Embracing Those Around Us.

I’ve been spending the last few weeks since Christmas catching up on things. You know the usual putting away holiday décor, “prespring” cleaning, and getting things back into a routine. One of the major things I didn't notice that had been left untended was catching up with friends. I thought as though I had seen, visited, sent letters and even gifted during the holiday season enough to hold everybody over for a while. Looking back at all of my efforts to place a sugar coating over my lack of presence in friends lives; I came to the conclusion that overkill once a year doesn't maintain the “ship”. I have spent the past two or three days that I had off visiting either by phone or in person with close friends, good neighbors and family. Still have a long way to go but starting to feel better about these relationships that I cherish. My apologies to those of you, who have not seen me in months, trust that I have not forgotten you even though my apparent efforts have seemed as such. I am still working on getting in touch with many special people. I have written before about maintaining bridges that take you nowhere. How sometimes it is good to let the bridge meet its maker and move on. Dear friends are not one of those things you can allow this to happen with. I am admittedly shorter on time than I have been in the past few years but I have also resigned myself to being a better friend. I suppose this means writing a letter once in a while, sending an email or “gasp” a text or message. I know the last few methods don’t really win me an A+ on the friendship charts; but hopefully they allow me a way of saying, “I still care about you and value our relationship”. I have always been one to host a lunch or dinner and actually sit face to face with friends. This has been a hard few months to do this but I am working on it. Anybody who knows me well is aware that I am a “type A” chatty patty. I wasn’t always this way. I was actually very quiet and shy as a child but starting noticing that the type A’s seemed to have way more fun and a lot more support in life. I don’t know if this is true but I’ll stick with my conclusion on this one (haha). I enjoy hosting a party, I love making my friends and family feel welcome. I am a giver and a nurturer and am happiest when I am hands on with a project for someone. I grew up with parents that seldom hosted or went anywhere if there was a single obstacle. I have had to overcome that way of thinking. However when things get hectic I tend to fall back to my roots. I have resigned myself today to get back to enjoying life; to reaching out. How much better would all of our lives be if we got some sort of “I really care about you” during the week? So even if you get a text from me know I am working my way back up to lunches and evening get together. We are the sum of those we surround ourselves with. If we have nobody to share our lives with, to me it makes for a dull existence. Besides a smile on a friends face or a hug is always worth even the smallest gesture of kindness isn't it? Not to make be a gloomy person I always think about the Christmas many years ago. I was in a huge rush to get in and out of a store. I was running late and was tired. I saw a friend of mine who frequently stopped in for a visit in the afternoon. I valued her friendship but didn’t have time to stop and talk this day (yes, I know sometimes you just can’t). I didn’t have a “real” reason just that I was in one of those moods of “no obstacles”, she was always long winded. A week later I found out my friend had taken ill and passed away. I am still saddened and ashamed that I was in my heart to selfish to stop for maybe 5-10min. to talk. All too often in life we don’t get second chances. This was one of those times. After that I always try to make the time to say hi, give a hug or at best ask, “When can we reschedule this I would love to see you!” So while crumbling bridges are not really anybody’s “thing” if the bridge is still working put some effort into it. You will never know how rich the payoff may be. Blessed are those with many friends for they have wealth beyond measure. “Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some have unknowingly entertained angels” ~Hebrews 13:1-2 Embrace friendships both old and new you never know where they may take you. Copyright Micheline Edwards 2013

God plans little Things too...

