Category Archives: Friendship

Jan21

DAY 21 (2015)

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We can't do it alone, we all need help on the journey. (Picture taken at House Of Hope, S. Korea)

We can’t do it alone, we all need help on the journey.
(Picture taken at House Of Hope, S. Korea)

So I got the best compliment ever today from a friend. Our friendship has had ups and downs and for a while, we weren’t as close. But a little while ago we repaired the rift in our friendship and took steps toward regaining our closeness. Today we were texting back and forth and she said the coolest thing, I think anyone has ever said to me. She told me that God had used me to help put her back on the right path. Now to some reading this it may not be a big deal, but let me explain why it is. I don’t always feel like I am doing the right thing, or saying the right thing. Especially with this friend, because I felt like I let her down a lot in the friendship. The beauty is that God restored it, and even in the midst of my insecurities and not doing it right, she still was able to find a “good”. After that text I realized God really does redeem our mistakes, He gives us beauty for ashes, and restores what the locust has taken away.

“The LORD says, I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you” (Joel 2:25).

So what I thankful for today? Friendship.

Aug3

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart. (Picture by Lisa R)

I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

Deuteronomy 22. “If you see your fellow Israelite’s ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it but be sure to take it back to its owner. If they do not live near you or if you do not know who owns it, take it home with you and keep it until they come looking for it. Then give it back. Do the same if you find their donkey or cloak or anything else they have lost. Do not ignore it. If you see your fellow Israelite’s donkey or ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help the owner get it to its feet” (Verses 1-4). Help. We are called to help. Have you heard of the Bystander Effect? It’s a phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help a person in need if others are present. The belief is that you expect that someone else will or has already done what you where planning to do. Basically you don’t do anything because you feel it is someone else’s responsibility. When did this become the norm? In these verses God makes a statement that blows our bystander perspective out of the water. He makes the case that: it is EVERYONE’S responsibility. He says, “If YOU see [a need]” meaning you and I collectively. Don’t stand by hoping someone else will do the right thing. Do it yourself. You want the world to be a better place? You want to see kindness and compassion for the needs of others come back? Well it all starts with YOU (and ME). Don’t wait for another to initiate. Do what God commands… HELP.

Jun17

DAY 166 (2014)

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Okay so today’s post will be a little different. Today was busy, but I manged to get a lot done. I dealt with some very nice people. And some NOT so nice people. During my interactions with the friendly people my thought was, “I am so happy I got to interact with this person today.” But with the NOT so nice people my thought was this:

happy

Some days are like that. Thank God for His infinite wisdom when creating us. He knew the kind trouble we’d get in if people could hear our thoughts at times. Hahaha.

“To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are His” (Job 12:13).

So what’s the plan? Uhmmm… taking thoughts captive 😉

Jun16

DAY 165 (2014)

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We are not meant to travel alone. (Picture by Lisa R.)

We are not meant to travel alone.
(Picture by Lisa R.)

Ever been searching and searching for something, then out of the blue it finds you? Today someone that I have been looking for, for what feels like FOREVER, found me! When I graduated high school, college was on the agenda, but my parents in their wisdom thought Bible College for at least a year would be a better route to take. That way I experienced the freedoms of living away from home, while learning about God’s plans for my life. It is the best decision ever made for me. Bible College is where I met the people who changed my perspective on the Christian life, I realized that Christians were fun, funny and human. I met some of my closet friends there. In fact I made the kinds of friendship there that if I were to do something so bad that I couldn’t live with myself these would be the people I would tell. One of those very special people was my roommate Holly. Have you ever met a person that was so cool that it made you feel bad about yourself? Holly is that girl she was beautiful, talented, and funny. But she was so natural and so real you couldn’t dislike her if you tried (so unfair). Today out of nowhere I get a friend request from some guy I didn’t know. I was just about to ignore it when I also got a inbox message, and it wasn’t a random guy, it was my dear friend (she shares her husband’s FB… thought I should clarify 😀 ). Why is this so amazing? God knew my heart, sometimes you lose touch of people and it’s natural. Sometimes you lose touch of people and you feel like something is missing. After Bible College I felt that way about my two roommates. But today it felt like God gave me my missing piece back. Here’s what I learned about God today, He loves to surprise us.

“For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you'” (Isaiah 41:13)

Sp what’s my plan? Let God surprise me 🙂 .

Jun6

DAY 156 (2014)

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Everyday, laugh.

Everyday, laugh.

This was the day of funny conversations. I have two very amusing friends who say the most random things, but very sincerely. Today I have laughed a lot with my coworkers which is great because my time with them is slowly dwindling away. It is weird that I am beginning to feel the pangs of loss while I am still with them. I think it is because I am very aware that my tenure there is coming to an end. God must have known that if I wasn’t laughing I would be crying, because not only am I saddened at the thought of leaving, but the day was just one crisis after another. At one point I checked the almanac to make sure it wasn’t a full moon (it wasn’t). The laughing started early. My coworker and pharmacy tech extraordinaire Karla came up to me inquiring about whether or not I had, had breakfast:

 

Karla: Today is national donut day. So I went to Dunkin Donuts.

Me: Oh really?

Karla: I bought a Boston Market, do you want it?

Me: ??? You bought a Boston Market?!

Karla: Yes, would you like it?

Me: ???? A  B O S T O N  M A R K E T?

Karla: Uh-huh. Would you like it? (she’s looking at me like…why do you keep asking 🙂 )

Me: Wait. Do you mean Boston cream?

