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.