I enjoyed an unexpected day at home today and spent the morning catching up with friends. It is funny how things work out sometimes. I drove slowly down the back roads over to help a friend and neighbor with a sick pig and see their new puppies. I drove slowly, as you do on dirt roads. I enjoyed the frost covered winter scenery and thought about how much these simple country moments mean. When I got there my friend was out feeding and watering. I helped my friend (in his 80’s) finish his morning chores and we went in to have coffee and chat with his wife. Sometimes it is the simple things that are so meaningful. We talked about puppies, unfinished and unending projects that pop up around a farm and what kinds of seed we needed to order for our spring pastures to perk up after last summer’s long hot drought. As I left he tucked a seed catalog under my arm and walked me to my car. I so enjoy the energy that he has and his gentlemanly charm even on a day when it is about 22 degrees outside. I got home and broke water (again) for our livestock and went inside to tackle some projects. As I was starting a pot of stew for dinner and cutting up vegetables my thoughts wandered to how nice the morning visit was. I then began thinking about simple time’s years ago and how friends would spend all morning doing chores together and sipping coffee. I thought about how neighbors were friends and how everyone cared for one and other with deep value for life. My thoughts then went to my Amish friends who I had not spoken to in a few months. I missed going to their community and how the world came to a new pace when you were there. I don’t know that slower is the way to describe the Amish life style but simple and pure surely do seem to fit. Just as I was longing to visit with my friends in the Amish community, the phone rang and it was to my delight one of my Amish friends. So nice it was to hear her sweet voice and get caught up. While she was not in my home I felt as though we were in the same kitchen as we chatted and I worked. We finished our visit while I finished my stew and dishes. I passed greetings and well wishes on to my other friends and we ended our phone visit with a promise to see each other in person soon. As I sit here I ponder how things sometimes occur even without our own understanding. While today these were simple gifts of friendship and thought; I would have missed out on these had I been at work. I was unaware of these sweet gifts when I was deciding not to go to work (due to illness circulating there). I was even somewhat upset about missing pay (although I didn't care to get what everyone else had) but now I realize I would have missed so much more today than the all mighty dollar. Of course we all do need cash to function and we all need the jobs that generate this cash flow. It is sad sometimes how these jobs that allow us to live in our society often isolate us from society and what matters. While I cannot miss work every day; I am so glad I spent the unexpected day at home. I got a chance to catch up with dear friends and several things around the house. It does seem that God has a plan for us even in the smallest matters.Copyright 2013 Micheline Edwards All rights Reserved.

Happy New & Better Year

I am sitting in my kitchen this morning with snow on the ground and the first of the year behind me. The coffee pot beckons me to have another cup and get back to routine. It has been a long while since I written an entry. My lack of entries was certainly not due to lack of material but probably more time. Gandhi is quoted for one of my favorite life lessons. “There is more to life; than simply increasing its speed”. While this is true and I try to obey this mantra, life doesn’t always follow rules. Sometimes life takes you in directions you never saw coming and they DO move at the speed of light. Often for our betterment, sometimes not and occasionally sorting it all out in a fifty~ fifty split is insanity at its best! I put considerable thought into what to write about in my first entry for the New Year. Would it be a fancy “letter” about our holiday happenings? A list of resolutions that are not really going to better the world or me (come on, you all know you have good intentions but what really happens). Would I chat with you about the birth of our Savior? Or the problems in the world? After much thought I have decided to keep this simple. What would make the world a better place? Whoa!!!! That is not simple you say. End world hunger, create universal peace etc. Really friends, I am into simple, I promise! I am asking each of you to look at yourselves and those around you and apply basic preschool wisdom. Treat others as you too would wish to be treated. You know replace the toilet paper roll, wipe your feet, put your dishes in the sink, and be responsible for your own belongings, say please and THANK-YOU, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze (or better yet stay home and rest and not make others sick). You all know you get angry when others come to work or school sick yet we continually do it to each other. Once in a while hug someone because they deserve a pat or need comfort. Forgive others for mistakes they made (or at best be civil) remember “no matter how flat you smash a coin there are always going to be two sides”. Try your best at everything you do… but also know when to walk away from a bridge that leads nowhere (they are expensive to maintain). If you have the resources (time or money) help those in need. If you are the one in need…Ask those who love you for help (Put away your pride). Everybody needs help sometime, everybody has people who love them even when they think they don’t, and you can always ask God. Know that whatever happens to you or someone else we are all human. By God’s design in giving us free will we will not always make the best choices. It is hard not to judge others but remember most of us thought we were doing the right thing at the time. Most of us don’t aim to disappoint. Be honest! Take a walk, have a picnic, plant a tree or garden and enjoy the gifts of our world. Pick up that piece of trash on the sidewalk even if you didn’t put it there. Bring a friend a cup of coffee, a single piece of chocolate in a brown bag or dinner when they need a lift. Leave a note of joy on somebodies windshield or help an elderly person load their groceries next time you are out. Life DOES move at the speed of light but taking the time to make it a better place isn’t a monumental task but one of everyday thoughtfulness. Who among us doesn’t have time on a daily basis to do at least one of these things or something like this to make the world better? May all of you have a most joyous and blessed New Year. May 2013 bring you peace, hope, good health, prosperity, and the common sense to do unto others as you would want them to do unto you. Copyright 2013 Micheline Edwards All rights Reserved.