Isn't it Funny?

Isn't it funny how you have different friends for different needs in your life? In my last post, I shared about the encouragement I receive from my writing pals.  Today, I want to give a shout out to my church sisters.   Again, it is a group of women who "get" me, but on a different level than my writing buddies do. So maybe I should change the initial question of "Isn't it funny?" to "Isn't God good?!"

We are knit together with so many different characteristics that one person couldn't possibly relate to them all. God was the Knitter, He knows that so He brings little pockets of people to encourage each of our attributes.  Even our husbands can't relate on every level. They definitely serve a purpose and meet needs that our girlfriends can't in the areas of protecting, providing, ... and stuff. God brings certain people across our paths for a reason: to supply a need, to spur us on, to laugh with us.

I have  mentioned before that my husband and I have quite the opposite senses of humor. Here is another example. We were at a church music concert last weekend.   Even though we have watched this group, The Joint Heirs, many times and they sing some of the same songs each time, I tend  to get teary-eyed.  I can't help it. Different songs hit me at each concert, depending on what is going on in my life at that time.  Well, this night was no different.  Tears were running down my face, the pastor's wife handed me a tissue and I hear my husband compassionately whisper, "Quit your sniveling. We are supposed to be the rocks in this establishment."  I am used to this sort of teasing so I didn't miss a lick. I whispered back, "The Bible says that even the rocks will cry out."  Now, I did get a smile out of him, but my sisters would have laughed out loud!

Like my writing friends, my church sisters and I can play off each others humor very well too, but at a different level. We hang out a lot and have a lot of material we can use in our laugh sessions.   I set up a Sisters facebook page and we also have a group message. After one of our humorous  message sessions one of the girls decided that SIS should stand for Slightly Insane Sisters. Very fitting, I must say!

We have the younger women on there, the middle aged and the older women. The young girls in the group giggle at some of the conversations the middle-aged ones engage in, although they can be quick to throw a punchline in there as well. The older ones are usually so quiet that sometimes we forget they are there until we see a remark pop up from them, making us hope we didn't cross a boundary. Of course, we keep it clean, we just get carried away at teasing each other at times.  I approached one of the older ladies at church one day and said, "I hope we haven't been offensive in our interactions on our group message." She laughed and said she loved reading them and that she still  feels very young in her mind and hadn't been offended at all.

I love the assurance I have in this group of women that even though there is a time for laughter, that they will be the first lending a shoulder when there is a time for tears.  We have shared many heartaches over the years on many different levels, whether it be over hurt feelings, trouble with our children and marriages, or a death in the family. My sisters are the first ones that are there for me. They listen, the cry with me, they offer advice from the Bible and from their hearts.

My sisters and I are a team and I don't know what I do without them.   As our church grows, the needs become greater and I have some serious worker bees that I can call upon to help me. I love that!  I love that we can work together and serve together and laugh together.   This weekend we have been invited to go on a retreat with another church and five of us will be attending.   A few of them have not met my sisters from the other church yet and I am excited to see the interaction that they will have. I know my girls here will bring a flare to the event that I'm not quite sure the other girls are prepared for, but I can guarantee that flare is what will make them invite us again next year!  I also can guarantee that I will have a LOT more to write about next week upon our return!  God is good!

I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends!

I just spent the day at a restaurant with a couple of great friends, although we were missing one from the group today who was unable to attend.   These are not girls that I am able to hang out with every day as we live in different parts of the valley. However, we love to get together to share a common interest: writing.  Each of us has a deep passion for writing. We have important things to tell the world and penning these ideas on paper is the path we have chosen.

Have you ever left someone's company feeling inspired and encouraged?  That is what these friends do for me.   If we are stuck on an aspect of writing, we are able to brainstorm together.  If we are needing an honest assessment of our work, we know we can count on each other to be truthful and helpful.  If we are embarking on a new writing adventure, we can count on each other to show enthusiasm.  I always leave our meetings wanting to go home and write!

We all need people in our lives who "get" us. When someone asks me about my projects, my heart FILLS with joy and  I could talk all day about it.  However, for the listener , a little bit may go a long way.   When you are with others who share a common interest, the sky is the limit.  You never have to worry about talking too much about one topic because they will be talking just as much about the same topic!

When this particular group and I get together, we play off of each other's humor well, which makes it even more fun!  We laugh and giggle and crack silly jokes.  There is a lot of play on words because words are our best friends!  If I use the same humor around my husband, I am more likely to get an eye roll than a chuckle. Although he is my biggest fan, our humor is not always on the same wavelength.

I want to encourage each of you to find your niche. What are your interests? What talents do you have? Find a group that will nurture those gifts. Meet with them periodically and experience that enjoyment of being you completely.   We have to spend enough time during our days trying to fit into molds that are too confining. Allow yourselves the freedom to meet with like-minded people who cheer you on in your endeavors.  It keeps us going!

