Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Promoting Friends’ Category

30 Day People Challenge – Day 8: Best Friend Now

Posted in Family, Free to be me, Humor, Joy in the Journey, Just for fun, Promoting Friends, tagged , , on November 8, 2015| 1 Comment »

I was whining to Benny about today’s post – how I can’t pick just one person as my best friend. That’s not how I live my life! He suggested I do a Weird Science thing and combine all of the best and most desired traits to make the perfect best friend. After I stopped laughing, I realized there’s a nugget of truth to that approach. I’m complex and so are my friends. There is no one person that meets all of my friend needs, not even Benny. I’m connected to different people for different reasons and circumstances, but there are some things all of my closest friends have in common: Mutual trust, loyalty, humor/silliness, and depth. With that as my criteria, allow me to introduce you to my best friends right now. (I stole their pictures from Facebook.)

I’ve already written about Benny, Lennie, and Tawnya, so I’m moving on.

ksKaren is my best friend in Denver. We met at church several years ago. I was actually friends with her husband first and he introduced us. Thanks John! She is my reading buddy, movie date, and we henna each other’s hair. She’s the one who went on vacation with me and Tawnya a few years ago. She is so unlike me in all the right ways. She’s Spock to my Kirk – more logical and level-headed where I tend to be more cocky and fly by the seat of my pants. She has two green thumbs (maybe more) while I joke about growing people, not plants. She does that too – grow people! She’s amazing! We share a birthday month, so we celebrate together as long as we can.

heatherHeather and I speak the same language. We both grew up in difficult situations but are overcomers and we’re thriving now. We are not only fluent in sarcasm and witty comebacks, we speak the same dialect! Ha! Before she moved to Texas, she was my movie buddy, and writing buddy, and pina colada buddy. I flew to San Antonio to see her twice this summer. I’m trying to convince her Colorado is her real home. We’d spend less time on the phone, and I have the mountains on my side, enticing her. 😉

don and matthewDon lives too far away! I can’t put a French number on speed dial, so I am especially grateful for Facebook Messenger which allows us to connect almost every day. He’s my partner-in-crime for these challenges we take on, and he’s a fellow geek/nerd. We both prefer Star Trek over Star Wars, go head to head on trivia games, and have a sort of brother/sister relationship. You know, because my five brothers don’t tease me enough. I wish he’d move back to Colorado, but I know that’s not happening anytime soon. I’ll enjoy his friendship from afar for now.

beckBeckie and I have known each other the longest since we met in college. She’s older, wiser, and funnier than me. We didn’t know each other well back then, but we sure do now! Beckie and I grew up in the same faith heritage and we’ve struggled with forging our own paths, which is a nice way of saying we own matching sets of baggage. She is a fellow homeschooling mom, we both have a Max under our roofs, and she might as well live near Don in France for as often as I see her. Still, I adore her. We talk about deep stuff – stuff that almost requires oxygen masks and reminders to breathe. Those chats are balanced out by bouts of silliness sisters might share. She’s like the older sister I never had.

cherieCherie is my best friend from church, and my dealer. She supplies me a good portion of the Chai I consume. 😉 She’s a fabulous lunch date! We have a regular booth at Chili’s where the server knows our appetizer and drink order by heart, and greets us by name. Cherie makes trips to American Furniture Warehouse seem like a day at the circus, and dreams about future projects with me as we treasure hunt at thrift stores between our houses. I love spending time with her, and not just because she spoils me.

RebeccaRebecca is my best friend from FACE, the private school for homeschooling families that meets once a week. Though we’ve both been there for years, she and I connected a few years ago when I taught a couponing class to the moms. I’m so glad our friendship has grown because Becca has such a sweet spirit and she’s hilarious! Her daughter is in my drama class and good friends with Max and Zoe. Becca spoils me too.

I noticed another common thread with all of these people. All of my best friends are introverts. How did that happen???

Want to read more? Check out my fellow challenger’s posts too!

Don at donhillson.wordpress.com

Beckie at free2b2much.blogspot.com

Tracy at countyroadchronicles.wordpress.com

Read Full Post »

Music Changed Me: Love On Repeat

Posted in Big Announcements, Free to be me, Learning to Cope, Music, Promoting Friends, thinking things through, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 24, 2015| Leave a Comment »

It feels good to be writing again after all the tragedy of the past few months. Today I’m honored to be featured over at themitchroush.com. His monthly series, “Music Changed Me” showcases people he knows and loves sharing the music that has impacted their lives. My piece focuses on disliking the word “secular” being used to label songs that are sacred to me, and the love song I have on repeat during this season of healing.

I’ve known Mitch for over 20 years, and oh the stories I could share about him. Ha! He’s an incredible man. Take some time to get to know him through his writing. He does an excellent job weaving faith and creativity throughout all he does.

It brings joy to my soul to hear him describe me this way: “Niki is one of the most eloquent feather-rufflers I know. An edgy soul, not out of attention, but out of a fierce love that has no other way of being expressed. She’s passionate and wants nothing more than for everyone to have a place at the table.”

