The honesty of a friend

I received an email from a friend this morning.  Not an acquaintance, not someone who drifts about the fringes of my life, but someone who is willing to dive in deep with me into the things of God.

She was in the middle of a lenten exercise and wrote:

Today's challenge is to ask a few good friends what it is that they think makes me unique... gifts...talents... strengths... weaknesses

I prayed and I pondered and I emailed her my thoughts.  I also asked if she would answer the same about me.  I share her reply here as a demonstration of true friendship:

What I see is someone who walks in integrity...

Someone who truly loves the Lord her God for who He is, rather than merely for what He does for her... Wanting His fellowship as opposed to merely the gifts that often times come along with it.  

I see someone whose heart is broken by the things that break His... Hungry children for one thing... Hypocricy within the church for another... And who takes seriously the great commission to, "Go and make disciples."

I see someone who also does not take herself too terribly seriously, who knows that while there is a time to be serious, it is a good and Godly thing to be able to laugh, even at herself.

On the other hand, I also see someone who is still reeling a bit from the hurt she has experienced in past church situations, and who, quite honestly, isn't yet past it... Someone from whose's heart still occasionally leaks that odd hurtful word, NOT intentionally, but instead, simply because it is still raw, still in need of healing. And there probably isn't all that much you can do about that either, except to be aware of it, and keep it before the Lord in prayer, waiting for Him to do what He needs to in order to bring that healing about in His perfect way and time

Perhaps many would offer the opening words of support.  I was pleased to see that my love for God and my heart for His hurts were clearly displayed.  It was, however, as I continued reading, down to the "on the other hand" that I felt truly known.

Wounds from a sincere friend  are better than many kisses from an enemy
Proverbs 27:6 NLT

Yes, life among others can be hard. Yes, hearts can be broken and raw. And the walk through healing can seem to take an impossibly long time.

Today I want to celebrate the God Who does the miraculous, the One Who provides us the opportunity to learn to love each other in the same way He loves us.

 Rejoicing today with Jennifer in how extraordinary Is our God.
  

1000 posts

This is a place where words spill out
my heart exposed
in poetry, prose
random or structured
in colour
or black and white
thoughts of the day
dreams in the night
and all with the prayer
that anything that shines
reflects His glory alone

This post marks one thousand times I have clicked publish
but cannot count the hearts that I have met along the way

Thank you for joining me on this journey
with all of the twists and turns
valleys and mountain tops.

May we find Him with each and every step we take.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3:17 NIV


 

There are friends then there are friends...

A couple of years ago when Internet Cafe Devotions was hosting a weekly series called Cafe Chat I attempted to answer the following question:

Name 3 qualities or characteristics of a good/close friend. Explain why the qualities or characteristics you listed are important to you in your friendships.

I wasn't expecting this question to move my heart to dig so deeply.

Integrity -- "Integrity may be seen as the quality of having a sense of honesty and truthfulness in regard to the motivations for one's actions. The term "hypocrisy" is used in contrast to integrity" from Wikipedia

Transparency -- "Transparency, as used in the humanities and Pilatian theories, when used in a social context, implies openness, communication, and accountability. It is a metaphorical extension of the meaning a "transparent" object is one that can be seen through." from Wikipedia

Love -- Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV

It does not seem possible for me to have a genuine friendship if the people involved are not genuine as well. When I invest myself in a relationship I am looking for something more than icing on a cake, I'm looking for bread, for meat, for accountability. I have known many women who I can enjoy spending time with, having fun and sharing a moment, but if it never goes any deeper than that, they may join my list of girlfriends but they do not become what I consider a good friend or someone I enter into a covenant relationship with.

A covenant friend is consistent and true to who God created them to be, bearing the mark of integrity. A covenant friend will allow me to see who they are, on good days and bad. That kind of transparency builds trust and history. It allows me to heed the words of the Apostle Paul:

Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others' joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others' grief]. Romans 12:15 Amplified

A covenant friend will speak to me about the hard things in life and because I know they are speaking in love I am able to receive their words. For the same reason, they allow me to speak into their life also.

What qualities do you seek in a good friend?



