Faith

What does the word maintain mean to you?  I was reading Kate’s post this morning about how she’s struggling to maintain something important in her life.  I got to thinking about how sometimes the struggle to maintain relationships is very real. 

The Struggle to Maintain Relationships

Throughout my years I’ve been
blessed with the “Tinholt” gene.
I love being part of my extended
family but I have to admit the
social stuff is SO not our forte.

Figuring what and how to do stuff when
it comes to dealing with people,
I am not surprised when, like
many in my extended family we
don’t accept bossing well and love
to work along or with limited numbers
of people around us.

Figuring out the ins and outs of
social convention often causing no
end of issues.
but yet, we all find that friendships
are extremely important to us.
That necessity of community is vital.

So being how I am, how does one deal with
the struggle to maintain relationships?
There are many things to consider I
suppose. Time, energy, focus,
understanding, and what not.

My methodology

I love the personal one on one
connection between people. Add another
one or two to the mix and often I’ll
find myself lost. So finding the time
to do a quick tea break, or stop in
for a quick hello and touch base.
It’s so important to have the just
me and you time.

Writing letters and making phone calls
to those who are farther off, takes
time and energy to when at night
I so often just want to chill out
and just do nothing. 🙂

Joining with others in a bible
study set up, building new relationships
as I continue to forge relationship with
God who is above all,
and yet, that relationship, sometimes
seems the hardest to foster.

Taking the time to invite
others along on a quick shopping trip
or a drive out in the country.
Spending a day out with hubby, and
trying to figure out a way to
have fun with my boy once in a while.

I cant say I’ve got it all figured out
and I will not say its very easy
because indeed it is not.
But I suppose the fact that the
effort is regularly being made
is important no?

How does one maintain relationships
when so much of what people do
and say in their interactions with me
and others is often so very confusing?

One just keeps trying right?
One just keeps trying.

Looking to the Word of God

Philippians 2:1-11

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ² complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³ Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

 ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Romans 12:9-13

⁹ Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. ¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. ¹¹ Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. ¹² Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. ¹³ Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

So I’m very late in writing my five-minute Friday post from last week. It’s been a time of busyness and at the same time a time of relaxation.  I’m looking forward to the seasonal change, less work to do outside, more time (and in a less pressing way) to do needful things indoors. 

Hubsters and I went for a nice country drive and lunch out.  It was so nice to be out with him!  I said “We need to do this more often!  Keeping me out of the house means I actually take time to relax!”.   But all that relaxation pushed my timelines all skewy… ergo… Tuesday night and I’m still playing catch up!  🙂   It’s all good you know?   Shows me just how much I’ve been pushing myself to just keep going, and sometimes I just need to stop.  Hubsters and I are planning to have more just “go and drive days!”   It will be fun!!!!! 

Seasonal Change

Month after Month
day after day
minute after minute
time changes.

As time changes we
go through seasons of life
changing through the mere
movement of time.

Cells constantly dying
and being made and before we know it
we are a brand new person. Happening
just through the passing of seasons.

Sometimes those seasons of change
are easy and free flowing, like how spring
waters melt snow and expose the
ground to the warmth of the son
helping the plants burst forth.

And there’s the harder changes
the bitter cold of encroaching winter
after the heat of summer, making
you regret living on a place
with four different seasons.

But as happens with all seasonal
changes and internal growth, even though
both can be difficult,
the good can easily be seen once
the difficult time of change
is worked through.

You know what?  Not all of what I write in my poetry is completely reflective of my life.  It is reflective of me, my friends, the books I read, people I meet and so much more.  Inspiration happens everywhere.  Sometimes, while one is working hard in a garden, listening to a book that is BEYOND boring, one has time to consider a five minute Friday word.   And as I worked, strive to reach more or less popped into being.   And it spilled out for you to read!  🙂 

Strive to Reach

To strive is word of action
whereby one works hard to achieve
a goal, or an object, or just something desired.

One can strive hard to make a marriage
work even when one’s partner does things
make it very hard to be in the same room
as he is in.

One can have all kinds of plans
in place lining out how one will
work through a mental list of duties
and then have those plans not come to fruition
despite all the work in getting things organized.

One can work hard to be a success
at one’s job despite having a boss
that doesn’t seem to appreciate the
work you put in.

Even though you look in the mirror daily
striving to be the person God has
called you to be, sometimes, like a friend
on facebook says, you need to show yourself
compassion for being less than you aught to be.

Her statement made me wonder,
should we show ourselves compassion when,
we know marriage is sometimes a struggle?

Should we show our bosses compassion when
they just don’t get it what they have in
the people they employ?

Does being easier on ourselves as we strive
for our goals, or what we desire
should we show grace to those in our
path who make us push harder to be the
people we are supposed to be?

how can we strive to reach
our ultimate goal while
showing grace to those who sharpen
us on our journey?

How do we, in essence say,
thank you God for the sharpening
he does in your life through
the people and events he allows to
interfere in all the striving you do
so that in the end, the striving you do
makes the goal all the more attainable.