friendship and iced tea

Quite a few years back I had a life lesson that was difficult to go through.  But I came out on the other side with perspective about friendship that has proved to be valuable from then on.

Turns out that I am not a very good friend.  I had a falling out with someone I knew for years and she stopped talking to me.  This was before Facebook so she didn't "unfriend" me but she did unfriend me in real life for a while.  I don't remember much of what went wrong, but I think there was some drama and I don't do drama very well. Plus I was much less mature then than I am now (*ahem*).

So here's what I learned from that whole experience: I am very, very, extremely, very far from perfect. I could list out my weaknesses but that would take me longer than a month. And I can only hope that someone who wants to be my friend will take me with all my weaknesses and all my short-comings. I'll tell you what: if you can take me with my imperfections, I'll take you with yours.

But I also learned this: sometimes being a friend means more giving and less taking.  Sometimes God puts us in a relationship so that He can use us in the other person's life for what they need.  Sometimes it really isn't all about me.  Sometimes it's about something bigger. 

I had a conversation with a friend lately about this exact situation.  It was a reminder to me that sometimes friendship requires the sacrifice of something you desire so that you can be a friend to someone in need.  

So when you see me at the coffee shop sitting with a friend, drinking my strawberry tea, just know that I am sacrificing a pile of laundry, a clean house, and clean dishes to be there! (*wink, wink*)