Tag Archives: friendship

Jan21

DAY 21 (2015)

Posted on January 21, 2015 by lsgrlr

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.

Jun16

DAY 165 (2014)

Posted on June 16, 2014 by lsgrlr

Standard

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)

Posted on June 6, 2014 by lsgrlr

Standard

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)

Posted on May 29, 2014 by lsgrlr

Standard

Ever 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.

May7

DAY 127 (2014)

Posted on May 7, 2014 by lsgrlr

Standard

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.

May4

DAY 124 (2014)

Posted on May 4, 2014 by lsgrlr

Standard

When we focus on the forest all we see are tress. When we focus on the flower, we see the butterflies.
(Daejeon S. Korea, Picture Daniel S.)

Easy or hard. These are the two choices we get. The problem is that our definition of those two words are colored by our life experiences. What do I mean? Well, often times we will choose the easy way out because the consequences are less severe in the present. What we fail to realize is that down the road when the truth comes out the consequences become even more severe than the original crime (this is a ALWAYS truth). Let me give an example. I had a favorite winter coat, I also had a friend who really like my coat. She would admire it and always tell me how beautiful it was. One day I accidentally left my coat in the library of my school, when I went back to get it it was gone. I went to a small private school everyone knew the coat was mine. Therefore, I was not worried about it getting returned. But two weeks later my coat still wasn’t back. I asked my friend (quite innocently) if she has seen it, to which she answered, “No.” I had no reason to not believe so I just chalked it up to carelessness on my part. A few months later a couple friends and I were visiting outside of school, when we happened upon my friend (who had left school due to family issues), there she stood in front of me..wearing my coat! It devastated me, not because she had my coat, but because she lied. When she had the chance to confess she didn’t and thus the consequences of her action were more severe later on (I will not be going into detail). The irony is that the year it went missing was my final year and I planned on giving her the jacket (I wouldn’t have needed it in Florida). I understand why she didn’t confess: she did not want to look bad, didn’t want people to see her differently, and she did not want to lose a friendship. All of which happened. But the thing is had she confessed, we had the type of friendship where I would have forgiven. We have since worked out our issues and are friends once again. But it will never be the same, we have lost so much. Maybe we shouldn’t see the choices as easy or hard, instead we should view them as right or wrong. In the moment the right choice will more than likely always be the hardest and less attractive decision, but it is better to make a hard (right) choice now, than suffer harsher consequences later because we made the easy (wrong) choice. Not sure why I felt the need to write this today…maybe someone needed to hear/read it. If that’s you make the RIGHT choice don’t settle for the easy one. Easy choices cause you to lose more than you gain.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12).

So what’s the plan? Right not easy.

Mar4

DAY 63 (2014)

Posted on March 4, 2014 by lsgrlr

Standard

The bars aren’t meant to keep you out. No, sometimes they are saying…fight to get in.
(Picture by Lisa R)

Why are bad choices so much easier to make than right ones? I have a friend that I am seriously proud of right now. Why? Well she is going through some things (her story not gonna share) that would cause a lesser person (and in the past even herself) to make very bad decisions in order to resolve them. Having known this person for a little, and knowing her background, I would even understand why she’d make a bad choice. But here’s the cool thing, she hasn’t. She’s held her ground and even in the face of the most cruel mistreatment she’s managed to hold her head high and maintain who she is. This post is not about praising her, as much as it is about encouraging and taking the time to see the strength in another person. I (from experience) know how easy it is to make wrong decisions, they seem to just fall in our lap. But at the end of the day the havoc such choices make will usually leave us worse off, not better. We all at some point on our life journey will have to choose between making a easy wrong choice or a hard right one. One builds character, the other destroys it.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

So what’s my plan of attack? As much as depends on me, make right choices.

Feb27

DAY 58 (2014)

Posted on February 27, 2014 by lsgrlr

Standard

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. (Proverbs 25:11)

Let’s talk about encouragement (yes, it’s a big change from my recent downer attitude). I have writing about the pain, fears, and disappointments that I have been feeling lately. Today I realized something beautiful. Every time that my heart was aching and hurting, God either provided comfort or a word of encouragement. He didn’t just use tangible friends and family. He used my virtual WordPress friends as well (you guys ROCK!). Encouragement is so needed, it helps to remind us that God meets us right at the point of the need. It doesn’t always have to be miraculous, sometimes it is in the simple things that we see His hand the clearest. Today my friend Jackie was telling me the story of her day. Yesterday she was fine, bouncy, happy, and had the energy of 1000 horses (exaggeration…mine 😉 ). This morning she woke up with chills, fever, and achy everywhere. Her husband is a firefighter today is his on day. She has small children and needed help, but couldn’t find any. Out of the blue her father-in laws drops by and says, “I was in the neighborhood, just thought I’d drop by to see if you needed anything”, and just like that God met her need. I call moments like that a Godcidence. As she told me the story, I realized this, God is alive and active in our lives. He meets the needs when it needs to be met and not a second before. He has encouraged my heart and reminded me that He sees even the most minute of details of my life. He provided my friend with a babysitter, He will surely, absolutely, indubitably take care of me.

“Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrow“ (Luke 12:6-7).

So what’s my plan of attack? Accept God’s encouragement and trust in His LOVE.

Jan27

DAY 27 (2014)

Posted on January 27, 2014 by lsgrlr

Standard

I did something yesterday that was super hard to do. I told someone something they didn’t want to hear. Something that would change the relationship that we now have. I spent many days contemplating not opening my mouth; worried that I would hurt the person’s feeling. Before I chose the day to talk to my friend; I spent several days in prayer. Several days fasting. I gave the entire situation to God, I left it in His hands. Wanna know the outcome? SMOOTH… It was the easiest conversation I ever had. Why? Because God went before me and prepared the way. Today as I sat back and reflected on how well, something that I was so scared of doing turned out. I am blown away by the power of prayer. I am blown away by God’s ability to prepare a heart to hear something it did NOT want to hear. Here’s the biggest blessing. The person actually saw clearly what God was doing through what I had to say. In fact before I told them the why, they told it to me! I am learning on this new journey that doing life God’s way bears benefits that far outweigh any fears I could have. We all have things we don’t want to do, but have to anyway. Give it to God, let Him go before us and prepare the path. He is the clearer of obstacles and the author of peace.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28).

So what’s my plan of attack? Walking forward with God always before me (He’s got the map 😉 ).

Jan17

DAY 17 (2014)

Posted on January 17, 2014 by lsgrlr

Standard

Why blend in…when you can add the color?
(Picture by Lisa R.)

Do you have someone in your life that makes your world so interesting the thought of not seeing them makes you sad beyond belief? I have a friend that makes my day really happy. She is possibly the most interesting person I have ever met. Her mind works just a little bit different, her view of the world is a little bit more colorful than most. Because of her my view of the world has become a little bit more artistic. Today I had a moment to reflect on the things that I have been blessed to have, like my friend. I am thankful and grateful to and for her. Why? Without her around my world would be black and white. For those of you who see the world a little different here’s some advice: Go forth and color your world, it could use a little sprucing up.

“Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble” (Proverbs 17:17, The Message).

So what’s my plan of attack? Be a world “colorer” <—- (yes I know it’s not a word 😉 ). Happy coloring.