Thank you, Mitch. That means a lot to me!

Here’s a teaser:

Music is one of my love languages.

If my inner 80’s child were to make you a mix tape and share with you the soundtrack of my life, you’d grin and possibly groan at the quirky variety of my musical tastes.  I bet you’d find something that suits your tastes too. Now and then, I get stuck on a song to help me through a particular season, repeating it until the music cleanses me or the season passes.

– See more at: http://www.themitchroush.com/music-changed-me-13-love-on-repeat

Read Full Post »

How A Story About Crowing Roosters Is Helping Me Be Kind To Myself

Posted in Growing Faith, Learning to Cope, Promoting Friends, thinking things through, tagged , , , on April 15, 2014| 1 Comment »

It’s been a hard week, and it’s only Tuesday! My friend Heather called late last night and I shared a bit of my funk with her, but I still went to bed unable to escape the feeling of being crushed. People have failed me this week. I’ve failed myself. I’ve failed others, and it sucks. Like lava flowing through my veins, my anger has been an internal companion lately. I find myself getting irritated by things that wouldn’t bother me if I was feeling like myself, which I’m not.

Is this an identity crisis? Do I need to just pull up my big girl pants and get over myself?

I’m reading Brene Brown’s book, The Gifts of Imperfection. I think she’d tell me I’m not being kind to myself. I wonder if I’m experiencing my mid-life unraveling? She describes it as a time when you feel a desperate pull to live the life you want to live, not the one you’re “supposed” to live. I’m doing heart and soul work and like Brene describing her own journey, it’s a bit like slogging through mud on my journey to living wholehearted.

I’ve been focusing on all the times I HAVEN’T kept my word, said or done the kind thing, loved someone well, served with compassion, finished what I started, and lived like I wanted to. I’m caught in the sinkhole of wanting what I won’t ever have and feeling sorry for myself. But it’s not just a pity party; it’s a deep grieving for an impossible relationship. Most of the time it’s emotionally manageable, but in my current state, it cements me in the bottom of the sinkhole. I need a rope.

I woke up this morning to a text from my friend Cherie. As we messaged back and forth, she made me laugh and I felt a little sun. I shared a bit more of my funk with her, and she spoke my name back to me, reminding me who I am. I lay in bed for a while, crying to God about my life and the uncertainty I’m feeling. Pete must have crawled in our bed after Benny left for school this morning because he was curled up asleep on Benny’s side. As I was wiping my eyes, his little voice said, “What’s wrong mommy?”

“I’m just sad right now and I’m talking to God about it.”

A minute later, my phone beeped. It was a Facebook message from an old high school friend. Stephen shared a video of his lesson from last Sunday, telling me that somewhere in the middle of his talk about Grace, he told the story of a time in high school when I called him out. It’s a story he has shared several times because for him it was a rooster’s crow…a call for a new beginning. A call to remember the grace we live in. He thanked me again for allowing God to use me to get through to him. I cried some more. The year I met and knew Stephen, my senior year, is one I’ve always referred to as my year from hell. But God used me in that hell and He gave me a few good friends. Stephen reminded me of that today of all days.

I guess that’s three rooster crows. Heather. Cherie. Stephen.

I’m still in my pajamas, and I may stay that way today. That’s okay. In my core, I know who I am. On the outside, sometimes I forget. My face is dry now, but my heart still hurts and I’m crying out to God. He’s the only one who hears the things I don’t feel safe enough to share with other people. He doesn’t hand me my big girl pants and tell me to snap out of it. He’s the one who sends three friends to speak life to me and remind me who I am, and then He holds me while I cry.

Watch the whole thing, but minutes 16-20 are about the rooster crowing. Good stuff! Here’s the link:

Undeniable Grace

P.S. My memory surrounding the letter I gave to Stephen is a bit hazy. I’m a wordy girl, so I’m sure the song lyrics weren’t the only thing I wrote, but I can’t remember what else I said. I only remember how nervous I was giving it to him, prepared for the possibility of it being the end of any friendship we did have. Lucky for both of us, we weren’t close enough friends for me to make him a whole guilt-inducing mix tape. Imagine slogging through that! 😉

And Stephen, if you read this, I’m humbled I’m part of your story. My heart is the same, but my methods have changed, and like you, I’m all about God’s grace! Thank you for messaging me today. Your timing was perfect.

I shared some thoughts a few months ago on Peter and the rooster crowing:  Jesus, Peter, Me, and the Number Three.

Read Full Post »

The 47 Day Photo Challenge

Posted in Just for fun, Photo Challenge, Promoting Friends on February 22, 2014| Leave a Comment »

My friend Don and I recently started another challenge. You can read all about it (and check out the great photos) on the blog I created for it: http://47dayphotochallenge.wordpress.com

It’s fun and creative, but I was most excited about practicing consistency, my lifelong pebble in my shoe. That’s why we call it a challenge. We have 30+ friends who’ve joined us so far. The majority of us are amateurs (me) using our smartphones and apps to capture our vision of the day’s subject. A few of us are using pretty sweet cameras and know a thing or two about lighting and composition. All of us are in it to have fun. At the end of each week, I’ll post my pics here too. You can click on each photo to enlarge it.

