Life of Eucharisteo

What IS friendship exactly? I say, friendship is what you make of it. For someone friendship comes in flesh and blood form. For others it’s across miles and oceans and the vastness of cyberspace. I’ve been blessed beyond measure by friendships and here’s a little about what friendship has been for me…. Friendship is coming alongside someone. Propping them up when they can’t do it for themselves. It’s sitting silently while they grieve, holding their hand and just letting them cry. It’s crying along with them. Friendship loves you for who you are. Warts and all. It’s listening. It’s sharing. It’s doing life together. A friend shows up to your house, comes right on in and knows to step over the pile of shoes at the door. She pushes aside the pile of unfolded laundry on the couch, sits down and starts helping you fold. (Underwear and all) She fixes her own glass of tea, and when she can’t find a clean glass she grabs one out of the sink and washes one. Then s...

　 　 It's Friday, and that means I get to visit with a great group over at Lisa-Jo Baker's place. A place where the words flow like fresh water for my soul and encouragement abounds. I look forward to meeting here each week to read the God-given words of the women He's using to change the world. Wont' you join us? It's been a while since I've joined in on a FMF. I have to confess...I normally just watch the clock for my five minutes, so I usually fudge just a little. Today I set the timer. Man that five minutes went by fast! Here you go. My five minutes on..... DIVE The tree is down. The calender is marking the last day of December. I’m standing on the edge of 2012 feeling a bit like Peter standing at the edge of the boat. I feel Jesus calling me into 2013. Asking me to step out. Step out boldly. Leap. Dive. But like Peter, I see the water. The deep, dark, place of uncertainty. I see Jesus. I know full well He is there waiti...

The words spilled out before I knew what was happening. They spilled out like a jar of marbles scattering everywhere. Spilled from my jar. The one I keep inside for just such words. Christmas started out much like it always does for my brood. The day AFTER Thanksgiving starts our Christmas season. We collect our 15 year old tree from the box in the barn. We pull out all the ornaments and reminisce over each and every one. We bake cookies. We listen to Christmas carols for 31 days straight, and we celebrate the birth of our King. Every year I watch my girls revel in all things Christmas, and every year I share in their joy. But for me, it always tastes bittersweet. You see since her first Christmas, I’ve felt like a big fat liar. I’ve done a great job at stuffing it. Stuffing the big secret into my jar and feeding into the fantasy. Why not? I lived it. It was fun. It was magical. It was what dreams were made of and I wanted her to experience the joy of Christmas. At least ...