By Sheri Cobb

I am undergoing a re-evaluation of my life.  Let me clue you in.  Today is the first of the month and a Monday.  These are big deals for me.  I feel accomplished because we met last month's budget and we start afresh today.  I always feel like Monday signals a fresh start, especially if last week went down the tube in any way.  My contemplation regards outreach.  Here's how my mind was sparked.  I had a phone conversation with an old neighbor who is a good friend.  Everyone should have a friend like Mary.  I know I've talked about having good friends before and Mary is one of the best.  She drove eight hours to help us move, she stayed with me many late nights when my husband was out of town and I had to put six kids to bed while dealing with new pregnancy nausea, and she even pushed my van out of a snowy ditch.  Obviously, you can't get a better friend than this.  Well, Mary was leading a prayer service tonight so I told her I would pray for her.  Here's why that is such a big deal.  Six years ago Mary didn't have a personal relationship with Jesus.  Thanks be to God who gave us the opportunity to share with Mary and the fact that God softened her heart to hear His message.  While Mary taught tonight and I prayed I wondered how affective my life was for Jesus now-a-days.  You see, where we used to live, Don coached sports teams, we were foster parents, we ran a home daycare and were actively involved in our community.  Now I know there are different seasons of our lives but I'm wondering about our place in our new community.  We homeschool so we are home all day and we've joined a homeschool cross country team which has us involved with other homeschoolers.  In reality, how much contact do I have with the outside world?  Granted I want to be in the world but not of the world, but am I locked in my gated community and not even looking out?  Or as some do, am I looking out with proud eyes?  Or perhaps I have shut the blinds and don't even acknowledge that the outside world exists?