Friendship needs no words...

Friends are people travelling in the same direction, they have similar aspirations and goals, and they encourage each other in reaching those goals. Friends are not people who tear you down, they are not people who are jealous. They are people who can help you develop your talents and gifts with thoughtful advice and direction. Genuine friendship means caring and concern and a desire to see the other person's dreams and desires come to fruition. It is not only giving help, but accepting it as well. A true friend is someone you can trust. Someone you can be accountable with and someone who will not take your personal issues outside of your friendship unless absolutely necessary. Trust is the most important factor in any friendship and once broken, it's hard to get back to where you started. Friendship involves giving time, because time equals sacrifice. Friendship is listening even when you want so badly to interject. Just listen.

Aristotle considered friendship a necessity to live. He claimed that no individual would choose to live without friends even if the individual had all of the other good things in life. He also describes friendship as a virtue. He felt that it is something that every human must have in order to reach a peaceful state of mind. It has all of the qualities of good as long as both parties in the friendship are considered good.

I feel so blessed to have, in addition to my husband, and close family, a handful of very good friends. I couldn't always say that. Acquaintances were in abundance, and I thought back then, that these relationships would last forever. Oh, the naivety of childhood. Over the years, these people have come and gone. It's the real ones that are hard to pick out. The real ones love you not in spite of your imperfections, but because of them.

Thank you for loving me. I only hope I've given you in return what you've given to me.

Dandelions

I feel a little like when a child is following their parent, but they're doing it at a distance. They get distracted by the things beyond the sidewalk. Their parent's shadow is in front of them, so they decide to jump on it, aware that it won't do anything, but hoping that something spectacular will happen. Seeing a pretty white fluffy flower in the grass, they pick it and carry it with them, thinking that this flower will last forever (even though the last one didn't). They look into the sky and begin to imagine animals out of the clouds. They get so lost in imagination that they forget to pay attention and BOOM! They run into the back of mom or dad's legs. And to top it all off, they look down to see that their beautiful flower has all blown away into the wind.

I've had my head in the clouds. And now, reality has hit me. I wasn't prepared for it. It hurt, a lot. It knocked me backwards for a moment. It's my own fault for not paying attention. Now though, I feel a greater obligation to make sure the people in my life know that I love them. They will probably get sick of me, but that's ok. I realize now how delicate life is and how short it can be. We only get one chance to walk this thing out, and in an instant, it could be gone.

Relationships are hard work, but they are what matter. We as human beings have a deep-rooted need, a desire for intimacy. The longing to be cared for and to care for others is what allows us to live more fulfilling lives. It becomes so much more meaningful to share our common experiences and and interests when we have others that we care about to share them with. If we have experiences but there is no fellowship, it almost seems pointless.

I'm ready for this season to be over and for the next one to begin. There has been a lot of joy, in addition, a great deal of pain. I'm not expecting that the next season will not include both happiness and sorrow because there is room for growth in each of those areas. But I am hoping that I will find some peace. Peace of mind, peace of heart, piece of soul.

Dear Matthew

Hello friend, we miss you very much. We know you've been over in Afghanistan, fighting for our country, for our freedom, and I just wanted to say thank you. Not only for what you do but because of who you are. You're an amazing young man of God. You are a wonderful husband to your beautiful bride, Liana. You have your whole life ahead of you. I was envisioning your life together and all of the wonderful things you could do. What an amazing team for the Lord you will be. I hope you are teaching those other marines what you know about the love of Jesus. They need it, just like you needed it. You are so unselfish, leaving your new bride and life behind to serve people who you do not know. But that doesn't matter to you Matthew, because you serve the Lord. I'm so thankful to know you, you have been a shining light in my life.

We love you,
The Bixlers


Save a seat for me in heaven.
Rest In Peace Matthew Broehm.




