Loss

Friendship is a tricky thing.  For some folks, it comes easily - it's easy for them to trust someone new with their heart; it's easy for them to invite a stranger in and say, "Look!  We're the same!"; it's easy for them to share their story.

But, like marriage, friendship also takes some work.  You water it with words of love and kindness.  You feed it with deeds of caring and sharing.  You light it with the sunshine of connection and faithfulness.  And sometimes if you do all of those things, a friendship grows.

You can also destroy a friendship.  You water it with criticism and judgment.  You feed it comparison and dislike.  You put it in a dark place with none of your time or devotion.  And a friendship dies.

And sometimes, life itself decides that a friendship must end.  Death is a tragic way to end a friendship.  All other ways can be undone, but not this.

I lost a dear, sweet friend this week.  The type of inspirational woman who deserved a miracle.  The type who believed in miracles herself.  There are two boys who no longer have the friendship of their mother, and that breaks my heart.  There's a good man who no longer has the friendship of his wife, his best friend, and that seems so unfair.  For all of my sadness, though, there's a lesson.

Open yourself to friendship.  Tend and care for those you already have.  Yes, friendship is work but it is absolutely worth it because a true friend cannot be replaced.

Blessings, my friends.

[Source]

If You Give a Mom a Sticker

If you give a mom a window sticker

She will want to put it on her minivan.

Before she can put it on the window, she will need to clean it.

If she's going to clean the window, she may as well wash the entire vehicle.

When she's done washing the vehicle, she will fastidiously clean all of the windows.  Inside AND out.

When she's through cleaning the windows, she will take a break from the scorching heat and get a drink.

While she's inside getting a drink, she'll notice that it's lunchtime.

When she's finished eating lunch, she'll remember that she needs to flip the laundry.

While she's folding clothes, she'll remember that she hasn't showed yet (don't judge).

When she's all done showering and dressing, it will be almost time to pick up the kids.

She will collect all of the running gear, snacks, water bottles and coolers for the cross-country meet in time.  (She will not, however, remember the printed directions which is OK because they were for the wrong location anyway).

While she's driving to school, it will start to rain.

She will cuss a little.

She will turn on the rear windshield wiper and when she does she will notice that

SHE FORGOT TO PUT THE DAMN STICKER ON!

#storyofmylife