Connection

If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! ~ Ecclesiastes 4:10

It was mind blowing. I chose from a list of over eighty people. Clicking on folks to add as friends. As I became familiar with each page and its capabilities, I chatted with a couple of friends on IM -- all at the same time! From invitations to flair, I received quite an education in the hour I spent parked on my living room couch.

Was it time well spent? That, my friend, is the question.

I've been thinking lately, about the importance of building relationships. Getting to know who I am has been key in being able to relate to others. Something very true about who I am got squashed in my growing up years. I could read off a long list of reasons I suspect caused such a shut down, but I choose not to. God is taking me very carefully through each festering wound, to apply the healing balm of forgiveness.

We all have them. Relationship crash and burns. It may have been with a family member, an acquaintance or a good friend. No matter who you've broken ties with and whatever the circumstance was, there is just no getting around it. It hurts.

There are so many things that lend to a break-up. I don't just mean the boyfriend-girlfriend kind, but all facets of the relationship world. Pride, envy, jealousy, selfishness, insecurities and fear, they all lend to a breakdown at some level or another. When communication gets muffled, feelings get hurt and friendships suffer.

With love being our greatest aim, cultivating relationships do seem worthy of my time. I've studied people who are very good at making friends, and there is one thing that is necessary to build a true and lasting friendship. Time. It takes time to get to know the other person, and time to share the details of your own life.

Being the kind of a personality that strives on productivity, I've let the friendship thing slide for too long. I've asked God to show me how to be good at this relationship thing again, and through my pursuit of friendships, He has begun to heal the wounds of past disasters.

While some may view social media as a waste of time, I choose to take a different view of things. Balance is key in the pursuit of any new venture. Scheduling lunches and dates with friends, picking up the phone and calling - just because - and typing a simple message at ten o'clock at night can all add to the beauty of this thing called a friend.

Pity is the busy man who finds he has fallen. It's a lonely world out there. It takes time and energy to make connections. You've gotta work to make friends! It can be frightening if you've been hurt before, but the risk is well worth it.

So I encourage you, it you haven't already done so, take a chance. Jump on this thing called Facebook and invite me to be your friend.

Chances are . . . I'll say yes!

Golden Years

Gray hair is a crown of splendor; ~ Proverbs 16:31a

As I sat in the sterile examination room this morning, my heart raced. I felt faint. Visiting the doctor does not always generate such anxiety. But with an imagination like mine . . . every ticking second felt like an eternity.

I tried to keep myself occupied by settling into the novel I have been chewing on for a week or so. Deep into the storyline, it was easy to escape into the lives of Lydia, Carol, Jacqueline and Alix. Their lives were in turmoil, from cancer diagnosis, to infertility, to marriage problems. The pretend drama seemed easier to cope with than the imagined drama of my own.

I heard a knock. The doctor entered the room, extending his hand. All smiles, he chatted about the weather and then proceeded to ask me about my ailment.

A lump. The one underneath my right arm. This is what brought me all the way to Modesto so early in the morning. With my nerves on edge, I took a seat on the examination table, and told myself to relax. As the doctor examined me, I don't remember speaking, or thinking . . . or even breathing.

"Nothing to worry about. It is a glandular swelling . . . it happens. Our bodies change into our thirties, forties and fifties . . . "

"Are you trying to say that I am getting old?" was my reply.

We both chuckled, and I decided that getting old isn't so bad. Even if it means fatty deposits tucked underneath my armpit. Getting older sure beats the alternative.

As I drove away this morning, I felt grateful for the free bill of health. I smiled with thoughts of God's comfort even through the week of uncertainty. If the news hadn't have been so promising, I know that God would have carried me through.

I thought about the thousands of women just like me who visited the doctor this morning - but left with an uncertain diagnosis. Somebody, somewhere heard the words "You have breast cancer." And for those women, I ached.

While I haven't found a gray hair to date, the affects of ageing are beginning to take their toll. I welcome the idea of growing old and gray. Rocking on a porch, immersed in a juicy novel and living a drama of my own?

Now that's golden.

Marker

As calendar pages flip and seasons change, we take note of special dates. Landmarks cause us to stop and take in the wonder of it all. Holidays, anniversaries, and birthdays are reasons to celebrate life.

I celebrate today for a couple of reasons. One reason, is that today is a very special friend's birthday. Truly a God-send, she is somebody that have found to be a catalyst to my growth. We dream, we celebrate and cry together. I could not even begin to express what her presence in my life has meant. My beautiful friend, you know who you are -- Happy Birthday, I love you!

Another reason I slap this scrumptious looking piece of cake up, is for the fact that I celebrate one year of working for New Life. It was one year ago today that I stepped into a position that I feel I was born for. I LOVE my job. I love the nature of what I do, the challenges, the people I interact with on a daily basis. The opportunities for growth, the ministry . . . all of it! God has truly answered this girl's prayer with a chance to shine His light every day.

Anniversaries are markers, proof that we have been here. Long after we have ascended into heaven, those people we influenced will continue to celebrate the beautiful things about our contribution to the world.

Who have you influenced today? Bringing somebody joy can be pretty simple. A smile, a note of encouragement, offering a favor -- extending grace.

Every day given is a gift from God. Every year marked, is proof that there is life after the pain.

Celebrate with me! Our God is so good.