Tag Archives: friends

Let’s Just Be Friends

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Lately I’ve been thinking about friendship. As of today I have 750 “friends” on good ol’ Facebook. Until recently I had 752. I “unfriended” one who made inappropriate comments on my updates. Who needs that?! Not I.

And someone “unfriended” me. I have no clue who it was. Although to be honest, I did spend about 5 minutes trying to figure it out! You know, I checked those who differ with me on politics, religious beliefs and the Chik-fil-A flap. Dead ends – all.

In our modern tech-savvy world of social networking I find I communicate more with people I’ve never met face to face than with friends or acquaintances who live in my own community. And that is why I want to be more intentional in my face to face interaction. Face to face, you get that subtle or not so subtle nuance of speech. There is less opportunity for misunderstanding. When something is said, especially surrounding controversy, you have a context in which to understand someone when you’ve already shared a meal or two.

With that in mind, recently I initiated “Lunch Ladies.” I put the word out – using social media – that I’d like to meet friends once a month for lunch. I describe it as having “fun and food with friends on Fridays.”

No agenda. Just lunch.

Sometimes when it comes to making friends and keeping friends, simple works the best. We had our first “Lunch Ladies” lunch last week. No laptops, no phones pulling up fb or twitter or email. Just real live ladies sharing a table and eating tacos.

And talking. Not typing.

(And just so we’re clear…no hairnets were harmed – or worn- in our “Lunch Ladies” experiment.)

Following are a few of my thoughts on friendship ~

“Let’s Just Be Friends”

Let’s just be friends.

You don’t have to do me a favor or pay me back.

No need to stroke my ego or tell me what you think I want to hear.

I don’t want to ride your coattails and I’m not looking for your networking connections.

Let’s just be friends.

You don’t have to buy what I’m selling. That’s okay with me.

I don’t need you to help me see the “other side of the coin.”

Just have my back. I’ll have yours.

Let’s be honest and kind. We don’t have to make a pledge to that; let’s just do it on the honor system.

Instead of viewing one another for what we can do for one another,

let’s just be friends.

© 2012 Melanie Dorsey

Tell me what you think. Are you intentional about making and maintaining your real life friendships?

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Hermitage Hills & A Wild, Highlighted Hair!

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Good Monday Morning!

Just as I suspected I would, I met some wonderful women at Hermitage Hills Baptist Church last week! I was warmly welcomed and enjoyed meeting new “sister-friends.” 
More than ever before in my life, I am aware of just how much we need one another. 

The Gardening Themed Table where I sat ~ Lovely!

Life is just better when you have your “sisters” to share it.

I grew up in the middle of two brothers so I never had to share a room, or clothes, or any of my “stuff.”
When I went away to college, I got a little taste of “sisterhood.” Well, a BIG taste of sisterhood. Some I liked. Some…not so much.

 When we walked through the cancer diagnosis and passing of our boy, Andrew, I depended on my sister-friends. They did not let me down. So anytime I get to meet more of the sisters, it’s a good day! 

I got a fabulous surprise when I found out that a friend of 20+ years was driving up to hear me speak in Nashville. Michelle is from the town in Georgia where my husband and I married and eventually moved from to Florida 21 years ago. 

Michelle & Melanie


She sent me as message confirming she was coming and then she asked me if I wanted to play “Beauty Shop.” 
Uh…hello. It’s my favorite game! 
Michelle is a super talented hairdresser and used to do my hair all those years ago. 

Foiled!
After

 Now I have a little favor to ask of you. Speaking of hair, I had a wild one several days ago. I entered a contest to become an Oakley Women’s Product Ambassador. I could enter photos or a video, as well as answer some questions and write an essay on the theme of “Performing Beautifully.”
You can help increase my chances of winning by voting for my video submission. There will be 10 winners chosen and 20% of the votes come from FB voting. The remaining 80% is from a judges’ panel who views the photo/video and reads the essay.

To vote for me:

  1. Go to www.performbeautifully.com.
  2. Click on “vote now.”
  3. Click on “view video entries.”
  4. My video is in the left column, 2nd place. I’m wearing the red Team Andrew shirt and you’ll see my name listed.
  5. Click on my video to watch.
  6. Click on “vote” and then consider sharing on FB and encourage your FB friends to vote for me!
  7. You can vote one time per 24 hour period. 

THANKS!  My FB badge is in my sidebar if you want to “friend” me.

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Wednesday Walking

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Today is Wednesday which means I meet my friend Jen and we walk and run. But what we really do is talk our heads off. 
In fact, as far as I’m concerned, the plan to meet and walk/run each week is really an excuse to talk for an hour and a half. Because when I got back from walking/running with her for 7 miles today, I ran another mile and a half just to make sure I met my running goal for the day!

