When we order a burger from our favorite drive thru, if they don’t get it right, most are prepared to park the car, take the burger back and have it fixed, replaced or get a refund. You may be asking yourself why I brought up a burger right this moment, while answering a question about friendship… well, first of all, I’m hungry, so everything makes me think of food right at the moment! Secondly, the prompt question made me feel like I was ordering a burger, not a friend. It’s not the prompt’s fault though, as I’ve actually found myself asking this question long before the prompt got around to it. Frankly, I’ve thought about THIS burger before today!
I had an epiphany one day, as I pondered my own feelings regarding expectations of others, whether it be a friend, peer, family member or stranger. Focus on being that which you are seeking, instead of placing expectations on others to meet your own needs.
I have very high, and most often unattainable expectations of others, which if left unchecked can only fill me with bitterness and cynicism of human beings, as a whole. We’re all lucky that this was not the mindset of Jesus, when he walked among us! When I considered how he could dwell among us, with all our flaws, and not simply throw in the proverbial towel… I heard God saying “Grace, child”.
I realized that I’d spent way too much time looking for the right kind of friends, instead of simply being that which I sought! The best thing to do is, as the bible says, love thy neighbor as yourself!
If we all did this one simple thing, I believe it would by the best answer to the prompt.
Perhaps, the quality that should be most valuable in a friend, is the effort put forth, to Love thy neighbor above ones self… we will all probably find that this one thing is what makes us the very friend we were looking for in others…
There’s a bird sitting outside my window this morning, just chirping away. My guess would be that it’s either singing sweet nothings to its partner, or telling off a squirrel… not sure!
It rained off an on all day yesterday and into the night, making for quite a good nights sleep, what with all the steady pitter patter of rain, hitting the RV’s roof above our heads. When I sleep this well, the odds are pretty good that I’ll sleep in the next day… and I did!
The only down side to sleeping in, for me, is I wake up with a head all full of fluff, just like Winnie the Pooh. I’m on my second cup of coffee, pulling out the big guns and adding chocolate with this one. I don’t mind, as I’m discovering the side effects of writing full time, often show up in my sleep… in a good way. I feel like my sleep patterns began to change, almost over night… no pun intended!
For now, at least, I’ve taken a sabbatical from my usual late night Overthinkers Anonymous group. I’m just too busy! From the time I awake in the morning, my brain begins the daily juggle of writing both online here, and fully immersing myself in the novel I’ve been writing. Add to that, making time for walks along the river, daily chores and meals. Sometimes, I wonder how fast I could turn this novel out, if I were left on a beach somewhere, in total isolation. How do the big dogs do it?
Some days I go so deep into the imaginary world created within the story, I forget to feed and water the troops… that would be my husband and myself. I’ll reheat the same cup of tea until the bag that’s been floating around in the water comes apart, sending bits of tea leaves all over the cup. By the time I realize that I’ve neglected to feed myself, my blood sugars drop and I have to suck on a spoon of peanut butter to level back out! Still, it’s crazy fun!
The downside to living in our current environment while trying to write a novel… is distractions! They don’t even have to be big ones, maybe the neighbors Karaoke performances, my husband moving around the RV doing things, or simply a fly that got in through the broken screen door.
On days like these, I find myself dreaming of what it would be like if somehow I were gifted an all expenses paid stay at a beach side bungalow, with nothing but a little bicycle for trips to the local market. I could awake each morning to the sound of the surf, with Gulls calling to one another, as they look for their morning meal.
Walks along the beach would follow my morning cup of coffee. Only after I’d enjoyed watching the waves for a time, sitting on the porch in my jammies, would I then decide to make a day of things. I could write for hours, taking an occasional break for either a swim, or a bike ride into the local seaside town. In case your wondering, my daydream comes with one of those adorable baskets on the front of the bicycle, for bits and bobs I’ve discovered at the market.
My only daydream dilemma is choosing whether I prefer to wake up with the sun rise while sipping coffee,
or watch the sun go down with a glass of wine, as I sit wrapped in a velvety soft, lavender scented blanket.
East Coast? West Coast? Greece? I could sit here all day, thinking this stuff up… but there’s writing to get done, so I best wrap these thoughts up.
I have come to the conclusion that with an imagination like mine, I was born to be a writer… it just seems to fit!
Professional Grade Runaway, Certified Foster Child, Experienced Juvenile Delinquent, Born Again Christian, Mother of three, diaper changer, spit-up attendant, storybook reader, teacher, babysitter, chef, housekeeper, laundry attendant, errand runner, grocery shopper, delivery driver, truancy officer, friend, councilor, church worker, college student, receptionist, dog breeder, bird breeder, pet farmer, gardener, runaway, heartbreaker, hurt maker, lost soul, chosen child of God, globe trotter, midnight traveler, adventurer, writer, light bearer, and most assuredly a servant of the Almighty!
