My friend Paula is an excellent writer. (bottom left) She published an article this month in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, a publication for homeschooling families. Her article is titled, Orange Sherbet Friendship, and she mentions me and the rest of our Captivating Women group in her article. I wish I could link you to it, but it’s not published on the web. It’s too bad, but I can show you the picture that accompanied the article. Nope, it’s not this nicely posed first picture…it’s the second one.
Kristi and I were leaning over the back of the bench and I suddenly realized I didn’t want to chance a cleavage shot so I stood up to adjust myself. I told them I didn’t want to “expose the girls” which made us all laugh. That’s when Paul snapped the picture. I was a bit horrified when she told me which picture the mag had chosen for the article. Do I hurt Abi’s husband Paul for taking it, Abi for mailing it to Paula, or Paula for submitting it (among others) to the magazine? 😉 Paula said, “No one will know what you’re doing Niki, and besides, it shows us having a good time and laughing with each other.” I told her the story was too funny NOT to tell and that I’d blog about it.
Oh well, If we can’t laugh at ourselves once in awhile we have no business laughing at others. Wait. That’s not right. I meant we need to be able to laugh at ourselves once in a while. 😉 It really is a stress reliever. I take myself way too seriously most of the time. These women help me lighten up. Paula’s article was about the seasons of friendships she’s enjoyed and the barren months of loneliness in between those seasons. Different seasons of our lives sometimes call forth different friendships as well. She talks about the ways she is blessed by her friends. She so often speaks to my heart, but she hit the spot when she said:
“God Himself models community for us by living in perfect harmony as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One of Jesus’ prayers for us in scripture is that we will be one as He and the Father are one. While this passage has to do with harmony among brethren, I also believe it addresses our need for intimacy with each other. The Lord knows we need meaningful relationships to help us along life’s journey. If you haven’t made friendships a priority in your life, take a moment to ask the Lord what He has for you in this area. Pray that He’ll show you how to be a good friend and open doors for the community He wants you to have. It may look different than you expect, but it will be just right for what God is doing in your life.”
The title of the article came from an experience Paula had a few months ago. When she was a little girl, her mother would take Paula to her grandparents house when she was sick so she could manage her work schedule. Her beloved grandpa would drive to town and bring her back a carton of orange sherbet to cheer her up. A few months ago Paula spent a few weeks in bed VERY sick. I brought her a pot of chicken soup, and Wendy brought her a carton of Orange Sherbet. Both were things that she had wanted but not asked for and somehow Wendy and I knew what to bring. God is so good like that; giving us a nudge in the direction we need to go. He used us to minister not only to Paula’s body as she was ill, but to her spirit. What an awesome reminder that He knows the intimate details of our lives and loves us deeply enough to provide for our needs, yes, but our wants as well. The article was great and I’m so proud anytime her writings are published.
Sometimes I Write 
