Sometimes I Write

I actually wrote this last week, but haven’t had a chance to post it until now.

I’m at Camp Zenith this week in OK. I was right about my friend – he hugged me tight again and I felt safe and peaceful in the hug. God is so good to bless me with friends like that. I have given and received more heartfelt hugs today alone that I have in the last year. It’s awesome. The strange thing is that I found myself semi-analyzing each hug received. Was it comfortable? Did the person pat me on the back? Was it a hard hug or a light one? Yes, I know…I say it often…I need to get over myself. My brain works like that sometimes. I got a few side hugs and a few A-frame hugs, but most leaned towards the bear hug model and lasted for more than 3 seconds. All this talk about touch has branched out into a few different areas I want to address regarding touch. This discussion is spilling over into my Sex, Love, and Marriage blog as well. There’s a slightly different focus there, but I’d love for you to check it out.

Every summer since I began blogging, I’ve blogged about my guy friends here. My brothers in Christ who care for my heart like a brother should. This year we have over a dozen new youth ministers joining this adventure we began seven years ago. Every year we meet new men who are brothers in Christ and become brothers of our hearts. Every year we fondly remember those brothers who are no longer part of our camp experience. Every year my husband and I are loved on by these men and at some point during the week I break into tears while thanking God for those hugs, laughs, and hearts. I am filled to overflowing emotionally while being drained physically. It’s a weird experience and I love it.

I almost laughed out loud at our staff meeting today as we began to discuss positive touch/boundaries with campers/ being sensitive to others needs for touch or someone else’s need for space without touch. I can clearly see God moving me through this focus on touch. I thought about my friend Jared who blogged about this topic as well and received some pretty harsh (and nasty) criticism from a few readers. I thought about my friend (anonymous to you, but not to me) who emailed me because she wasn’t sure she could say in a blog what was on her hurting heart. I thought about our street kids that are starving for hugs that don’t have abusive or sexual overtones. There are so many opinions out there. I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to leave a comment to share their views on the subject!

I know there are unbelievers who visit this blog, but I assume it’s mostly believers in Christ. I am NOT saying followers of Jesus have the corner market on positive touch, but I am saying we have access to an intimacy that can not be touched by those who don’t know Christ. Stay with me here…

Jesus was a toucher. When he healed the blind man he could have just said “be healed” but instead he mixed some of his spit with dirt, formed mud, and put it on the man’s eyes, then gave him further instructions about washing away the mud. Interesting… When he healed the leper, he touched him – something that was unheard of. He could have spoken a word, but he knew the deep needs of this man and gave him something he hadn’t experienced in years – human touch. In Mark 10 we read about parents bringing their children to Jesus to be touched/blessed. The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus took that moment to teach them that unless we become like those children – accepting the kingdom of God as a gift and not of our own merit, we will not enter it. Then he gathered the children into his arms, hugged and blessed them. Yes, Jesus had a healing touch.

I watched my guys slap each other on the backs and hug each other this week. There were handshakes and wrestling and playful punches thrown. I thought about Jesus and his friends and how they too must have done that. Have you ever thought about that? I think Jesus was all about positive touch. I think positive touch is paramount in this life that is so filled with negative touch already. Don’t you?