Tag Archives: friends

The Ra Ra Sisterhood

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Do you remember the movie ” The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants?” The movie is about friends who share a pair of pants. It is one of those feel good movies that just makes a person smile. Earlier today, on one of my blogging FB groups, a friend shared about an accomplishment on her blog and another friend simply commented “Ra Ra Sisterhood.” And immediately a smile came upon my face. I love that term because that is exactly how I feel about this group of ladies in my life.

I never knew social media could be such a positive encouraging experience. (Don’t get me wrong we have to be careful but social media can and is a positive influence in my life!) I never realized how many friends I could meet on social media. Since beginning and finishing the Write 31 Days challenge, my life has been blessed by amazing woman.  This past year, when I moved to a new community, God blessed me with amazing friendships here in my community. But then God began placing blogging friends and women in my life as well. I tell you my cup is truly running over! 
And then I decided to participate in the FMFSnailMailParty. I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing it has been to open my mailbox and find an encouraging word. In all honesty, it amazes me each and every time how your words speak to me friends! 
The thing is that these friendship started on the world wide web have no lines. In fact, the lines of age are continually blurred. The distance in miles doesn’t seem so far away when I open up my phone and hear a Vox from a new friend. You have continually cheered me on. You have continually reminded me that I am good enough. You have continually reminded me that I DO have worthy words to say. And the thing is I see us continually doing that for each other. I have seen us pray for each other. I have heard us rejoice in each other’s good news. 
My cup is continuing to run over, my friends! And it is all because of you….my dear soul sisters here in my community. And because of you….my blogging friends….my Ra Ra Sisterhood! I don’t know how a girl could get so lucky.

EUCHARISTO! 

Throwing My Fears in the Fire

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God has a way of showing up in the most unexpected ways.

I hadn’t checked my blog or my email for a few days last week since I was attending the ELCA Youth Ministry Network Extravaganza. I wanted my time in Detroit to be dedicated to spending quality time with old and new friends alike.

But one afternoon during a break, I decided to take a quick peak at my blog. I noticed that I had a comment on one of my posts where the individual asked me to email him. So on my way home from the E, I sent him a quick email. The man that emailed me was Cameron Von St. James. Cameron had stumbled upon my blog and asked if I would participate in sharing about his and his wife Heather’s journey as well as share about Lung Leavin Day.

In his email Cameron wrote, “Nine years ago, my wife Heather was diagnosed with mesothelioma; a rare cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Heather had just given birth to our daughter, and during the most exciting time in our lives, she was given just 15 months to live. After surgery to remove her left lung, Heather began her journey towards survival, and Lung Leavin’ Day was born.”

He then continues with, “This year (Feb 2nd) will be the 9th Lung Leavin’ Day celebration! The purpose of this holiday is to encourage others to face their fears. Each year, we gather around a fire in our backyard with our friends and family, write our biggest fears on a plate and smash them into the fire. We celebrate for those who are no longer with us, for those who continue to fight, for those who are currently going through a tough time in their life, and most importantly, we celebrate life!” (Learn more here: Throw Your Fears to the Fire!)

Cameron asked me to write about my fears, to write it on a virtual plate and then to smash it in the fire with them. As many of you know my #oneword365 for 2015 is “brave” and when I read Cameron’s email, I knew this was a perfect opportunity for me to be “brave.”

My fingers danced across the keyboard as I typed on the plate on their interactive page. I typed the words “I am afraid I will never be a mom.” Yep…there I said it! In fact I literally wrote those words on my interactive plate.  I even went back and typed more words on a second plate that read “beginning the adoption journey.” I so deeply yearn to be a mom and there are days I am afraid that God doesn’t hear my pleas. I am afraid that these dreams will never come true for me. Yet adoption and/or foster care are two things that I have been praying about and have given completely over to God.

Today I am choosing to follow Heather and Cameron’s examples, I am choosing to write down those fears and to throw them into the fire. I’ll admit it feels good to write them down and give them wholeheartedly over to God. I am not sure what God has in store for me, but I do know that God will help me overcome these fears. I know that God will give me the strength to journey trusting in him as he holds my heart.

I have so many friends who continually remind me that I will be an awesome mom. They also don’t think God would give me these deep yearnings if it wasn’t going to happen for me. Yet it is something that still scares me. I want to find my Mr. Right and be a Mom so deeply. (Anyone who knows me knows I love every chance I get to hold a baby.)

So I’m throwing my fears into the hot fire and am leaning into God as God holds my heart

Friends

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I just returned home from one of the first of several goodbye dinners. The gals I met up with tonight are ladies I met while doing Zumba at Curves. Since that Curves has closed, many of us have gone our seperate ways with working out etc. But last month we got together and had supper. After I shared my news about moving, they were like we definetely need to get together one last time so I proposed a time and a place.

I left my apartment at about 6:10 pm and arrived around 6:20 pm or so. When I entered into the restaurant they were like you can’t come over here yet. So I went to the bathroom and waited until they gave me the go ahead to come back. We visited and waited for a few of the other ladies to arrive too. Once everyone arrived, they handed me a card and said, “We wanted to do a little something for you.” I opened up the beautiful handmade card; only to find some cash. I was flabbergasted. I didn’t expect anything at all but this was such a beautiful gesture.

We ordered our meals and spent over an hour visiting and eating our meal. My soul was so full as I sat with them. I laughed so hard that at times my eyes were watering. I found myself taking in each and every moment of this gathering tonight. I am so thankful that my path and their paths have crossed.  I am so blessed to have these individuals in my life.

It is so incredible to me how God places people into our lives and our lives are blessed because of those relationships. I can think of so many relationships/friendships were that is true. I think of my collegues in youth ministry. I think of my friends from Camp of the Cross. I think of my friends from college, high school and seminary days. I think of those I have met through the Lutheran Academy of the Rockies. I think of so many friendships throughout the course of my life. But there are also times I wonder if I am a good friend at all. But then I experience something like I did tonight and I realize that I have made a difference…that I too have blessed someone else’s life.

So tonight I simply want to say “thank you” for being my friend; for blessing me beyond words! You are all such incredible blessings in my life and I don’t know where I would be without ALL of YOU! Thank you for loving me for who God created me to be. Thank you for showing me God’s love and grace through our friendships!