Jamming with Bonnie on the topic of friendship

Disturbed and not at all pleasant

Image by Creative Tools via Flickr

This is Thursday. A time to ramble. A time to randomize. A time to rant.

We serve a very big GOD, Who sees all, knows all and Is all. I don't like to give the enemy any more credit than in his pathetic smallness he deserves.

But...

You're messing with my friends.

Some are discouraged. Some are exhausted. Some are facing financial strain. Others are just under fire on the front lines.

Pray today for our dear friend Duane, the prince of pleasant and disturbed thinking. If you haven't heard about his accident, you can catch up on his blog Scribing the Journey .

I know he'll be reading our posts today, so let him know we love him, even though he's getting better drugs than the rest of us.

You might only have one arm to use right now Duane, but God is for you, so even in your weakness you can accomplish much.

I don't think there's a link-up today, at least not that I've heard of so far. But snoop around a bit and I'm sure you'll find the usual suspects, random and disturbed as always.

Tuesdays Unwrapped - On the water

My husband Rick and I were blessed to partake of an overnight away with friends at their cottage on a lake about 1-1/2 hours from home.

We enjoyed food, fellowship and time cruising in their speedboat.

In the majesty of all He has created for us to enjoy I knew I would find many moments to cherish.

Journaling this morning, this is what my Lord shared:

Keep hold of peace.

Keep hold of Me.

I let you ride on smooth and choppy waters - but I never let you out of My sight or care. I never let you go. I Am in the waves.

Just as you laughed like a little child at the fun of the speed and turning, so too do I ask you to laugh in the midst of storms - know that I Am with you - even when you cannot see Me.

How can you know? Simply because I have promised - and I Am not a man that I should lie. I Am faithful to My Word. What I have said, that shall I do.

God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good? Numbers 23:19 Amplified

Come vist Emily at Chatting at the Sky and share the special moments that you've unwrapped.

Tuesdays Unwrapped - New Life

There is a family we have joined into a covenant with; to walk together, sharing our struggles and our victories, our rejoicing and our mourning, to hold each other accountable to the life God has called us to. This is both the hardest and yet the most rewarding type of relationship.

Yesterday we were blessed to gather, for prayer, fellowship, support, food, encouragement and time to simply love each other.

We blessed new land they have purchased as their farm continues to expand. This ten year transplant from the big city loved every moment of visiting with this year's calves and their mamas as they came jogging over to savour a treat of chopped grain and minerals.

I had the chance to inhale the scent of new life and thawing ground. In that moment, the Lord reminded me that even in the midst of change, turmoil and uncertainty I can rejoice in the truth that some things just are.

Cows are cows. Land is land. Friends are friends. And God is God.

Know this: God, your God, is God indeed, a God you can depend upon. He keeps his covenant of loyal love with those who love him and observe his commandments for a thousand generations. Deuteronomy 7:9 The Message

What special moment are you unwrapping today? Join Emily at Chatting at the Sky and share.

Fingerprint Friday - Blessed

Today I rejoice
celebrate
and shout songs of thanksgiving to my Lord
for those who walk beside me as friends
face to face or online.
The fingerprints of the Master
mark their prayers
their words of encouragement
and support.
As I step into difficult times
I know that I am not alone.

If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Ecclesiastes 4:10 NIV

Join Beki at The Rusted Chain for today's Fingerprint Friday

Tuesdays Unwrapped - Connected Hearts

There are many people in my life who still can't quite comprehend the way I connect to others online. They might have gotten a handle on how email works, but instant messengers, Facebook, Twitter and the rest are something from a foreign land. When I talk about my latest blog post I see a familiar "I'm totally lost and haven't a clue what you're talking about" look in their eyes. Trying to explain "Blog. Web Log. You know, like a journal you keep on the internet." doesn't seem to help. Indeed there are people who can only live "face-to-face".

God created us to be in relationship, with Himself first and then with others. I am thankful and blessed by the in-person, I can reach out and touch you people God has placed in my life. They help shape the world around me. But I also live in another dimension, the land of the internet, and as difficult as it is for some to understand, we forge real relationships here as well. At times it seems that hearts can even connect in a more profound way without the trappings and distractions of "face-to face". The fact that many of these connections are seasonal does not detract from their importance or ability to touch us.