The girls and I have been very excited to gather our talents together and offer opportunities to be that encouraging word in another writer's life and help them to achieve their dreams.  You can learn more about us (myself, Carol Green, Phyllis Vavold and Sheila Eismann) and see for yourself the exciting things that are going on in our world by visiting http://idahocreativeauthorsnetwork.com/ . We love being able to meet with other people that have  the passion for writing because we are able to customize our events according to their needs.

The Taboo I am Willing to Talk About

There is a topic that is constantly discussed on radio and TV talk shows. The topic has strong supporters and opposers. I will drop a few hints for you:  it is a topic that affects 1 in 4 women IN  THE  CHURCH.  In the United States alone it has involved 1.37 million in a year. Hitler’s horrific impact actually pales in comparison to the results of this topic.

I am sure you have guessed the subject by now.   Abortion.

Here is the thought I have been pondering. As wide spread and as loud as people seem to get about this issue, why is it not talked about.   Did that just sound like a complete contradiction? Let me explain. Politically, people will take a stand. Groups of people have no problem getting together with their signs to protest one way or the other. Churches will preach their belief  on the topic. But when it comes to one on one interaction with these groups, people all of a sudden have something else to do. Why is that?

We live in a time that people seem to be in such a hurry. Maybe it has always been that way, I don’t know. What I do know is that people seem to be afraid to look each other in the eye. What do you think the basis of that fear is? Are we afraid people will tell us the truth if we provide a safe place for them to open up? Are we concerned that we won’t be equipped to handle the things they tell us? Are we afraid that person will have to be another one we cross off our friend’s list because they don’t quite measure up to those with whom we choose to associate? On the other hand, why don’t we volunteer information and let people really get to know us? Why don’t we look people in the eye? Are we worried about judgment and rejection?  Are we naïve to think we are the only ones to experience certain things? Are we afraid we might have something to offer and it will take us too far out of our comfort zone?

Abortion is a touchy subject, no doubt. However, it is one that needs to be discussed. We have young women in our schools and our churches that are finding themselves in difficult circumstances and don’t have anywhere to turn. Statistics show that 74% of women who choose abortion state that it is for social reasons, namely they feel it will interfere with school or work.  These women/girls do not have a support system willing to come alongside them.  We have women in our churches that are hiding their secret, afraid of being judged. They may go for years, living in torment because they feel there is nowhere safe to turn.

We have to start truly ‘seeing’ people. If we could find the combination to the safe behind the eyes of people, we could enter a dimension that nobody has ever visited. Countless people (men and women) are hurting, entangled in the chains of their past and are aching to be set free. You could be the one to help them!  Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone and open up about this topic? If you know somebody who has been involved in this decision, are you willing to extend love to them and help them heal? If you are one who has made this decision, are you willing to break your silence and save lives?!

I am going to be doing a series of blogs discussing the physical, emotional and spiritual consequences of abortion. Many lives are lost due to this act, but many minds are forever tormented following this decision. Please invite people to this site or send them to the following links. Thank you for wanting to make an impact! 

http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Behind-Eyes-JoEllen-Claypool-ebook/dp/B00FD65ZTM/

https://www.facebook.com/TheSecretsBehindTheEyes?ref=hl

Have a Cup of Jo

Good morning! Pull up a chair and have a cup of Jo(e) with me.  Have you found that a pot of coffee tastes better when it is shared with a friend? Why is that?  I think part of it is that it is probably the one point in our day that we are relaxed. We can just sit and enjoy a conversation with a friend.  We can laugh, we can cry and just be us.

What gets us to that point of friendship though? It is a process. I have to admit, I am a bit of a recluse. I have always struggled with being shy from the time I was little. As I grew, it didn't get any better. In fact, I would have rather crossed the street if I saw somebody walking up the sidewalk towards me for fear I would have to look up and say 'hi'. People scared me to death.

I remember a comedian back in the day (the 80's were 'my day') said that "it is the quiet girls you have to be careful around because they have skeletons in their closets. The reason they are quiet is because they are afraid if they speak, one of those bones may come up and choke them in the throat." Maybe. We all have our stories, that is for sure! My husband told me one day, "Honey, you need to get a friend outside of the church."  My response was, "And how am I supposed to do that? I homeschool and I go to church. That's it!" 

So reader, you are my friend. Oh, of course I have friends, in the church and outside but life just gets so busy for all of us that it is hard to personally connect in today's world. It's not easy to make friends. We have to take risks by tearing down any walls we may have and let them into our world. We need to learn to look people in the eye and realize that they may have walls built up as well. We need to learn to trust each other. I truly believe there is a reason why each person crosses our paths. We can learn something from them but you may also have something they need: a kind word, a healing touch, a listening ear.  Make the most of every opportunity! Build those relationships! Invite your friend over for a cup of Joe!

Have a blessed day!