This came to my email today…

so very true in this day and age

April 7, 2014 I Just Unfriended My Friend Nicki Koziarz

“My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them for they will refresh your soul.” Proverbs 3:21-22a (NLT)

“Women are ridiculous,” I said to my husband as I crawled into bed, tears dripping. He gave me an agreeable stare, since he had no words to console my aching heart.

I’d just learned a friend lied to me. It was about something senseless, which just made it worse. As the hours ticked by, I wrestled through troubling thoughts.

Why would she lie about THAT?

Were we ever really friends?

The combination of hurt and middle-of-the-night thinking was toxic, forming a very self-centered attitude in me. I decided I no longer had room in my life to deal with someone who had lied to me. So in my heart, I just unfriended this friend.

I have other people I can be friends with, I thought as I drifted off to sleep.

The next morning I realized how my emotions had distorted my perceptions. It concerned me how quickly I was willing to write off this friend, since we had been through a lot together. And I really did value our relationship.

So I pondered the emotions swirling in my heart.

In our cyber culture today, it’s easy to sit behind computer screens and smartphones while we reject the reality of many things, including friendships.

My profile on Facebook says I have 900 “friends.” Social media convinces me I have hundreds of people in my corner. But in reality, I don’t have 900 friends I could call in the midst of a crisis or even go meet for a cup of coffee.

And that “unfriend” button is mighty tempting when someone hurts me. But the truth is, ending a relationship is much more complex than the way social media convinces me it can happen — as easily as clicking an icon.

Social media is a relational tool, but it’s not a relational reality.

More than ever, I need to see my friendships through the lens of reality, and this verse helps me do this: “My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them for they will refresh your soul,” (Proverbs 3:21-22a).

God has given us two trustworthy filters to help us see things as what they really are: common sense and discernment.

In this situation with my friend, common sense, reminded me: You don’t really have 900 friends, but you do have one or two people you can really count on. And you need to cultivate those relationships through good times and bad.

When I wanted to reject our relationship because I was hurt, discernment said: Your friend is human. At the core of her heart she cares about you and didn’t mean to hurt you.

We will always be susceptible to flawed perceptions in our friendships. But when we hang on to the realities God offers us through common sense and discernment I believe we will be much wiser with our perceptions.

Using God’s Word as my filter, rather than my emotions, allowed me to work through the hurtful issue with my friend. That experience made me a more compassionate friend and it strengthened our friendship, so that when I mess up (and I’m sure I will), hopefully she’ll forgive me.

God, we are so grateful for Your gifts of common sense and discernment. Give us the grace to use these filters when things get foggy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m out on the road again. Feels like a song.  Maybe i should take up singing   OR NOT.

Anyway, I’m here on the East Coast working on CHA stuff and teaching some classes.

I’m very excited to be teaching at some new stores as well as some of the ones i love coming back to!

I’ll be at Kept Creations tomorrow.  Excited to meet Kim. I’ve talked to her several times but never had the pleasure of meeting her.  Teaching a fun Mixed Media Canvas class there…  If you’re in the area of Whitman Massachusetts…come join us!!!

Then i’m also at Eclectic Paperie.  Cannot wait to meet another Kim  Talked to her on the phone also but never had the chance to meet her YET. She sounds like a hoot!!  I’m teaching two classes there.  She is located in New Hampshire

  

 

I try hard to blog.

I mean well.

 I just always set it aside to do later. later never comes.

 So many things have happened that i wouldn’t even know where to start at this point. Lets just start with the one thing that is keeping me crazy busy…. well ok there are 2 things.

My amazing grandson Reef

 

They are both doing awesome.  Art Anthology has grown beyond my wildest dreams and Basically Bare has been rebranded and we’re getting that up and going.  I’m very blessed to have been given the opportunities that i’ve been given.  So grateful.

Then of course there is the rest of life.

Ups and downs, good and bad.

Recently I was allowed to see my granddaughter after 3 years.  She is the sweetest little girl and i LOVED spending time with her.

 

peace and love…

~S

yes…i’m blogging.  Holy cow!  I keep saying i’m going to do it but something always gets in my way and I’m too busy.  I received and email today that really stuck with me.  So I felt the need to share it.

So excited we can call it by its real name now.

Come join Art Anthology for our first cruise!  Join Jen Starr, Stayce DeWid and the Art Anthology Team sailing through the Caribbean and crafting the nights away!!!

I can’t believe my trip to Italy is right around the corner.  I’m so excited!!

I’m nervous to be debuting my new company but i know it is going to be amazing.  I have the best business partner in the world.

Italy…WOW!

Art Anthology…WOW!

so many wows.

Its crazy how many things happen and how fast they happen.

I feel a little overwhelmed at the amount of stuff we need to get done but i have faith that we will get through this. There are always going to be bumps but we are put together for a reason and all things will work out as they are meant to be.

Its amazing the amounts of well wishes we’ve received regarding Art Anthology. We are incredibly blessed to have so many wonderful people in our corner. I feel bad for some of them because they feel put in the middle. I’m sorry that they have to feel that way. I wish they felt comfortable enough to have to not sneak around to talk to us out of fear of childless retaliation.  boo

well there is no bursting my bubble.

Life rocks!!!

as a good friend of mine always used to say…

Living the dream!