Category Archives: Friendship
The Circle of Life
So firstly I just need to apologise for not blogging for a few days, I haven’t been very well, but I am back, so never fear.
Anyway, I guess today’s blog is a bit of a sad one, yesterday I attended the funeral of a friend of mine’s mum, it was a really sad day, as we said goodbye to a mum, a sister, a wife, and a friend that was most definitely gone too soon. And while I don’t really want to dwell on the funeral all that much, I guess that’s where the blog has started, because it was because of the events of yesterday that I find myself sitting here writing.
Yesterday I was just reminded that we really do belong to a circle of life, and there is no denying it, and I was reminded this for two reasons. The first thing that reminded me of this was the fact that the last time I had seen this particular friend and two of my other really good mates from school was at my wedding, celebrating a different kind of life milestone, one that is much happier, yet here we all were together again less than 6 months later, celebrating a life that was now gone. It was just confronting I supposed to have these two significant events, so close together and with just the business of everyday life in between. The second thing that reminded me was another of my friends told me about a baby that had just been born, in fact, the baby was born at the same time as my other friend’s mum had died. It just seemed so difficult to comprehend that one had gone and another arrived at the same time, but in a weird way it also made sense, as I guess as that’s what makes it the circle, its not’s complete until it restarts, I guess it just seems unfair that one must go so soon sometimes.
Today also made me realise how important time is, and that it really shouldn’t be taken for granted. Sometimes I think I waste a lot of time, or think I will put things off, send that card later, make that call next week, but I guess it’s a risky game to play because we don’t always get next week, or tomorrow, and things need to be done straight away or they won’t be done at all. I think that it was a good reminder to hold and cherish those I love, and to not to take the time, the laughs, the love for granted, but to savour it, always savour it.
Wordless Wednesday
What is a Friend?
Recently I have been thinking a lot about friends, and not just who my friends are, but also what it means to be a friend. I think for a long time I have thought of myself as a bad friend in many ways as I am often hard to contact, I take a long time to get back to people and sometimes I am just too busy for my own good. But as I have gotten older, and as my life has been turned up-side down by the events of the last 2years, both good and bad, I have really had to think about, and challenge the reasons behind some of the friendships I find myself in, and whether or not they are ones that I want to continue and therefore actively be better at, or ones which perhaps have changed and for one reason or another aren’t ever going to be quite the same again. I guess also in this, I have started to take time to think more carefully about who I choose to have around me, who I choose to let feed into my life. And from there I guess, which friendships I have because they are good for me, which I have because they are good for the other person and which I have because they are good for both.
I guess what’s caused this stir up is that in my own life I have learnt a couple of really important lessons over the last little while, and when it really comes down to it, whether I like it or not I have changed and my life has changed. I think I have learnt that life is too short to waste time pushing friendships that just aren’t working and bending over backward for people who just don’t care. I have learnt that when I make friends, I now make them for two, and even though Dave would never stop me from hanging out with people, it makes a huge difference if he like them or gets along with them or not. I guess I have also witnessed how toxic bad friends can be and started actively guarding my heart a little more. I have also grown up and I think because of that, started to expect that people behave in a certain way and therefore have been challenged by behaviours that either just don’t meet my standards or are just rude, and have questioned where this then fits in my life.
This is quite a turnaround for me, because this time last year when I was living in Castlemaine I felt as though I really had my eyes opened to how important my friends were and now here I am talking about true friends… and who makes the cut. In fact in the that blog I said something very profound, I said
“It’s so easy to get caught up in what’s happening in your own world that you lose touch with the people that helped you get to where you are, so when you get a chance to stop and just hang, it’s nice and something that I am really learning to value.”
And this is still true and perhaps I have just let my own life get in the way again rather than appreciating those around me. But I guess I am also someone that believes in ‘seasons of life’ and the fact that friendships also have seasons and sometimes it’s ok to let go. In fact in one of my favourite musicals, Wicked, there is a song that talks about this… the lyrics of the first verse of ‘For Good’ say this:
I’ve heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don’t know if I believe that’s true
But I know I’m who I am today
Because I knew you
I know that God plays a massive part in prompting friendships and relationships and that there is purpose for these friendships. But I guess at the moment there are a few friendships that I have were sometime I get hurt more often than not, where I am constantly disappointed, or let down where I can see a need to love and to care and support, but where my actions are not appreciated or worse, taken for granted. And I guess my question is when is enough, enough… I know the bible talks about forgiving 70 x 7 times… and ultimately limitlessly and it highlights how much more we have been forgiven for and that instead we should love, love, love. But is it ok to say no, to walk away? I don’t know, I have lots of people that say yes, but my heart for these friends in particular through the hurt and frustration says… no, stick it out.
I don’t really expect anyone to have the answer, but I am just sharing my thoughts on where I am at the moment… perhaps it’s me that still needs to grow, to learn to speak up, to explain, to guide and to not be walked over… or perhaps it is time to let this season finish… I don’t know… I guess I am still working it out.
Who I am…
I have been thinking this morning about the ‘theme’ of my blog… that is it’s appearance, and I am not sure I like it… it doesn’t feel like me… So I have started the process of finding just the right theme, just the right first impression for the people that read my blog.