1-Love-Niki1-Love

2-Beverage-Niki2-Beverage

3-Something Blue-Niki3-Something Blue

4-Looking Up-Niki4-Looking Up

5-Workspace-Niki5-Workspace

6-Heart-Niki6-Heart

7-Laugh- Niki7-Makes you laugh

8-Texture-Niki8-Texture

Read Full Post »

Jesus, Peter, Me, and the Number Three

Posted in Growing Faith, Promoting Friends, thinking things through, tagged , , , , on April 16, 2013| 2 Comments »

“I don’t want to do it.”

“It’ll be okay. This is the next step for you. Trust me.”

“But I waited a long time to get away from my childhood of rough people and hopelessness. I thought those days were behind me. Now you want it in my face every day? Why, Lord?”

“Do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord. You know I love you.”

“Then feed my sheep.”

“But what does that even mean? Aren’t I already feeding your sheep? Isn’t that what we’ve been doing for the last 9 years in youth ministry?”

“I have a different flock in mind for you. Trust me. Do you love me?”

“Yes, of course I do. You know that I love you.”

“Then tend my lambs.”

“But Lord, I’m not sure I can. I’ve never been homeless. Why would they listen to me? What if I say the wrong things?”

“Do you love me?”

“Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

“Feed my sheep. I chose you for this moment. You have what it takes, and I went before you and prepared the way. Just follow me.”

 

I lived this conversation nine years ago, before leaving traditional youth ministry. Like Peter falling back on fishing, youth ministry was my place of relative comfort. I knew what to expect. I was familiar with the tug of the net and the weight of a good haul as well as the frustration of being…fishless.

Oh yes, I get Peter. He and I have a lot in common.

I’ve gleaned many truths from the Bible story in John 21:

  • When we throw our net in where Jesus tells us too, even working as a team we won’t be strong enough to pull in our catch, and our net won’t rip. I like the sound of that.
  • Sometimes we provide the catch and sometimes Jesus does. (He was already cooking fish and bread over a fire before the disciples reached the shore and He asked them to bring more fish for the meal.)
  • When Peter saw Jesus, he jumped in the water to head for shore. I’m guessing he was still trying to get his head around Jesus’ resurrection and was eager to be with Him as much as possible. I wonder if just for a moment, he thought it a second chance to walk on water. Would I?
  • At the end of this passage when Peter asked about Jesus’ plan for John, Jesus told him not to worry about anyone else, just to follow Him. Now there’s a lesson I need to embrace!

Here’s my favorite part of the story:

The Bible tells us Peter was hurt and probably frustrated when Jesus asked him the same question three times. Yes, it takes some of us longer to catch on than others, but I think it was more than that. Three is one of the numbers that repeats throughout the Bible, especially in Peter’s life:

  • Peter spent three years with Jesus before this story takes place.
  • He was one of the three people in Jesus’ inner circle, and present at the transfiguration.
  • He had denied Jesus three times.
  • Jesus came back to life three days after His death and Peter was one of the first people He pursued.
  • The fishing story in John 21 was the third time Jesus had appeared since His resurrection.
  • Going back to the beginning, the third day of creation was when the water parted and earth rose up creating land. That same day there was vegetation (growth) and it spread. Can you see the parallels between creation and the resurrection?

I’m fascinated by numbers – it’s no accident that our ministry is called SEVENS. Numbers create beautiful patterns and focal points to help us understand order and importance in the stories of our Christ, the Bible, and our lives today.

Like my friend Chris pointed out in his post on Sacred Margins earlier this week, Peter’s job changed when Jesus took him from being a fisherman to being a fisher of men. Peter owned a fishing business, which means the man had skills and potential, a mighty combination which Jesus used to plant and grow His Church. He still works that way, you know.

It wasn’t Jesus, but Peter who needed this confirming conversation of the triple confession of love. Jesus knew who Peter was and where he was headed, but I think He also knew that in the back of Peter’s mind, he hadn’t let go of the triple denial. By asking about his love, it made Peter think a little and open himself up for healing of that wound. It was further confirmation that Peter was getting a second chance. It also provided an opportunity for Jesus to give him his mission, not once, or twice, but three times.

I too required more than one charge about the mission Jesus gave ME to feed His sheep. My concentration was on the flock of teenagers in my life and God moved me, literally, changing my flock to the homeless, broken-hearted, and captives in the Denver and Boulder area. New flock, new mission, new confirmation that Yes, I love Jesus and He’s building something with me. I’m part of His plan. He’ll keep welcoming me back when I drift and doubt, giving me direction…as many times as it takes.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »