Friends till the end...if we ever get started

Why don't they like me? What is it about me that they don't find desirable? Have you ever asked yourself these questions in regards to friendships or people you want to be friends with?

I have recently been dealing with my oldest daughter's first go-round with feeling left out in a group of friends, when she feels like they should be best friends. To me, it is kind of trivial, a natural part of growing up, but as I was talking with her about this, I found myself in her shoes, as a 30-year-old! I realized it never goes away. You meet another person and everything seems natural for you two to hit it off and become best buds, but it doesn't happen. Why? Then the all-too-familiar questions from childhood start soaring through your mind. The same questions my 9-year-old is asking herself, I've asked myself as an adult. The same advice I gave her was the same advice I would retell myself through the years.

I had a conversation with a woman yesterday about my daughter and she said she deals with that even now as an adult. I said, "Me too!" I realize now that many woman are dealing with these same questions. We become naturally drawn to someone and they don't reciprocate these feelings. We automatically begin asking "What's wrong with me?"

Nothing.

Nothing is wrong with us, ladies! We are imperfect beings with all the quirkiness and annoying habits to go along with it. God created us in His image! If we ever feel like we have to change to be friends with someone, is that really a friendship to be pursued.

If you're the loud friend....shout it out girl!
If you're the shy friend....keep quiet girl!
If you're the sweet friend....keep on encouraging girl!
If you're the awkward friend....keep making things weird girl!
If you're the late friend....stop it, and show up on time! Just kidding! Come five minutes later girl!
If you're the intellectual friend...keep giving us useless information girl!
If you're the wild friend...keep pushing us out of our comfort zone girl!

The point is, we are all created unique and special. We should embrace the differences and love each other regardless. Naturally we are drawn to certain people, I get that, and we can't force something that isn't there, but we should always strive to love as Christ loved. He had twelve disciples that were all very different. Wanna guess who the wild one was of that bunch? *Cough* Peter.

Friends are truly a gift from God, iron sharpening iron.

Love more.

Give of yourself more.

Be open even if that means getting rejected.

Hurt when they hurt.

Rejoice when they rejoice.

Forgive even when they're not sorry.

Give more hugs.

Be yourself.

Top Ten Tuesday: Family Time

Let's face it! We live in a hectic world, barely making time for ourselves, let alone anyone else. However, it is so important that we make time for our loved ones, our family. I have three little ones, ages nine and under that need mommy and daddy time. They are just as busy as we are and need time to unwind. We live in an electronic-driven society and don't get me wrong, I LOVE technology...a lot! However, nothing can replace human contact and love. I am not perfect at this, but I am trying to do better. I am trying to put my phone down and make eye contact when my children tell me a story. I want to remember the facial expressions and mannerisms now! I don't want to miss out on the gleam in their eye when they are sharing their passions with me. Like I said, I probably fail more than I get stuff right, but my desire is to continue striving.

Today's top ten list is my family's favorite activities to do together that cost little to nothing!

Top Ten Family Activities

10. Museums/Exhibits. We don't frequent them often, but we do love going to them. If we go on road trips, we will try to stop at random, off-the-highway museums just to break up the monotony.

9. Clean. Believe it or not it is something we can do together. They don't alway enjoy or want to be involved, but I try and get them involved. I give them a damp washcloth and tell them to wipe baseboards, doors, whatever they want. They may not be doing it thorough, but they are involved and they enjoy that. I could say it builds a sense of camaraderie, teaches responsibility, gives them pride in a job well done, blah, blah, but we all know we just want to get our house clean. Include them in it, because all that other stuff is true, too.

8. Play Sports Outside. They love it when we join them outside for football, basketball, soccer, or just a game of chase. Get moving!

7. Orange Leaf. What can I say? It's good.

6. Read/Story Time. We read the Bible everyday together, but also enjoy reading all kinds of stories together. We even like to make up stories on the spot and tell them to each other. This one can get pretty silly.

5. Movie Theater. This is a big one for us. It is cheap and fun!

4. Dinner Time. I love siting around the table after a long day and just hearing them all talk. It is the BEST when we are all together for dinner.

3. Popcorn and Movie Night at Home. We often do this, usually Friday nights, if our schedule is open. What a great way to end a school/work week. Popcorn, movies, and cuddles!

2. Board Games. We love board games. Any kind!

1. Wrestle. Nothing can replace the joy I get when I heard those deep belly laughs they get during "wrestle time" (as they call it). Throwing them around, chasing them through the house, and "beating up daddy" is such a fun time around the Riley house!

What do you and your family like to do for fun?

Top Ten Tuesday: Goals

With a new year comes a new beginning for most, resolutions are so quickly made (and forgotten). I do not do New Year's resolutions. I am not against them, I just don't make them. However, I am all for setting goals for yourself throughout the entire year and changing them as needed to fit where you are in your life. I cannot set a goal or resolution for myself and assume NOTHING is going to change in my life in the next eleven months that could hinder this resolution. I can; however, set goals for myself and allow wiggle room for inevitable life changes and not beat myself up if I'm not perfect at all times. Because, honestly, everyday is a new beginning to do better than you did yesterday.

This list will cover some goals I have set for myself and to be honest I have already failed in some areas, but I am pushing forward and I will persevere through and by the grace of God,  I will do better!

Top Ten Goals for the New Year

10. Eat better. This is number 10, because I love pizza and brownies. But, hey, it's worth a shot. ;-)

9. Do better at birthday cards. Before my third child, I was super on top of birthday cards for family. Now...not so much.

8. Give more of myself to others. We live in a self-serving world and I want to be set apart from that. I want people to know that there are those in the world who will do anything for them expecting nothing in return.

7. Love more. :-)

6. Read more. My husband is probably saying, "Please No!" I do read a lot. I love reading! I want to read more. I want to make time during the school year to read and not cram every book on my list into summer and Christmas break. It is definitely my happy place.

5. Work out. I work out, but I also make excuses to slack here and there. I want to take care of the body God has given me. No more excuses.

4. Start studying the Bible verse by verse. I use to use commentaries and go verse by verse in my Bible study, but life got ahead of me and I started slacking and it became hit or miss. I need to get back to in-depth Bible study. I read my Bible everyday, but I want all that God's Word has to offer.

3. Prayer Journal. Again, I use to be faithful in keeping a prayer journal and going back to write down the day and way God answered them. Somewhere along the way, I stopped. I want that back.

2. Write a page everyday. It doesn't matter what I write just that I write.

1. Share the gospel with more people one on one and keep track of it. I do not want to keep track of it for record of a number, but for accountability reasons. It goes along the same premise of "calorie counting." Don't we all eat better if we know we are going to have to write down everything we put in our mouth? It keeps us accountable. In the same way, if I am tracking who I talk to, it will keep me accountable for doing what God has commanded me to do.

What are your goals this year?

What top ten list would you like to see? I need ideas people!!!!

In Remembrance

As we drive back from a family gathering on Christmas Eve, we veered off our exit and rounded the exit ramp to find two people standing at a roadside cross. No doubt, they were there remembering their loved one this holiday season. No doubt, they were mourning the loss of their loved one as they braved the cold weather to pay respect. Maybe they were replaying wonderful anecdotes to one another or possibly alone in their mind where that person is still ever-present. But then reality sets in, another holiday without them, another holiday with only their memory.

My heart broke...

So quick we are I am to forget and not take thought for those around me hurting and mourning this time of year. So busy this time of year becomes that we forget all the pain and sadness it imposes on others, while basking in the joy and merriment.

My mind then went to those, like myself, who have lost loved ones, yet have no memorial to stand before, no roadside cross to visit, because those people are still alive, at least in the literal sense.

My heart aches that these loved ones are a phone call away and yet just as far gone. As I stand at their figurative roadside cross, I am reminded of the pain this world has thrust us all into. We are all fighting a battle, whether outwardly or inwardly, and while our pain is different it is all related. It all goes back to the Garden, where the fall of man occurred.

God loves us so much that He promised He wouldn't leave us comfortless. If you are a child of God, you can rest in this promise. No matter how hard the road is or where you're standing on it, God is there with you.

I will remember God's love for me through His Son Jesus Christ, and I will remember those that are hurting around me and pray for them that they can have peace and joy.