I think that one thing I really wanted with this blog was to be a little more honest, rather than it just a glorified primary school diary. But I guess like anything else on the internet it’s easy to hid behind graphics, words and the fact that you can really tell the world anything that you want to and no one can actually check that it’s true. I guess the hard thing for me is that you actually know who I am, the people that read this are usually my friends and family, the people that I see on a regular basis, or I guess when it comes down to it the people whose options I care about, so it’s a scary thought to let people in. I guess by sharing my life I also share the stories and the relationships of those around me and that is a scary thought too because then my words impact more than just me. I guess too, I have a healthy sense of internet security and don’t really want to go into all the details of my life because I know that once it’s on the internet… it stays on the internet. So I guess I am guarded in how much I share about the things that really challenge me coz I don’t want them to come back an bit me in the butt so to speak. The thing is though when I look at the blogs I like to read… they are the ones that are raw, they talk or personal struggle and triumph, of pain and joy, and they actually allow me to share someone’s life with them, to learn from what they have learnt… and that’s what I want. I know this isn’t the first time I have blogged about this, but it’s something that I don’t think I have achieved since I last posted it, but I am freshly inspired… thanks to a few of my blogging buddies and their courageous honesty.
So here is too another fresh start of sorts… to a more honest blog, one that actually shares my thoughts not just my deeds. One that actually says this is me… this who I am. A blog that actually shares my curiosities about life… not just my whinging, but one that asks questions and shares the answers as I find them… or the new questions I have on my quest.
Wow… What a Month
I have lost my blogging confidence again, and for that I am sorry, once again I am doubting whats worth writing and whats not, what people will want to read and what they will not, but once again I have had to remind my self that this blog is for me… not you, although I hope you enjoy it, it’s for me.
So here we are the 4th day of spring and I am busy… well… clearly not right at this very moment, but my life over the last little while has been nuts. Here are some of the things that have gone down… which I haven’t blogged about… it is a long blog but I have broken it down into bit size pieces… enjoy:
We ate a massive load of duck to celebrate the 23rd year of my brother’s birth…and it was delicious…. so delicious.
Dave has been MIA – well again, kind of… September sees Dave’s first Musical Director gig at his new school, and because the musical they have chosen to do is the epic “Sound of Music” he has been busy busy busy, doing lots of extra rehearsals out of his normal school hours… I guess this makes me the newest musical widow… Although its seems to be the month for it because before the Sound of Music, Dave was busy with the YP Anniversary 2011 which was also a musical but this one was all about Jonah.
In fact, its not just Davo that has been busy with the kids I have also been flexing my children’s ministry muscles this month just gone, not only have I made some very cool cup cakes, kept children under control while waiting for the signal from dave, started taking the timbrels while Jude is away and hung out with the coolest prayer pal in the world! But I think that last Sunday really topped it off, I also got to lead over 100kids in worship, with crazy singing, dancing and jumping around at this years Eastern Vic Kids Big Day Out, which was super fun. Although it did take me a little longer to recover than I would have liked. Being so involved with the kids again has made me realise how much I love working with them, and perhaps even need to return at some stage (although not just now). In fact it made me a little nostalgic so I have added this little link to my previous times in children’s ministries just so I can reminisce a little bit more.
Weddings Weddings Weddings – I have been lucky enough to attend two weddings this much, one for Bec and Michael, which feel like forever ago on the 6th of August and the second for Felicity and Michael last Saturday the 27th of August, and just in case you weren’t sure yes… they were different Michael’s… Both weddings were really different, and I think that perhaps reflected on my relationships with brides. Bec was one of my cell girls when she was growing up, so her wedding , made me feel very old, but in a good, motherly, way. It took me a long time to comprehend that this girl, now woman, who I had watched grow up was now getting married. Where as Flic was one of my uni mates, so my emotions were a little different, they weren’t reflective, but rather, excited to see my good friend so happy and excited to be able to share this next chapter of her life. Both were beautiful, and reminded me just why I love weddings soooooo much. Oh and both brides looked amazing! I felt so privileged to be part of their special days
I have swapped jobs – well kind of.. my position was a ‘rotating’ one which means that from time to time, (usually about every 6months) I have to swap sites, so this last week I spent a few half days being orientated to my new sites and this week I have been flying by the seat of my pants trying to work out what on earth I am doing at my new site, getting lost, asking silly questions and generally feeling a little more useless than normal, but give me a week or two and I will be ruling the roost again. My new sites aren’t quite as busy as my old one, which means I am actually getting time to do all the things that I need to do in the day, which is a very pleasant change.
Oh and I also had my first batch of Australian bananas in I don’t know how long…. and boy were they good, I can’t wait until the prices go down a little bit more and I can have them all the time.
So there you go… that was August, crazy ey? I am really hoping that September slows down just a little bit, but I am beginning to think that that’s unlikely… I think this is just life… but it would be nice if it slowed down just for a little bit.
Love is in the Air
There is something in the air at the moment… and I think it’s a thing called love… or weddings maybe… but hopefully love. How do I know this? Well this week on Wednesday one of my friends at work got engaged, late last night I got a message telling me that my friends Miriam and Daniel were now engaged and today I have been to a high tea for my friend Flic in preparation for her wedding, a kitchen tea for my friend Bec who gets married next weekend (who was also one of my cell girls, which makes me feel very very old) and just now I have been out to dinner with two of my three bridesmaids, just because.
Now can you see why I am thinking that love and weddings are in the air? Crazy ey? I am not sure what’s causing this sudden influx of love, but I love it… pardon the pun.
Oh and today I ate the biggest meringue that I have ever seen in my life and it was amazing… check it out… oh and some of my other pictures from my adventures today…
The Most Curious George 