So I need to give up what?

    In my last post, I left you hanging with this verse and thought, 'Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friend' (John 15:13)  I know that many of you have been unable to sleep or basically even function as you have waited on my next post. I am happy to say that I am now going to make. your. day!

  I will be the first to tell you that I would probably, say a 99.9% chance, jump in front of a moving object to save a friend. I love my friends. I have the greatest friends, all of them. But I as reflected upon the above verse, God put a thought in my head. "What if I told you to put yourself aside for your friends?" Was God telling me I need to put my expectations, selfishness and pride aside for my friends? What?! No! I would much rather jump in front of a moving object than do this because the above is HARD. A friend and I have discussed the expectation issue for years. We have found in our findings (which means we have discussed in on the phone and through texts multiple times so therefore we are experts) that when we are upset when someone, it's normally because they did not meet our expectations. They didn't invite us somewhere, didn't react to something they way we wanted them to, didn't say what we wanted to hear. All things we wanted. That's not friendship. I have learned over the years that the best friends call you out. They go out with other friends and sometimes don't invite you. And guess what? That's ok. You're still friends. When you tell them your opinion, they may not agree with you. You may have to agree to disagree. And guess what? It's fine. Different opinions are what make the world go 'round. You can be friends with people that have different opinions. When you tell them your husband is driving you crazy, they don't agree with you and start badmouthing him. They ask you what you've done to make it better and are you trying. That doesn't mean they don't think your hubby should try also but because they know you so well, they are going to let you know he's not the only one with shortcomings. And you know what? You may get mad but hopefully in a few days you realize your friend was right.

  Now had you told 20 something year old Aimee this, I would have laughed in your face. I think if you had told 35 year old Aimee this, she would have listened politely (because she had learned some manners) but may not have believed it. But then God whispered to an almost 38 year old (gulp) Aimee that you must be willing to put yourself aside to be the friend He's called you to be. Do not put expectations on your friends. Quit thinking you should be the center of their universe. Stop thinking your opinion is always right. That's a true friend. I need to be the kind of friend that people actually want to be around. Friendships are meant to be fun. Yes, they're work but we have so many other issues in life that when we are with our friends, we want to escape those issues. Once I put myself aside, I can be that fun friend. (I hope) I can be the friend who is happy for her other friends when they meet up at the beach. ;-)

  These are the ramblings that have been floating around in my head. Now just because I translated the verse that way does not mean it's the only way or the right way. It's how God is speaking to me at this point in my life.

I bet you're on the edge of your seat wondering what I will write about next. It does have something to do with this good news:  My youngest brother Christopher is engaged!