Category Archives: friends

Jun8

Fellowship…

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Fellowship…

Yesterday was kind of a girl day for me.  I had lunch with 2 sweet friends I hadn’t seen in a few months, and then I had women’s bible study at my house that evening.  It was a wonderful day filled with laughing, crying, hugs, and love….

This morning when the alarm went off, I was not pleased.  I rolled over and told my husband I was too tired today!  He grunted and told me it was because I had too much girl time yesterday… which is “life force draining”.  Seriously?  Then he tells me that women have the “D.E.F.” (Drama Effect Factor)  Then he tells me that he thinks all women should come with a DEF label… any woman over a 10, should probably be a Nun, because most men couldn’t handle her.  Then he actually said, “Men have a DEF issue with women sometimes”.  YOU THINK?

He was totally playing around with me this morning and teasing me for keeping him and my son trapped in the basement until 10PM, while me and eight of my girlfriends had a fabulous time together.  He was a riot, and it did get me up – mostly to just slap him …

After I got out the door, I was thinking about what he said, and it really did make sense in a way.  Women do share emotion.  Men usually don’t.  Women usually deal with drama.  Men don’t.  I wouldn’t classify sharing each other’s burdens “drama” – but men usually do.  Now, I know there are exceptions to this rule – and my man has even been spotted tearing up at a Publix commercial or two.  He even attends a “men’s group” each week where they take a “lie” of the world and compare it to the truth of the Word… aaaaand they talk about sports…

I was actually melancholy yesterday before I had all of my “girl time”.  I have had a lot on my mind, and was just feeling blah.  After spending the day with my friends, I felt better.  Really better.  I didn’t feel “life force drained”.  I felt revived.

I think fellowship is very important.  It’s even important to God.  The Bible is filled with instruction and encouragement on fellowship. Hebrews 10:23-25 says, “ Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

I love spending time with my girlfriends.  I recommend joining a small group, or mom’s group, book club, or something.  Bible Studies come with the added bonus of learning God’s Word together, as well as praying for each other, which is awesome…  I know some ladies out there think they are loners.  You’re not.  You might not like a big group, and that’s OK, but no one should be alone all the time.  We weren’t designed for that.  You might have been burned or you’re scared, but we’ve ALL been burned and are scared!  True fellowship is worth the risk.  I promise.

I love being a girl and I love fellowship… How about you?

Mar1

Dancing, ER’s & Gallbladders, Oh My…

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Dancing, ER’s & Gallbladders, Oh My…

This week has been one of the strangest yet.  Saturday night my husband and I went to a formal event, complete with filet mignon, open bar, and a big dance floor.  I was in a gown, and he wore his tux as we danced and laughed and had a fabulous evening.

Sunday morning I had a stomach ache, but I was up and around.  Sunday night I woke around midnight with intense pain in my back and chest.  I was short of breath and nothing was making it better.  I woke my husband around 1, and he took me to the emergency room.

After the EKG and blood work, they did an x-ray and an ultra sound.  Then the doctor pushed on my gallbladder and I went though the roof.  It hurt so bad, I saw stars.  Apparently my gallbladder was so full of stones, that it was enlarged and stones were even backed up in my liver duct. I needed antibiotics and I had to have surgery that day. Really?

The doctor informed me that I would have the gallbladder removed, and then the next day, I would have a procedure to clean out my liver.  I ended up not having to have the liver procedure, because the doctor from the first surgery was able to clean it up himself. Praise the Lord.

Now I’m home, resting and recovering.

I’m still in shock.  I never had any issues with my gallbladder before. I honestly thought I had heartburn, or gas.  My husband thought I was having a heart attack. I certainly didn’t plan on having surgery this week.  It really reminded me just how fragile life is, and how things can change in an instant.

I have been overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and concern.  I know I have friends, but I have never had so many people offer prayers, food, company, or rides.  I’ve gotten cards, flowers and wonderful meals.  I know that I received a miracle, having to skip the liver procedure, and getting the medical care that I did.  On top of that, I literally felt the prayers of my friends, and that filled me with the peace that passes understanding. (Phil 4:6-7)

As much as an emergency surgery was not in my plans this week, it was in God’s, and he took excellent care of me, through the doctors, my family and my friends.

An unexpected added bonus has been watching my husband trying to take care of my responsibilities, as well as his… Today he even told me he thought that I’m really super woman… That alone, was worth all of it.