When Lisa Lehmann, known by many of you as thebeadgirl on Twitter was in the middle of creating a piece of jewelry for an art competition, I felt led by the Lord to provide words of encouragement. In obedience, I attempted to stay connected and check in during her journey. I was excited to see photos of the finished work and read Lisa's story of what it meant to her and how God was glorified through it all.

We have continued to send tweets and messages to each other, pats on the back, pick me ups, words of wisdom, humour and truth. I often make cyber visits to her jewelry shop Studio Jewel at Etsy to drool over her work. One day a few weeks ago, I mentioned I had seen something I would love to buy, if only our finances would allow. She then sent me a link to a necklace she had named "God Looks on the Heart" that she thought was more like me. She describes it as follows:

This is a design that comes straight from my heart. The story behind this piece is: although the world may judge us based on our outward appearance, what really matters is what is on the inside. That is why the crystal hangs in the middle of the heart. I have 3 beautiful daughters and as we approach the tween years I know this will become more and more important!

I Twittered a message saying it was perfect, I have always loved hearts.

Almost instantly, she tweeted back "Send me a mailing address and it's yours." I surely did not feel worthy of such an extravagant gift, but yesterday I joyfully unwrapped the striking pink and brown packaging and received a heart that connects with my heart.

What's more, I've unwrapped a gift far more priceless, the gift of friendship. Lisa, my words fall short of being able to express what I feel. May the blessing you poured upon me return to you with great multiplication as the Word promises us:

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. Luke 6:38 NLT

Visit Studio Jewel and check out Lisa's work. Maybe you'll find a gift for yourself or someone special in your life, or leave a hint for your husband for Valentine's Day.

And while you're online, Join Emily at Chatting at the Sky and share what you're unwrapping today.

Communion

We have entered into a covenant relationship with our God through His broken body and His blood. We seal and dedicate ourselves to that covenant each time we take communion.

Rick and I have entered into a covenant relationship with each other, with Christ as our center.

We are also in covenant with the couple who joined us on Monday. We pray for, encourage and hold each other accountable before God. We learn what it means to love one another. Jesus is also at the center of this relationship.

We are in covenant with the land the Lord has entrusted to us as well.

Part of our journey Monday included sharing communion with each other, our friends, our land and our Lord. As we stood around the hole we had dug to hold the cross that now stands overlooking our valley, we broke matzos, giving a piece to each person and placing a piece in the ground. We passed a glass of sweet Jewish wine, each taking a swallow, then poured the rest atop the matzo in the hole. Then the cross was lifted up.

We placed a bit of matzo and wine in the ground before we hammered in each scripture coated and anointed stake. It was communion with the land, in rememberance of the One Who provided.

And when He had given thanks, He broke [it] and said, Take, eat. This is My body, which is broken for you. Do this to call Me [affectionately] to remembrance. Similarly when supper was ended, He took the cup also, saying, This cup is the new covenant [ratified and established] in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink [it], to call Me [affectionately] to remembrance. For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are representing and signifying and proclaiming the fact of the Lord's death until He comes [again]. 1 Corinthians 11:24-26 Amplified

Cafe Chat Week of June 20th

Kim's question this week is: "Name 3 qualities or characteristics of a good/close friend. Explain why the qualities or characteristics you listed are important to you in your friendships" I wasn't expecting this question to move my heart to dig this deeply, and my reply follows:

Integrity -- "Integrity may be seen as the quality of having a sense of honesty and truthfulness in regard to the motivations for one's actions. The term "hypocrisy" is used in contrast to integrity" from Wikipedia

Transparency -- "Transparency, as used in the humanities and Pilatian theories, when used in a social context, implies openness, communication, and accountability. It is a metaphorical extension of the meaning a "transparent" object is one that can be seen through." from Wikipedia

Love -- "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV

It does not seem possible for me to have a genuine friendship if the people involved are not genuine as well. When I invest myself in a relationship I am looking for something more than icing on a cake, I'm looking for bread, for meat, for accountability. I have known many women who I can enjoy spending time with, having fun and sharing a moment, but if it never goes any deeper than that, they may join my list of "girlfriends" but they do not become what I consider a "good friend" or someone I enter into a covenant relationship with.

