Just a few random thoughts

So I just have a few thoughts bouncing around in my head and I wanted to get them out. I went on a women's retreat this weekend in Buena Vista. I decided to go really last minute, but I am glad I did. Most of the women were older than me, but it was good to watch and learn from them. It made me appreciate women even more.

I have been reflecting this semester on what I value. So far, I have come up with a few things that I know I value highly.

1. People. I feel most alive when I am talking one-on-one with someone having a meaningful conversation. This semester I have been trying to be more intentional about making time for those kind of conversations...and being open to them even when it isn't convenient for my "schedule."

2. Wisdom. I have been praying a lot for wisdom this semester. I have come to love Proverbs 8. I desire to be someone who makes wise decisions.

3. Friends who challenge me. I need friends in my life who challenge me. I need friends who can call me on my crap when I am in the wrong. I need friends who are not afraid to risk hurting me in order to help me. I look for this in all relationships.

4. Fun. I LOVE to have fun. I enjoy spontaneity and crazy, silly times. I can only go so long before I need to go do something fun. I love to laugh, especially with other people.

On another note, I have started physical therapy for my ankle. Yeah I know, you are probably thinking "I didn't know you were still having trouble with that" or "I had no idea there was anything wrong with your ankle." If you go back to my June posts you can read all about my ankle injury. Basically, it healed incorrectly and my range of motion is only about 20% of what it should be. I am doing exercises to help get my range of motion back. They are very simple things that you would probably not even think of as exercises...but they are very painful for me. My chiropractor said she hasn't seen an ankle as bad as mine in a very long time...awesome...NOT. I am hoping and praying that these exercises will help me get back to normal in time for summer. It is a very slow and painful process, but I know it will be worth it in the end. If you think about it, I would appreciate any prayers for this. If these exercises don't work I am afraid something more drastic may have to happen...surgery. Yikes.

Investments

I was just about to listen to a church history lecture online, but I felt I needed to write here instead. This morning I had a wonderful, but unexpected discussion with my 2 best girlfriends here in Denver. It is so good to be able to support one another when times get hard. God has blessed me immensely by these two women. They have pursued me as a friend even when I wanted to, and did, push them away. They have shown me Christ in their pursuit of me. How humbled and blessed I am.

God has put them, and other women in my life, to invest in me. I have reached a point where I love investing in them as well. This has pushed me to grow spiritually in so many ways. Letting these women see me and really know me (not just know about me) has produced so much spiritual growth in my life. Because they know me, they can challenge me and love me all at the same time.

For so long I would not let women (with a few exceptions) really get to know me. I have been hurt by females in my past and I have carried that baggage with me for a long time. I internalized a lot of things I've experienced from females in my past, but I am now coming to realize that not everyone is like they were. My female friendships have blessed me in far richer and different ways than my male friendships have. (I may be opening up can of worms with that statement, but that is ok). I have come to firmly believe that you NEED strong same-sex friendships in your life...and not just friendships, but friends that you can invest in and that can invest in you. Male/female friendship are just fine and dandy but there are some boundaries that I think definitely need to be put in place. I think the deep stuff, the intimate stuff, needs to be shared with same-sex friends....otherwise boundaries get crossed and things just get confusing. I think romantic relationships are the exception to that. It has taken me 23 years to realize that.

Who are you investing in? Who is investing in you? Are there people in your life that push you towards spiritual maturity instead of away from it? Find those people and hold onto them.