*Warning*

this could be a possible commentary...sorry!

This past week at church, Pastor Rick spoke about how broken our nation is and how are states, communities, friendships, marriages, homes and our lives are in need of a big ol' healing and the message was full of ways we can heal them.

Do you know what the #1 problem with everything is?.....PRIDE..We all think we know better, know more.etc...                                                                                                                           and do you know what the first thing we need to do to recover from the mess that this world is in...CONFESS...and I don't mean going into a small room and telling someone you can not see, or telling only GOD...we need to tell others. 

Pastor Rick says "Revealing your feelings is the beginning of Healing"

My trailer-park contribution is ..."Confess your Mess so you Live more and worry Less"

okay..I need to stop here and doodle his for you..hold on...okay, I am back.  Here we go...

it is a really good something to not only read or think about, but actually do. He said something to that really stuck ...

"I need other people to help me change"

Have you ever though of it that way?  I have not, in fact, I think I have always thought & done the opposite.  For me, when times are tough, rough, hard or uneasy, I tend to shy away from people and just stay to myself..in my little home. I feel safe and protected. I am in my element, mostly doing laundry, creating and tending to my family, which is perfectly alright..but not always alright. We need others.

so today, I must confess a large loss that has rocked my world, and I am not saying that selfishly, in fact, I am happy for the....

GND..Girl Next Door.

my next door neighbor, you know, the one that I meet at the fence for sugar, eggs, easter baskets, tapes, etc., the one that I watched have a baby, the one who got me through the worst times in my life, nd the one who called in the middle of the night to watch one child, while the other was taken to emergency. the one that I ran a marathon with (alright, I am tearing up) you know..her...the ultimate back door guest (totally crying now, yesterdays mascara burning my eyes) the one I'd go to the spa with, and we wouldn't have to entertain each other, the one who made us laugh REALLY hard in Palm Springs..(I mean REALLY HARD!)..

she & her family....

MOVED!

yes, moved, now, I must say this, for a temporary time period, they only moved 1 street away, but it is a hole in my heart that I have never said out loud.  The comfort of seeing their car, or hearing the boys, or just knowing that they are there, is gone.  I suppose this is a part of growing up that I have never experienced.

am I being a total baby or what??? no, because they were, no, they ARE important to me..and my entire family.

I was a little bit of a "weepy, crying, could not hold it together" girl they actual day they moved, which was the day after the "fly" camping experience so...I did not help.  I did not help them physically lift boxes, etc. although I did help, by entertaining their older son, as he was not having a real good day either.  He just hung out with me.  We decorated the house for Christmas, went to Target twice, Michaels, Wendy's.etc.  We got each other through a difficult day with flying colors.

so..why do I confess this to the world?  Well, I have to practice what I preach to you.  I can not tell you to do something without doing something myself.

but do you want to know the best lesson I learned from this experience???

that she, the GND is no longer my "neighbor" but is 100% my friend.  In a perfect world, both would be perfect, but as we grown, change & move on..."friend" is best.  Now we meet at the mailbox instead of the back fence.

Cheers to us ( i have stopped crying now!) Houses made us neighbors, GOD made us friends!

in fact...cheers and thanks to all of my friends..that have invaded my life with goodness and wonderful times! I love you.

To the GND..who is now the GOTNS (Girl on the Next Street)...I love you, miss you dreadfully and wish you were still here but excited and happy for the journey you are headed for!

whew..feels better to say all of that.

and for you who are reading this, having "times" or difficulties, here is something WONDERFUL to watch...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_4qwVLqt9Q

I guess the moral of todays confession is two fold...In the current times, where we are struggling, searching and contemplating..whether good, not so good..or okay, not good at all..we must embrace the important people in our lives, not things, because the things will get us NO WHERE and the people...will get us through.

have a wonderful day....

   

Comments

[SusanC]

I'm teary-eyed, standing up at my computer, applauding you! This message could have been written by me right now, too. Thanks so much!

[zigszoo]

Wow, now i'm crying. That GND is awesome and I know why you miss her. Have a good day!

[Beth W]

What many consider the most important step in AA: Admitted to God, yourself, and another human being the exact nature of your wrongs. Followed by:Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.And,made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Much easier said than done but the only way to achieve any semblance of inner peace. A constant battle.

[Kimmie]

I definitely can relate so much. I was much younger when my old next door neighbor moved away, but I remember being sad for days. I was just a-door-away from her (apartment building). We were so close. She moved to another apartment, but a lot further away from me. We tried to keep contact but we were just too young. But, once in a while when we do see each other, it's great!! Thank you for sharing. :)

[Beth W]

Very similar to what we learn in AA.
Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

Much easier said than done but necessary if we hope to obtain any semblance of inner peace.

[Cori]

Joel Osteen’s message on TV this weekend was that God sometimes puts people in our lives only for a season and then it’s time for them to move on. (On his website it’s #408, Living without Crutches)(Not the same as Jack living without crutches, (wink, wink))

It’s an interesting message, something I had never thought about… that God’s plan for our lives includes everything, even the people who move in and out of our lives, it’s all part of his plan. And since his timing is always perfect, it means there is a reason, even if we don’t see it in the natural. We grow each time a person moves in and out of our life.

