Number One Rule for Building Friendships

Browsing the web this afternoon for advice on friendship, I found no shortage of advice and frilly, playful sayings. Here are a few that I found:

A true friend doesn't leave when the fun stops and things get uncomfortable.
True friendships are hard to come by and the ones that are really your friends will be honest with you.
To have a loyal friend like that is a rare find.
People come and go, but a true friend will be there to weather the storm.
Two are better than one, because they will have a good reward for their labor.
True friendship is like sounds health; the value of it is seldom know until it is lost.
A true friend is not only there to celebrate with you but also to encourage you during rough patches.

But the very best piece of advice is as old as the sun and we all heard it from our grandmothers when we were knee-high to a grasshopper:

 "If you want to have friends, you must show yourself friendly."

 

So I leave you with this brief piece to consider, with more friendship information to come.  We can always use a tune-up and right now before the holidays is a great time to get the attitude adjusted and the behavior practiced. We should probably get our mirrors out too...since we will be learning how-to "show ourselves friendly."

This is gonna be fun!

 





The Desires of Your Heart

Happy Sunday!
I have been in church my whole life and have heard this Psalm many times. I always loved it because 1) I loved any verse about the heart and 2) it promised me that God would give me the "desires" of my heart.

The desires of my heart.

Really? If I just delight in Him then I will get all the things I wish for? That just seemed too good to be true. So I placated myself with the thought that it surely meant that God knew what was best and that He would only let me have what was good for me. That's child-like, simplistic thinking for you.

It wasn't until many years later, I was cleaning house and right as I stood up from wiping a wall down, I saw our ceramic wall hanging with this very verse on it. I was stopped in my tracks. I felt like I was just seeing it for the very first time. I said aloud to myself, "Why, He doesn't mean He will give me the desires of my heart! He means the desires of my heart...like, God will actually put the desires in my heart. He will give me the desires that I should have!

I know, right? It takes some people a while. But hey, it's still a good word to remember. God is not a piggy bank, or a good fairy to call upon at will. When we live as He calls us to live, we are delighting in Him and He will give us the desires of our hearts, or the passions that so fulfill our lives. He is a good, good, Father!

Delight in Him every day. Let God be your Father and fill your heart with the desires and passions that are your calling so that you will live a fulfilling life with Him like you have never known!

About Stress

I saw this meme and it got my mind thinking about how badly stress took over my own life. I would like to add that undue stress challenges our even our most precious relationships, too. Stress is a destroyer and should not be underestimated. Many of us, when asked if we are stressed, blow it off like it is no big deal. We get all macho or act all strong and capable. Hear you me...Stress is an enemy of our desired lifestyles and can attack on many fronts - ALL AT THE SAME TIME. It doesn't wait until your are ready and it doesn't allow for do-overs. Stress marches on and leaves it's marks very obvious on our lives.

If someone happens to mention or notice your stress level to you, you might just stop and take a close look. It is worth the examination as it may cost you more than you ever thought. Don't be so smart that you are dumb. Don't be ashamed either. Seek help, and it doesn't always have to be professional.. Ask for advice from your spouse, colleague, mentor, doctor. Take time off or at least away from the routine so you can take an honest look. Get your spouse or friend on board to help. De-stressing in even small ways can add up to big wins!

One of the major stress reducers? Prayer or Meditation. True story.