Hero
By Skillet

I'm just a step away
I'm just a breath away
Losing my faith today
Falling off the edge today

I am just a man
Not superhuman
I'm not superhuman
Someone save me from the hate

It's just another war
Just another family torn
Falling from my faith today
Just a step from the edge
Just another day in the world we live

I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero, save me now
I need a hero to save my life
A hero will save me just in time

I've gotta fight today
To live another day
Speaking my mind today
My voice will be heard today

I've gotta make a stand
But I am just a man
I'm not superhuman
My voice will be heard today

It's just another war
Just another family torn
My voice will be heard today
It's just another kill
The countdown begins to destroy ourselves

I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero, save me now
I need a hero to save my life
A hero will save me just in time

I need a hero to save my life
I need a hero, just in time
Save me just in time
Save me just in time

Who's gonna fight for what's right?
Who's gonna help us survive?
We're in the fight of our lives
And we're not ready to die

Who's gonna fight for the weak?
Who's gonna make 'em believe?
I've got a hero, I've got a hero
Living in me

I'm gonna fight for what's right
Today I'm speaking my mind
And if it kills me tonight
I will be ready to die

A hero's not afraid to give his life
A hero's gonna save me just in time

I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero, save me now
I need a hero to save my life
A hero will save me just in time

Who's gonna fight for what's right?
Who's gonna help us survive?
Who's gonna fight for the weak?
Who's gonna make 'em believe?
I've got a hero

I need a hero
A hero's gonna save me just in time

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Why me?

Why me?
I'm thankful that it's me.
But why me?
We are so different.
We have nothing in common.
But nothing happens by accident.
This was predetermined.
I know that you're hurting.
I know that you're lost.
I know that you're scared, but of what?
I'm here for you.
How can I help you?
I want to help you.
My heart is breaking for you.
Getting over a painful experience is like crossing monkey bars.
You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.
You're feeling vulnerable.
I'm glad that I make you feel safe.
I know you have a big heart.
Why do you hide behind a wall?
It's time to tear down those crumbling bricks.
But you have to do it.
I can help you.
But you have to want it.
You are a beautiful person.
Share your beauty with the world.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sheep with sharp teeth

I was listening to a song today by Lacrae called High. He laid a line that said "the world full of them sheep with sharp teeth." But we are the sheep right? Because Jesus is the shepherd...

I get so frustrated when "Christians" parade around saying horrible things about people they know nothing about. I understand that they have probably been taught en route to their adult life that this type of behavior is okay, but it doesn't make it right. The great commission in Matthew 28:19-20 says:

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

So when these so called Christians are criticizing and labeling and protesting, not only shutting out huge demographics of people who need the love of Jesus, but degrading and arguing with other believers, I will have my arms outstretched and will be listening and I will be loving.

Be gentle sheep with me.

Love the unlovable...


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Love is a gift, not an obligation.

I love that trust is being built where there was none before. This might be a really funny analogy but I feel trusted when I'm driving kids around, and they can fall asleep. It makes me feel like they know I will keep them safe, so they can rest their heads. "To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved." -George MacDonald. Trust is something that is very important to me because I haven't always been a trusting person myself. I've felt abandoned, lied to, stepped on, and pushed around. Learning how to re-trust someone is not an easy task, let alone trusting a stranger. I've had multiple conversations with our girls starting with "I don't expect you to trust me..." and I don't, honestly. These girls have been through enough, the last thing they want to do is put themselves in a position to be hurt again. I know I'm not perfect, and I let them know that I will make mistakes, and I will probably make a wrong decision and have to apologize for it... But all I have in my heart is compassion and care and a genuine love. I do worry about their futures, I worry that if they don't know that they have someone to fall back on, someone that will wrap them up in love even when they screw up royally, that they will turn to something or someone else to accept them. That's one of my greatest fears, but all I can do is continue to pray, stay consistent, and tell them that we care, even when it seems to them like we don't.

Hallo- weenie :/

It was a pretty un-eventful halloween... I had fun, not sure that the girls did entirely. The ones that came back from pass weren't very happy to be back at SPA, they wanted to be with their families, which I understand. The ones that were already here were upset because there wasn't anything fun going on for halloween (shame on you SPA). We tried to make it more exciting and rented a scary movie on On-Demand, Nightmare on Elm Street. Not my first choice, but it wasn't horrible. There were 7 of us squished into our tiny living room. It was good family time. I wish we could've made the holiday more fun for them, but I'm new at this, trying to make eight very different teenagers all happy at the same time, thing...

Tomorrow, it's back to the normal routine.

Now we just have about 3lbs of candy left that needs to be out of my house.

Oh, and I'm one game away from winning the football pool at work. GO COLTS! I don't really like football, but I do like 105 dollars! My hubby is jealous that I beat him. HAHA