A covenant friend is consistent and true to who God created them to be, bearing the mark of integrity. A covenant friend will allow me to see who they are, on good days and bad. That kind of transparency builds trust and history. It allows me to heed the words of the Apostle Paul "Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others' joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others' grief]." Romans 12:15 Amplified

A covenant friend will speak to me about the "hard things" in life and because I know they are speaking in love I am able to receive their words. For the same reason, they allow me to speak into their life also.

What qualities do you seek in a "good friend"? Join Kim at Cafe Chat and share your thoughts.

Building Traditions

The first week of this holiday carnival of posts is a difficult one for me, not only because I have had limited time to write, but because we actually have very few traditions. Let me explain:

I grew up in a Jewish home and family. We celebrated Hannukah instead of Christmas. I always felt like there was something missing (not knowing at the time what was missing was Jesus!). As I grew into young adulthood my parents somehow respected my choice to open gifts with them on December 25th, wrapped in Christmas paper and all the trimmings. I would spend the day with families of friends, just to have a little bit of Christmas, but always yearned to have my own family to celebrate with.

When I gave my heart and life to Jesus in the autumn of 1999 I was invited to spend the holiday season with the family that led me to my Lord. It was a time of learning, rejoicing, and my baptism on Boxing Day. I still hoped and prayed that one day I would have traditions of my own.

When I married my beloved Rick we would spend Chistmas with his family. It was always a cold, hard, non-Christian Christmas. There might have been Jesus on greeting cards, but not in the hearts of anyone but us. The holiday was about little more than food and presents.

We are trying to build our own traditions now, as each year we try to find other loving Christians to celebrate Jesus with. Our decorations begin early in November and remain through January. The house looks so lovely I hate to take them down. The first thing put out id the manger scene, reminding us what it is we are celebrating. Crystal angels, birds of peace, and other favourite trinkets sprinkle the tree. The best part of Christmas is joining with others to sing, rejoice and remember, so we never miss our Christmas Eve service. We exchange a small gift with each other before going to sleep. One year we helped serve dinner to the needy and lonely at the local Catholic church on Christmas day, but they have stopped that wonderful extension of God's love. We are looking for another way to serve this year.


It has become our tradition to donate to worthy causes in the names of our loved ones instead of purchasing expensive gifts. We then give them trinkets with notes informing them of how others benefited in their honour. Perhaps sharing the love of God with those in need is the greatest tradition of all.

Why don't you join us at the Internet Cafe and let us know how you celebrate!

My Ten Things for Tuesday October 28

1. Today I am thankful to be back here posting My Ten Things
2. Today I am thankful for no travel for work in the near future
3. Today I am thankful for the "A" I received on my last course
4. Today I am thankful that my next course is already on it's way to me
5. Today I am thankful to serve a sovereign God "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness,and light dwells with him." Daniel 2:20-22
6. Today I am thankful for friends who listen for God's words and are willing to share them
7. Today I am thankful for the freedom to worship without fear of harm. This is a right we so often take for granted. Please remember the persecuted church in your prayers.
8. Today I am thankful for the diagnostic imaging that caught a malignancy in my mother's breast when it was very, very small so they can perform a lumpectomy instead of more extensive surgery
9. Today I am thankful I remembered to put our heated mattress pad on yesterday. What a treat to climb into a warm bed on a cold night
10. Today I am thankful for my beloved Rick who shares that bed with me!

What are you thankful for today? Join Jill at Xbox Wife and share your gratitude.

30 Day Challenge

After reading snips about it on many blogging friends pages, I have decided to accept the 30-Day Husband Encouragement Challenge offered at Revive Our Hearts

Here's the challenge :

• For the next 30 days I can not say anything negative about my husband. Neither to my husband directly, nor to anyone else.
• For each of those same 30 days I will say something that I admire or appreciate about my husband, both to my husband directly and to someone else.

So, today, Day 1, I would like to tell you all that I have been blessed with a husband who has a heart to know God more deeply with each passing day. I am not only joined with him in marriage, but we are also best friends. Together we attempt to display to the world the truth of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12:

"Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken." New King James Version