Category: friendship

Waiting on Life

So, here I sit, one-year later…. one year of being cancer free and adjusting to my new body. But how well have I really adjusted to my new life?

After surviving a life-threatening disease, you come out of it renewed, ready to live life to the maximum. You’re ready to fulfill your purpose. I wanted to awaken each day and fulfill what God’s plans were for me.

And I think I’m failing at that miserably…

More often than not, I’m the queen of procrastination. My main goal in life is to be a writer. I’ve started three books, but have yet to finish them. I even refer to myself as a writer, however it seems I’m doing anything but that. I am very involved in ACFW, which is American Christian Fiction Writers (www.acfw.com). Being around those other writers is inspiring and makes me feel like I truly belong. Here in DFW, we have a local ACFW chapter, which is the DFW Ready Writers (waving to you all!). It’s wonderful to be friends with other writers, as we all understand each other, and know that it’s okay to have voices in your head! (As in, our characters are usually talking to us!). I’m blessed with all of these people.

But I feel like I’m blowing my opportunities! I’m wasting the time I’ve been given, and letting all my other “jobs” get in the way. Being on the board of ACFW is just an excuse not to write. I’m doing everything in and around the writing world, except for writing! I’m very frustrated with myself.

My local writing buddies: RK, MO, JO, LG, KG, and JT are terrific and inspiring. I just hope they don’t give up on me as I work my way through this avoidance or procrastination… whatever it is that’s stopping me these days.

Oh yeah, I’m moving this weekend…But that’s just another excuse.

I said to myself I’ll write after I heal from my surgery, or when I’m finished with my term on the board of ACFW, or I’ll write after I get moved and settled, or I’ll write after our national conference in a few weeks. It’s like I’m waiting for everything to line up perfectly so I can sit down and write.

Well, life isn’t going to wait on me. So, why am I waiting on life to do what I really want to do? Especially after last year — You think I would’ve learned something. I should be living my life fully. Everyone should be…

Don’t wait on life. It’s always going to be a little messy and there will always be something that comes up and interrupts your schedule. We just need to work through that. I want to do the work that God has called me to do. So, I pray that my local writing buddies will bear with me — that they will continue to support me and even kick my backside on occasion to keep me going.

Isn’t that what friends are for?

Bosom Buddies

A friend of mine was just diagnosed with DCIS. For those who don’t know, DCIS stands for Ductal Carcinoma In-Situ. If you have to get breast cancer, well, this is the one to get. It’s very treatable, very curable if caught early. My friend has had the biopsy, awaiting the MRI, then whatever treatment plan comes from there. I’m guessing lumpectomy and probably radiation.

She’ll do just fine. She has a strong faith, a wonderful family, and friends who will love and support her. She has a great sense of humor, too, which you definitely need.

She’s putting on a brave face, and she is brave, don’t get me wrong. But I also can see the fear in her eyes, and I know how overwhelming it all can be. I want to help her and support her. I want to reassure her she WILL get through all of this. I don’t know the best way to do this for her, but I guess number one is just to listen. When she wants to talk, let her talk.

Her experience will differ from mine, just because we’re different people. However, listening and being there is something we all can do for a friend, especially if we’ve been through the same thing.

I don’t want to smother my friend, nor do I want to ignore her. I want to reassure her — hold her hand, remind her that this is all treatable and survivable. After all, she’s now joined this exclusive club that none of us wanted to join. But here we are — Bosom Buddies, so to speak.

So as her Bosom Buddy, I’ll be there when she wants me there, and I’ll leave her be when she needs time on her own. Most of all, I’ll do my best to listen to her, pray for her, and just be a good friend.

I guess this is something we should do for all the people in our lives — be a friend.

Keep on truckin’ everyone!