Karla: Uhmm, that’s what I said.

A little later as my friends and I are walking to lunch Christina (who is normally involved in my best convo of the day posts… on FB). Made the journey to the cafeteria memorable with this sudden outburst:

Christina: How much peanut butter are you allowed to own? (She asks staring at me).

Me: (blinking) Huh? Uhmm, Stacy I am going let you answer that. Peanut butter is dietary and you’re a dietitian.

Stacy: You mean like, personally, like how much can you have in your house?

Christina: Yes, how much can you own?

Stacy: As much as you want!

Christina: Good ’cause they’re buy one get one free and they only have that sale like once a month.

Yup, laughter has been the theme of the day. It has blessed my soul and reminded that God loves to hear His children laugh. He provides these moments of joy to remind us that the world was intended to be beautiful, intended to be happy, it was sin that broke it down. But nevertheless God is still in the business of bringing us joy.

“Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them'” (Palms 126:2).

So what’s my plan? Laughter.

May29

DAY 148 (2014)

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FriendshipEver just have a great conversation with a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while? Lately I have been feeling lonely, and it is not for lack of friendship. I have really great friends here and really great people who I get to hangout with. I am not craving friendship, what I am in desperate need of is fellowship. The unity that comes from spending quality time with someone of like mind, a kindred spirit so to speak. I have five very close friends who fit that description. People who have walked through fires with me, and I with them (Shannon, Amy, Erica, Linda, Stephanie, and Christmas, aka Chrimma) opps seems as though I can’t count… six, six very close friends from who I have learned a lot 😉 . Today I had the awesome joy of talking with one of these awesome ladies (the one I get into the most trouble with), Christmas. It was like having water poured into my thirsty soul. The bible talks about the importance of having fellowship one with another, true fellowship. Today after my conversation with my friend I felt refreshed, renewed. She reminded me of things I knew, but had forgotten. I told her about what God was teaching me, what He was doing. I told her about how I was scared, but willing because I know it is God that is doing the leading. Then she said this, “You said this to me once and it is something I have always remembered. Go where the peace is.” I had forgotten that saying. But it’s so true. There are times when the future you are walking into seems so unrealistic, but yet you have this unexplainable peace that this is the right direction. I call it God-peace, because only God can make the uncertain seem certain. Today I took a breath and released all my stress and all my fears to God. The choice I have made does scare me, but I also have peace, God-peace. And if God is for me, what have I to fear? Thanks Chrimma I needed that.

“Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country” (Proverbs 25:25).

So what’s my plan. Go where the peace is.

May28

DAY 147 (2014)

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The good "baker" knows the battle is won or lost in the making of the batter.

The good “baker” knows the battle is won or lost in the making of the batter.

One of my coworkers is leaving. She was offered an amazing job, and while I will miss her I can honestly say her new employer scored big time. I wanted to do something for her, something that took my time and effort, it is my way of saying I appreciated the opportunity to work with her. So tonight when I got home I went to the grocery store and bought all the ingredients necessary to make a cake (from scratch, no box mix for this girl). My plan is a white cake with buttermilk frosting and fresh strawberries (my kitchen smells really good, right now). Here’s the thing about cakes the battle is either won or lost in the making of the batter. Right about now you thinking, “duh…”. But I am not talking about the mixture itself I am talking about the ability of the “maker” to not rush the process while mixing it. Making sure that each ingredient is thoroughly blended and completely mixed in before another is added. The process while not hard, is tedious, and many times the lazy baker will want to rush the process by just piling the ingredients one on top of the other and hoping for the best. What’s my point? Anything worth having is worth the effort needed to make it the best it can be. I learned that lesson today as my new life direction has been slowly falling into place. At the beginning of my life I had many plans, but no direction and as such I rushed through life often missing the very things I needed to take time to build. As I have grown into adulthood I am learning that life is not meant to be rushed. Today I was gentle reminded through the baking of a cake, that life requires a good batter in order for it to rise properly, and a good batter requires the “Maker” to take His time. Lesson: Don’t rush God, He makes all things beautiful in His time.

“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

So what’s the plan? Stop rushing the process.

May7

DAY 127 (2014)

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We can't do it alone, we all need help on the journey. (Picture taken at House Of Hope, S. Korea)

We can’t do it alone, we all need help on the journey.
(Picture taken at House Of Hope, S. Korea)

Have you ever just “missed it by that much”? I feel like that’s how things have been working lately (and no for the record I am NOT whining). It is an observation that I am making about recent events in my life. Lately it feels like I always come really close, but still miss the mark. Normally I would be upset, but recently I have discovered that this is a tool that God has been using to break down certain walls and barriers that I had built up. Walls that need to be broken in order for me to get to the next leg of this journey. Remember yesterdays post? Let go of the past to take hold of the future. Missing the mark means that I have to seek help, and not only seek it, but not be afraid of it. Why would anyone be afraid of help, you ask? Because needing help somehow translate to failure. What I have been slowly learning (really, really, slowly…poor God I feel bad for Him) is that asking for help is not a sign of failure, on the contrary it is a sign of maturity. Because when we ask for help we put what’s necessary before our pride. Recently I needed help and didn’t ask for help, because I was too stubborn. The outcome? It got waaay worse before it ever got better. We are not called to be an Island, we are not meant to stand alone, we are meant to help an be helped.

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed” (Ecclesiastes 4:9).

So what’s the plan? Break down walls.