Jen in the red “Team Andrew” shirt
Me



Our conversations include (not in this order): food, Jesus, potential jobs (Today I suggested we start a personal shopping business,which is kind of crazy because I don’t really like to shop and neither does she.), books we are reading, husbands (how we appreciate their unique strengths ~ seriously), our kids, how we should take better care of our skin in the sun (although I was not wearing any sunscreen and I’d bet she wasn’t either), the extra accumulation of pine straw on the sandy trail which threw me off and I thought we’d gotten lost in the park, my big savings at Publix this week (I spent $58.15 and saved $72.27 (7227 ~ weird), how sore we are after we do the Shred, and something she did on my behalf that surprised me so much I had no words to respond after she convinced me she was not joking! 


I think maybe that sums  up today’s hour and a half convo.


My husband and I are working on having a huge garage sale this weekend. You know the kind that Dave Ramsey describes as one so big, the dog hides?! That kind. 


Well, friends, our family is facing another challenge. I am thankful it is not health related. 
I can tell you this…regardless of what comes our way, our faith endures and we do not quit.


I tried to upload a video I recorded in my favorite park this week (the one I thought we were lost in today) but I cannot get blogger to upload it, so I’m including a link here to my FB page, where you can see it.
And there is an “oops” on the video. I left out a line from the scripture in Hebrews. This is it: “and let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us…”

It’s warming up here in Florida and I’m enjoying it. Our windows are open and I can hear my neighbors sweet children playing. 

Where ever you are and whatever you are doing today, remember you are loved. In fact you are loved lavishly by the God of the universe…our Abba Father.
One of the ways God is loving me is through my friends. I am blessed. 

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Thrifty Beach and Bible Study & Flashback Friday

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From Beach To Wedding Thrift~Style!
Beach ~ I have never bought a swim suit from a thrift store until this summer.
The top looked new and was a $1.99. I bought the solid black bottoms at Marshalls for $10. For $12.99 I got a great suit!
Flip flops were a dollar at Old Navy. I used an internet coupon and was able to purchase up to 5 pairs of Flip Flops for a dollar each!
Do you ever have a challenge finding a cute skirt cover up for your swim suit? Try a tennis skirt! They usually come in solid colors and are a bit longer than swim suit skirts. This one was not thrifted but was a gift from a friend!
Women’s Bible Study outfit ~
Skirt is from The Loft and cost $2.50 at my fave thrift store. It is lined and in perfect condition. It has a fine charcoal stripe.
The eyelet top appealed to me because the sleeves are unique. I think it may be a girl’s top. It’s sized as a “12.” But I really don’t think that is a ladies size. The brand is “Lime”. I couldn’t find anything online about the brand. It has a hidden side zipper. So cute! I wear it a lot.
More to come in my line up of Thrift store fashions
From Beach to Wedding!
~~~
Today I spent time in Orlando with a friend I have not seen in quite a while. We were in college together, in a touring choir together and roomed together our senior year.
In spending some up close and personal time with her today, I remembered why I always enjoyed our talks.
She is a gifted communicator. She is funny. She loves Jesus, her family and her friends.
And I was so glad I got myself together and made the drive to see her.
And I am so glad she valued me enough to set aside all other responsibilities to just “be” with me.
Thank you, friend. I love you. (And I HEART your children!)
“The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

~~~
Flashback Friday Meme Here.

Did your family attend church when you were growing up?
Yes, my dad was the pastor ~ we HAD to!
What are your earliest memories of church?
Sitting on the first row, right side because that’s the side the organ was on and Mother played the organ. Once I was playing with my gum while Dad was preaching. I wasn’t just chewing it, I was stringing it out of my mouth as far as I could without breaking it. Mid-preach, Dad called me out! I still remember how I felt. Hot cheeks and gum now planted firmly on the side of a molar. To this day, I feel like I’m sinning if I chew gum in church. (Just kidding.)
Did you attend VBS (Vacation Bible School) when you were young?
VBS was the highlight of my summer. Most of the time we were on a vacation visiting my Mamaw and extended family in MS. So it was always fun to go to VBS with my cousins at their church. Like Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee, I, too, remember the Kool-Aid. (That sounds bad.) Thanks, Jim Jones, for giving “Kool-aid” a bad rap. But I do remember the Kool-Aid because we never had Kool-Aid at home. We ALWAYS drank sweet tea for dinner and supper! Kool-Aid seemed “exotic.” The drink the Kool K
ids drank.
Sunday School?  ‘Gotta love flannel board lessons (I did.), knock-off oreos and watered down Kool-Aid for “snack time.” I guess whoever provided that little snacky-snack was on a budget and didn’t know how to use coupons to get the good stuff for cheaper than the knock-offs!
Other church activities?
Summer youth camp and camp meetings…Cute boys were there!
In 1973 I was voted “Miss Jr. Youth Camp.”  I got a trophy. I still marvel at it, because how did that happen? Maybe it was the big bags of candy I bribed the other campers with!
Was faith a Sunday-only thing or did it impact your life and the things you did?
“Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, All day Sunday, Ain’t it grand to be a Christian, Ain’t it GRAND!”

Seriously…I am so very GRATEFUL for my Christian heritage. I have been very blessed.
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