Friday night party

"Friday night party" has long been a joke in our home. While Hubby was in college, we both worked in restaurants, so Friday nights were our busiest night. That's not to say there wasn't partying going on after work, but "Friday night party" meant anything but a party. Once G was born and it was clear he was a night animal, the meaning changed once again. We were still up quite late on Friday nights. Then, as he got older & the sleep overs began, once again "Friday night party" changed. It often involved going to pick up a fellow unschooler much past what others would have considered "bed time".

Two years ago, the meaning changed once again. I was in a weight loss support group at my church, and that group was merged with the Friday night addiction support groups. Called New Beginnings, it is for anyone who struggles with anything that comes between them and all the freedom God has for them. Of course, it deals with drugs and alcohol, but there are many more addictions - gambling, shopping, sex, food, self injury & more. There's also support groups for parents of addicts, spouses of addicts, and our newest group is for military vets with PTSD. Anything that binds us and needs to be broken can be dealt with. It's an incredible setting to be the imperfect creatures we are and to support one another. Too often, Christians are afraid to appear imperfect. We paint on our church smiles and hide the pain we are really feeling. What a waste of time. If you can't be broken at church, what's the point? Don't we come to the Lord for healing? Don't we need Him because we are imperfect?

I've learned that addiction is addiction. Whatever the addictive behavior, we are all looking for relief from something. I've also learned that, although God wants us to get better, He loves us where we are. He's not waiting for us to fix ourselves. After all, only He can do that fixing. We are invited and welcome just as we are, right where we are. I have no doubt that some people attend our meetings "using". But they show up anyway. And that's the beginning of healing - to show up anyway & keep trying. God never gives up on us, and we should never give up on ourselves.

I have met and made close friendships with so many people at my new "Friday night parties". We share fears, imperfections, experiences, successes, tears, joy, and much love. And I'm home by 9:30.