I feel pretty qualified in these areas, though I may have missed a few others… oh well, I lost track.
It’s been many years since I created a resume, so please forgive the enormity of the above paragraph. It’s clearly my example of the worlds biggest run-on sentence… I never said I was an English teacher!
Personally, I believe that there’s a huge difference between religion and relationship!
I do not follow, nor do I practice religion! I live a life indwelt by the Holy Spirit! That means God is with me, within this vessel, surrounding this vessel and carrying on a full relationship with the woman I am today.
My answer would be YES, indeed I do remember life before the internet.
Oh… I’m sorry… was there something else? Since the prompt only asked If I remembered life before the internet, and nothing more, I’m trying to stick to a yes or no answer.
I’ve always had the knack, as a professional MeeMaw, for rocking babies to sleep. I’m well versed in softly singing lullabies, and rhythmic rocking or swaying, with or without a chair to sit on… It’s a gift!
Not only am I good at putting babies into dreamland slumber, I can effectively put grownups into a yawning lull. All I have to do for the grown ups is to talk. I’m like a life size version of a Chatty Cathy Doll. All you have to do is occasionally poke me and I will just start chittering away, allowing those in proximity to drift off into dreamy bliss, while listening to the non-stop, storyteller style voice I’ve been known to employ.
As much as I’d like to say that I gain satisfaction from watching other adults yawn and stretch peacefully, while answering a question they’d been the ones to ask, I prefer babies. They’re much more adorable when they snore, or when they toot in their sleep… just sayin.
As I was sitting here this morning, pondering what I should write for todays Live Wire, I found myself staring at my bible for a bit, not sure that I even felt like writing. I suppose that there are just those days, where I don’t feel like even reading my bible, even though I know that I should.
When I find myself in this place, it helps to have index cards with bible verses written on them, strategically placed around the RV to catch my eye. As I move here and there throughout the day, they allow me to see God’s words of truth, edifying my spirit and encouraging my heart. It wasn’t always like this though, as there were numerous times in my life that my bible simply gathered dust upon a shelf!
Many times I found that I didn’t have room in my life for such a commitment to a book. I’d read the bible enough times, I felt confident that I needn’t read the book so often.
Knowing what I do about humans, as a whole, I feel pretty comfortable saying that this is something everyone encounters in their walk with God.
Life interruptus occurs…
Birth, babies and childhood,
Unexpected twists and turns,
The pain and confusion of loss,
Good times that bring about a sense of Out of sight, out of mind…
Eventually, Holidays alone seem to be sufficient enough, for pulling the good book out and dusting off it’s cover.
Somehow, we turn the word of God into a tonic, of sorts! We use it when we need it, and then return it to the cupboard for next time. I found myself actually getting so angry at the Israelites, while reading of their rinse and repeat cycle of sin and consequence. Time and time again, they wandered off and got happy… forgetting God, returning to their old idols and sins, only to watch everything fall apart, and then they ran back to God, begging for another chance. My anger dissipates at the moment I remember that I do this all the time, now, today! We all do!
God’s word and promises are always so valuable and sought after when we are in need of His help, when we are hurting, afraid, or lost. We turn to Him in our time of need, in our time of anger or despair, in our time of utter Joy… but what about all the time in between?
In truth, I think that it’s the commitment to follow and obey during those in between times, which enables God’s word to strengthen and keep us standing strong, while in the intense highs and lows of life. Something like staying the course, even when it doesn’t feel necessary to pay attention. I’d like to say that I’ve advanced beyond the Israelites revolving faith door, leaving their ridiculous behavior behind in the distant past, to become so much wiser than sinners of old… but unfortunately, I cannot!
Human nature is not something we shall ever overcome, not by our own power. That’s most likely what God wants me to understand, as I read through the biblical dirty laundry list of our predecessors screw-ups and consequences. It’s not so much about WHAT they did wrong or right, but about humanity as a whole… sinful, willful, and needy children… but all created in the image of God. As a parent, I don’t look back with memories of all my children’s faults, nor have I ever stopped praying and hoping for them. A parents love is unconditional, a trait provided by our ultimate parent! My kids generally didn’t come asking for mom’s help, until they’d already tried and failed first. By nature we are all selfish creatures, only asking for help during or after we’ve learned things the hard way, revealing that we can’t do things on our own.
I guess what I’m saying is that the Bible is like the spiritual version of things like toothpaste, clean underwear and love… we should probably be using them all the time, rather than only when we feel like it! If we don’t use them consistently, they’re rather ineffective when only being employed in emergencies… just sayin.
This question drew me all the way back to the beginning of things, when Eve was deceived into believing that she deserved to “have it all”, and things didn’t turn out all that well.
I, personally, think that it would be wiser to focus on whether we should attain it all, rather than if it’s attainable.
I may carry Eve’s human nature, but I don’t have to let it rule over my life. May wisdom allow me to learn from her lesson, so I might not repeat it!
Journey With Me! 