Friends....Mis Amigos...

Sometimes I like to exercise my use of the Spanish language...ill-equiped as I am...

Anyway, I've been thinking about friendships lately...there is no bragging associated with the next statement, but I have a lot of friends...I have been to a lot of places, made lasting connections with people...and yet, the sustainability of friendship is difficult with miles between people, life changes, etc.  I still know that those people have impacted me and will forever be a part of me, but their presence in my life is not as powerful as it once was.  And that is okay.  It has to be okay...because I am here, now.  In the present, I have relationships, connections, and people with whom I interact that impact my life and I impact theirs.  Is this the "love others" portion of God's greatest command to us, his followers?  Even in the Bible, we see that the disciples wrote churches and people in far away distances with love and encouragement without being present...but they moved and lived where they felt they needed to be.  I used to feel guilty for not calling, writing, and keeping in touch with every person I ever had a meaningful interaction with...and sometimes I still do, but I have come to the realization that some relationships have times, moments...and they will not be the same as they once were...

More thoughts on friendship...I have some great ones in my life right now...that I see on a regular basis...that I share life with each day.  I read a chapter on relationship this morning and the author said something like "if the people in your life aren't helping you build, they don't need to be there."  Most of us have an idea of who we want to be...who we are at the moment and who we strive to be...and if we examine our lives, we can see relationships that either help or hinder that process.  We are building...we are a part of building ourselves up in the way we know we need to be...and we are building the Kingdom in our actions, attitudes, and yes, relationships.

I am thankful for those people in my life who build alongside me...who make me want to be better...who challenge my house to be stronger...who sometimes question the walls I've put up...who reinforce who I am at times...and who care enough about me to challenge me to focus on those around me...as we build together.

Still, Yet Moving?

Take a minute and think about how many times people around you--at work, school, church, etc.--bring up news stories as topics of conversation.  For a while, I had no input because I had no television and didn't tune into what was happening.  Now, I listen to the news every morning...possibly to be able to converse with others about "hot topics."  Random side note...I also listen to sports radio...I know weird facts about sports now. 

Anyway, yesterday afternoon I was headed out of school with a fellow teacher.  He brought up the recent capsizing of the Italian cruise ship and was talking about the audacity of the actions of the captain.  I agreed with him that I couldn't believe that he would just leave the ship, his passengers, and his crew.  I would like to think that I would stay--that I would have enough gumption of character to do what I could to save people or go down trying.  But, as I thought about it, I realized that none of truly knows how we will react in times of crisis.  Yes, I have had times of great triumph over hardships, but I have also fallen flat on my face when faced with difficulty.  Peter told Jesus, "Never!  I could not deny you, Lord!"  And yet, we read that he denied knowing Jesus not once, but three times.  Thinking about it makes me abundantly thankful for grace....and it also challenges me to develop character that counts...that stands for what is right, that stands alongside the hurting, that feeds the hungry, that hugs the dirty...becoming more like Jesus in word and deed...that will make the difference.

The formerly mentioned teacher also started talking about cruises....and how much he LOVES cruises.  I've been on one...and refuse to go on another one.  He couldn't believe I didn't enjoy cruising...ha.  So, he tried to figure out why...asked me questions like "didn't you see any shows?"  "how about the food?" OR "didn't you just look at the ocean for hours?" 

My answers...."we saw a few shows...they were alright."  "the food was ok."  "I looked at the ocean for about an hour, it was amazing, and then I was ready to get off the boat and see something."  I don't like sitting on a boat and looking at the same people for days...I like to go, to do, to see and experience new things.  He huffed a little and said something like, "See, that's probably why you're not married...you go all the time!  No man can keep up with that!"  My jaw flew open...he laughed a little, but he was serious.  And I know he wasn't being mean...he really meant it.  I said, "Well, maybe I just need a man who will let me go."  He said, "There you go!  There is hope!"  Hahahahaha...we've figured it out!  :)

Until next time....

Vision

I still remember my first pair of glasses...pink, plastic frames...in Kindergarten...Mrs. Bland had to keep them in her desk drawer until I needed them to look at the board...we lost those glasses in a move from one building to a new room.  Alas, I think the second pair were the same as the first...everything had to be pink back then...and big.  Eventually, I started wearing them all the time...the curse of two parents who are blind as bats. 

Vision has always been one of those things that is a mystery to me.  When I don't have any help in the vision department, ie glasses or contacts, everything is a blur, literally.  It's as if the world is not as it should be...as I should be seeing it...colors merge and objects become blobs.  This probably sounds crazy to some of you, but I'm sure that some of you "get it."  Needless to say, I am extremely thankful for the advances in technology that allow me to see clearly every day!

This morning, I was reading the hymn "Be Thou My Vision"....I've loved that hymn for a while now.  Today, the words

"Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light"

made me stop and think...at 6:15 in the morning...yay brain!

I thought about how hard it is for me to see things clearly without my glasses or contacts...how blurry things get, even if there is enough light to see.  Then I thought about darkness and how it is next to impossible to see your own hand in complete darkness.  That line says that God's presence is our light.  If we aren't seeking God's presence in our every day, ordinary lives, we can't see well...the way is not lit for us to know where we're going and we can't light the way for others to follow.  So, this morning, I prayed for God's presence to go before me...so that the way would be illuminated....and the darkness would be penetrated...so that when I get there, I can see clearly who I need to see, what I need to do...

Yes, LORD, be our vision....be present...help us to know that you are present, whether we acknowledge you or not...and help us to call on your light when we feel as though we are wandering through dark places...in mind, spirit, or reality.  Amen.  So be it, Lord.