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.