Last night, I attended the 'start night' for the small groups of my church's service. It's a 'youth' service that's trying to cater for a broader range of people as the years go by - with more workers, families with children, and mature-life-stage members.
I was thinking about joining a new bible study, because, while I liked last year's one, I a) felt a little bit out of the social connection aspect, b) didn't like that it tended to end around closer to 10pm and I ended up getting home around 11 or later.
However, the bible study I planned to join didn't end up happening, and so I went back to the same group. I like them, they're lovely people, but I feel...I don't know. Old and unsociable. Slightly cynical. A little bit different.
I guess I am.
But it's not ever a comfortable feeling.
So I was sitting there with my bible study group after the brief talk (1 Tim 4) and after the group prayer the woman next to me turned to me and said, "I'm so glad you're going to be in our bible study again this year. I'm really looking forward to it."
And I was really touched. I said "thank you" and put my head on her shoulder for a moment.
I'm not the kind of person that people say this sort of thing to, so it was nice to hear.