Now I am trying to figure out how to eat without having issues.  I’ve read all kinds of things!  I know I need to avoid fatty foods – anything with more than 3 grams of fat, should not go in my mouth.  Fried and spicy foods are also on the no no list.  With so many people who have had their gallbladders removed, you would think there would be an easy go-to place for diet.  Everything I found seemed to be all over the board, and even contradicting.

If you have had a similar experience, let me know!  I would really appreciate hearing how your eating habits have changed, and how long it took to get back to normal…

Feb18

Top Ten Really of the week

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Top Ten Really of the week

Top ten Really’s for this week…

  1. The opening prayer at the Grammy’s (more of a wow, than a really)
  2. I teased my friend over at Thriving Despite Us about wearing velour sweat pants, so she gave me a pair… I tried them… and loved them. They do not have anything written across the bottom either… Don’t worry, I won’t wear them out of the house…
  3. My daughter’s Facebook fast only lasted 24 days… (bahaha)
  4. Having my 14 year old tell me that, even though he doesn’t always agree with our rules, I don’t have to worry about him breaking them.
  5. Realizing I haven’t scrap booked in 4 years… (after doing it daily for about 10) where did the time go?
  6. Buying doggie diapers, a pheromone collar, and a “thunder jacket” for the prozac dog… (mentioned in last week’s Top Ten)
  7. Seeing a little boy follow his mama around the store with one thumb in his mouth and the other hand in his pants…
  8. Listening to my husband make random noises, and then a few minutes later hear him tell our son to stop making random noises, AND then he asked my son why he does that…
  9. Hearing my 14 year old explain the reason’s he isn’t going to date, (besides not being allowed) is because he doesn’t have a job, a car, or time…
  10. Standing in the pet store, on Valentine’s day, with my friend…she’s wearing a nice, but plain Polo sweater, kakis, and loafers…with a cart full of kitty litter… I’m wearing a bright pink sweater, a shirt with a big sequin heart, and rhinestones all over my jeans and shoes… buying the aforementioned doggie supplies…Then my friend told the person behind us to go ahead, cause we were together… sigh. (if you don’t get this, it’s ok… my husband had to read it twice and didn’t think it was as funny as I did)

Ok folks, I’m ready for you’re list… what made you say, “really?” this week?

 

Oct16

Friends

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Friends

I’ve been thinking about my friends lately, and how blessed I am to have them.  I then began to ponder each relationship I have, and I gleaned a new appreciation for the diversity and intensity of the cast of characters I call friends.

I think many of us have close friends and the rest fall in the category of “friend”, just at varying levels.  Then we have the “just Facebook” friends and acquaintances.  I do consider most of my Facebook friends, friends though.  I’ve tried to stay away from the acquaintances on Facebook, but there are a few…There’s only a small group of folks that I haven’t really communicated with in decades, but have fond memories of from my youth.  It is interesting to see how they grew up.  Some of those old friends still look the same, and some I wouldn’t know if I walked into them at the mall.  Either way, I am glad to have reconnected.

My “friends”, are those that I really do enjoy, but I don’t get to see very often.  I think about them every now and then, and will offer up a prayer on their behalf .  They are on my Facebook and I may actually comment on their posts… I always realize how much I miss them when I do get to see them.

I spend most time with my close friends.  I have a group of ladies, that are not all friends with each other, but all mean the world to me. They are a very diverse group, which is kinda funny to me when I think about it.  My girls range between 3 decades in ages, they are all different shapes and sizes and occupations.  Some are married, and some are single.  Most of my BFF’s have kids, but not exclusively.  I have friends that pray for me, and with me, and some that just send me good vibes and happy thoughts.  I even have friends that are on both sides of the political fence and we can always meet in the middle and agree to disagree without hard feelings. Really.

Several years ago, I heard a pastor say to look around at your friends.  If they are all exactly like you, there is a problem.  If we are truly trying to be like Christ, we should have friends that cover a broad range of life.  At the time, all of my close confidents, could have been my twin.  Now, I can truly testify to the blessings that abound in diversity in friendships.  I have been challenged, and confronted.  I have been forced to step outside of my comfort zone at times, and truly see people from the inside out.  I have had the opportunity to share my faith, and pray for them and I have given them lots of opportunities to pray for me!  I have served in love and have been served in love. I have even changed my mind on more than one occasion and I have definitely grown more as a person because of my friends.

My husband is my best friend, (really) but after him, the Lord has brought some fabulous women into my life. Women need girlfriends and my friends rock.

How about you? Have you told your friends how much you appreciate them lately?