16 August 2014

Five Minute Friday ~ Tell

Posting a day late this week - because I'm posting at a life overseas: the missions conversation on Friday. 

If you have a second, or if you work/ever have worked/ever hope to work as an expat living overseas, outside your passport country... take a gander over to that site and explore a bit. 

There's a pretty amazing group of writers who regularly post there and I'm still just flabbergasted that I get to be a part of their team...


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And now for 5mf... a day late!

Friday's word was "tell."

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When I was younger, a couple of questions...
a certain type of question...
haunted me.
In my mind, I labeled them telling questions.
  • How can I tell when a relationship moves from acquaintance to real true friend?
  • How will I be able to tell that he's the one?
Books and movies often make it seem like there must be a lightening bolt instant, a thundering of the heart, a meeting of the eyes, a depth of feeling disclosed, a declared undying loyalty, a sharp and sudden change that cements it all - something that somehow makes some sort of memorable moment - which then chases away all doubt and welcomes confident certainty instead.

It's never really been that way for me. I mean, I know with some of my closer friends, I knew I wanted a friendship to happen and I thus made the effort to spend time and get to know the person. But even today, with those who know me best, I wonder if it will last...

Relationships are like that... unpredictable... yet so necessary, so beautifully scary, so painfully worth it.

With a few relationships, I look back to realize that for over time, kindness, love, care, concern, service, challenge, confrontation...  it all has been spilling over and relationship has become treasured friendship, even if I never, ever pinpoint that telling moment, the first drop that ran up, out and over.



“We cannot tell the exact moment a friendship is formed; 
as in filling a vessel drop by drop, 
there is at last a drop which makes it run over; 
so in a series of kindnesses, 
there is at last one that makes the heart run over.” 
(Sadly, I have no idea to whom I should attribute this quote.)

photo credit: stephcarter via photopin cc
photo credit: jordandouglas via photopin cc

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Linking up with Kate today for another 5mf!

4 comments:

  1. Hi Richelle. It's good to meet you and yours here! I share some of the thoughts you describe about relationships and friendships. God really blessed me recently by bringing a new soul sister into my life that I hadn't realised I desperately needed. Despite having a fair number of church friends, my inability to attend services due to chronic illness has rendered them more distant and none were close to sharing my views and theological understanding.
    Now, as this new friend and I share deeply from the heart, I have cried in gratitude and praise because I am so thankful to have her in my life! Most of my friendships over the last few years have been online ones and I lacked a 'Jesus with skin on' woman close at hand who I could truly be real with.
    Such a gift of grace when we find or are given enough relationally to make our cup run over and overflow to others! Thank you for this lovely post. Visiting from #fiveminutefriday. Have a blessed weekend. :)

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    Replies
    1. Thankful for God's provision of a soul sister... or a kindred spirit, as we say in our family. May your cup continue to overflow!

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  2. interesting post. sometimes with friends we have to stop wondering if they will last and just get on with the business of being a good friend...taking the time to listen and care and share regardless of how long it will last. When it comes to a partner... then we need to pray and take time and think. :)

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    Replies
    1. oh yes... i totally agree that we need to more about the business of being a good friend than wondering if someone is a friend to us... you know how a 5mf goes... you just kinda empty whatever thoughts the prompt brings to mind down on the page.

      thanks for the visit and hope you had a great weekend.

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