Have a wonderful day!

[Michelle]

Hi Stephanie,
Great post today and your last line...
"I guess the moral of todays confession is two fold...In the current times, where we are struggling, searching and contemplating..whether good, not so good..or okay, not good at all, we must embrace the important people in our lives, not things, because the things will get us NO WHERE and the people...will get us through"... really made me think!
I watched and enjoyed the YouTube video very much. Several years ago my GND moved from Anaheim to Utah and I missed her terribly and I still do. We had been neighbors and close friends for over 15 years and all of a sudden I had to accept that she was moving away. I didn't want to accept it, I can't remember when the sadness started to ease. The same comforts that you felt were missing when your friend moved were the same as I experienced. Our families had been close, we traveled together, shared up's and down's and losses, celebrated the good times, laughed so much and cried together, and everything else in between. Then about 5 years after she moved, she was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer which she battled for quite a while. But God decided that he needed her more and she became one of his angels to look over her loved ones. It has been 7 years since she has been gone and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about her because I still live next door to where she used to live. She will always be in my heart.
Hope you are having a great day,
Michelle

[Michelle]

Hi Stephanie,
I tried to post a comment before but it seems to have gotten "lost" so I am trying again. Hopefully it won't show up twice! I wanted to thank you for today's blog, it was especially meaningful to me. Your last line...

I guess the moral of todays confession is two fold...In the current times, where we are struggling, searching and contemplating..whether good, not so good..or okay, not good at all..we must embrace the important people in our lives, not things, because the things will get us NO WHERE and the people...will get us through...

really made me think! I thoroughly enjoyed the YouTube video as I had not seen it before. My GND moved from Anaheiim to Utah over 15 years ago. The same feelings that you have of losing the comforts of having your friend next door are the same feelings I have felt also. Our families were very close, we traveled together, shared up's and down's, cried together, laughed so much, argued, learned new things together, went to school together (later in life!), our kids played together, our husbands built a fence together, and we shared everything else in between! About 5 years after she moved she was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer which she bravely battled and fought for about a year. God decided that he needed her more and made her one of his angels and I do believe that she is always watching over her loved ones. There isn't a day that doesn't go by that I do not think about my very dear friend, as I still live next door to where she used to live. We all need to embrace our loved ones more each day and show them how important they are in our lives.

Hope you are having a great day,
Michelle

[Carly]

Now I'm crying.
Thank you for your confession and all your kind and wonderful words. I miss you.
You are my friend and I will not say good bye even when we move to a more permanent home. A home where you will be welcome to enjoy many more memories with our family always.
Being neighbor's was just a little extra gift we both received along the way to becoming invaluable friends. Thank you my friend and Love to you and all of yours. I tried to call and you didn't answer and I can't see your driveway so I don't know where you are that's a bit of a drawback to my grand ole plan.
Hmmm! sledding have we done that this year....?
The girl w/o a trailer :)

[Tammy M.]

I totally understand your feelings about your neighbor...our neighbors, who were very good friends of ours moved last summer and I was lost...no more just running next door...though they only moved a few blocks away, it's like miles away...I miss them being next door terribly.

[Patsy]

Well, hallelujah! She only moved around the corner. Last time I talked with the GND she wanted to get closer to the beach. Shows you how out of the loop I am! I know it sucks for you that she is now the GOTNS, but at least she is not the GATB (Girl at the beach). At least I still will see her smiling face around town! Glad you dried up your tears and I'm sure she will still be at your block parties.

[Sandra Smart]

beautiful story Stephanie! You are so blessed to have such a wonderful friendship with a neighbor! True story - 2 years ago I invited 5 family's around us over for a pot luck dinner so we could get to know everyone a little better...2 family's came and the others did not only not come, but they stopped talking to me altogether...totally, won't even look my way. LOL...I guess some people are really afraid of kindness and do not know how to handle it!
So I really enjoyed your story today.
Have a great day.

[Kristi Ottmar]

oh my gosh, this is so good Steph, thank you for being open with your blog today.... it means so much. My GRTS (girl down the street) moved last year. I didn't think it would hit me so hard, but it did.... I am okay now. It is nice to know that we all go thru that. love ya!

[Leah]

I have just recently found your blog and I love it! I love your openness and the way you share from your heart. I love that you KNOW Rick Warren and I get to "know" him through reading your blog. Thank you for being real in a world full of unreality.

I would love to see you doodle that last thought, "We must embrace..." I need that for my house! Hugs to you!

[me.yahoo.com/a/7aRqmWoshMIy3dC8lFWNaE6xxoQqzJLuHA--]

I have just recently found your blog and I love it! I love that you share openly and from your heart. I love that you KNOW Rick Warren and that I get to "know" him through reading your blog. I love that you are funny and emotional and honest. Thank you for being real in a world full of unreality.

I would love to see your last statement in this post, "We must embrace...," doodled up. I need it for my house! Hugs to you!