let them in. Take them under your wing and introduce them around. Help them find new stores, doctors and friends. Show them the ropes. Take them under your wing and do what you can to make their transition smooth. Include them in parties. Ask to meet for coffee or lunch after school or church. Bring them a meal when they are moving in or offer to help. They may have no one else to lean on. In a sense, make room on your "friend plate" for someone new.

If you look around there are new people everywhere. All looking for that friendly face in the crowd to make them feel welcome. We all remember how it feels to be new. Even if you have been in the same town for years, can't you at least imagine the feeling. Loneliness. Isolated. Unfamiliar. You, then, are the perfect gatekeeper. Step out of your comfort zone and reach out to that new person. You don't have to be their best friend, or even hit it off great. Just meet them at the door and introduce them to someone. Carve time out of your busy schedule and be willing to be used. To serve someone else.

It seems our busy society doesn't lend itself to reaching out. Soccer practice, working out at the Y, running to the bank, getting the books back to the library...you understand. But let me encourage you to have eyes to see how you can be a gatekeeper in your circle. Encourage your kids to do the same. Just imagine what a blessing it will be to another family.

Just reach out and open the gate.

Flip Flop Fleet

Before I dive into this post and explain the 50 pairs of flip flops that are in the picture, I want to back up to Sunday. The girls were part of a "commissioning" on Sunday in their SS classes for doing God's work. They were given the opportunity to show their desire to be used by God in any special job that He gives them to do. This week they had made a list of different ways that they could serve God (give gifts to needy families, visit the elderly in nursing homes, collect toys or shoes for orphans...all their ideas). I wanted to piggy back off of this idea of serving others. To encourage them, I told them we would find some way that they could be used to reach out to others.












OK, fast forward to last night, when I got a comment from someone new on a post and I figured I would track down the blog and see who it was. The blog I found was called Flip Flop Fleet (click HERE). The whole blog is dedicated to finding "friends" to collect (or buy) 50 pairs of shoes and donate them to needy children in Haiti or other needy locations. This sounded like something the girls would really enjoy. I wanted to jump right on the newness of wanting to serve so I pitched the idea this afternoon. They decided to use their own money (from their business ~ HERE) to buy the shoes. We headed out and found the deals at Target and Walgreens. (50-75 cents each pair)












We are a very ACTION oriented family. As I speak, the shoes are boxed up and ready to go. Less than 24 hours of finding this ministry. I am so proud of my girls for desiring to serve in any way and to sacrifice their own money. They have already asked if we can do more than 50 shoes. I love their hearts.

Swing by the Flip Flop Fleet blog to see if this is something you and your family might be interested in doing. (click HERE)