You've Gotta be Present to Win

Recently we had scheduled some time to engage with our friends in the community and I became aware of a schedule conflict with a very important forum in our area that I really 'needed' and definitely wanted to attend.  I decided to hang out in the neighborhood instead and as I sent my regrets I heard myself say regarding our community time "you've gotta be present to win." I at once thought it was a clever slip of the tongue but in hindsight it was really a cool way to say a life-changing truth that we have learned here at Crosswind.

There's a lot of things you can do 'long distance'. Very good things. Very needed things. You can donate to your favorite charities and :-) please do here. You can do meaningful 'need oriented' events (the recent health fair is one that comes to mind),  'special treat type' events (this time of year especially), attend and contribute to fundraisers, support your local civic clubs which in turn do periodic events and raise money for other charities/ministries and much much more.  All of these activities combine to bring blessing after blessing to those in need and to those who care for them. That we are thankful is an understatement.

But when you're present, you can

...make a new friend.
...understand the plight of someone who doesn't live anything like you do.
...convince someone that you care, not just about a class of people called 'the poor' but about them (you know, Susan and Latisha and Joe)
...watch a life change, little by little, month by month, year by year
...not just give a well thought and well presented gospel presentation on 'eveangelism night', but watch what the gospel does as it bears fruit in a person's life

I don't know, but for us here at Crosswind...

you've gotta be present to win.