A Letter a Week

Day 7 — Your Ex-boyfriend/girlfriend/love/crush

Dear ex,

I am so very happy to have you as my ex. And I don’t mean that the way it sounds either. What I mean is, I’m glad that you are my ex and not someone else. And, well that doesn’t sound so good either does it? Okay, to further explain…

We couldn’t figure out how to make it work as a couple, partly because we were both too immature to be in a committed relationship. But before we were in the relationship, we were friends. Somehow, we’ve managed to get beyond the broken relationship and back to the friendship. So for that, I’m a glad you are my ex. I don’t know any other person who would have been so willing to work with me on getting past all the bad stuff… because let’s face it, break-ups are never easy and seldom peaceful. It’s so awesome that we’ve found peace and can now call each other friend.

As your friend, I am so very happy to see you have finally found someone to spend your time with. I’ve always wanted you to find your own happiness, and I think you are well on your way to that even if a little gun shy. (After that last relationship you were in, who can blame you for that?! That woman was absolutely insane!) Anyway, I love you as a friend and only want you to be happy.

God has a plan for you, I know. And while I also know you don’t agree with that, I still continue to pray that you will find Him again. Life really is so much better with Him at the wheel. But I won’t lecture you too much here on the benefits of surrendering… I’m sure you’d agree that I do that enough face to face. And I know you’re resistant, but you do listen. You know I only want happiness for you– the kind of happiness I’ve found; the kind that only God can provide. He’s already working in your life… how else would we have been able to get beyond the past and become friends?

Keep your chin up, and look to the sky.

Me

Week 6 — a stranger

Dear next door neighbor who makes me want to MOVE,

I love that you find it necessary to go out in your back yard, which coincidentally faces my front yard on one side, and shoot your extremely loud gun. What you could possibly be shooting at in that tiny yard is beyond me, especially considering your house is surrounded by other houses– one of those being MINE. I also love that you deem it appropriate to play basketball in your driveway at 1:00 in the morning, not that the sound of that basketball beating up against the goal wakes me or anything.  Even better… I absolutely LOVE that you insist on using my yard as a trash bin for your beer and alcohol bottles when we are out of town.  Does it matter to you that the area you are throwing that trash in is the PLAY are for my five year old?  Does it bother you that that same play area is only 30 feet or so from where you were shooting your gun today?  Lucky for you my child was inside doing homework.

I’m a pretty patient neighbor.  I’m very easy to get along with, most times.  And I rarely meet someone I don’t like.  But you… you are making it very hard for me to like you.  You almost had the law called on you this evening.  I promise the next time you feel the need to show your lack of masculinity by shooting that gun in your back yard, I will be on the phone before you can say “NO.”

Sincerely,
Your very fed-up neighbor

Week 5 — Your dreams

“You know I’m a dreamer…”

My dreams… have been many.  They have changed over the years… by circumstance, by age, by maturity.

At fifteen, my dream was to become an architect.  This became my dream at the age of about 11/12, when I discovered the wonderful world of building art… and I loved it!  This dream fell through due to circumstance.

By 21, my dream was to become a nurse.  This fell through when I was in nursing school.  It just wasn’t my cup of tea.

By 30, my dream was to be successful at– something.  Anything career wise.  I considered reviving my dream of architecture and looked into Civil Engineering.  But, it wasn’t a good ‘fit.’

By 35 my dream was to be happy.  Simple as that.  Happy.  If I am happy and loved, then I’m successful.  Maybe not by the world’s standards, but by my own standards.  I am the daughter of the Creator of everything, an heir to the throne, the Prince’s princess.  I have amazing children, an incredible husband, a loving family, a roof over my head, and the most amazing church family and friends.  I’m living this dream.

I still have hopes and dreams– I dream of going on mission trips all over the world.  I dream of walking in the very places Jesus walked during his 33 years in the flesh.  I dream of landing the perfect job that puts me in the position of helping people on a weekly, daily, hourly, minute to minute basis.  I dream of purchasing a cozy home for us here in our hometown.  I dream of volunteering with pretty much every organization within 100 miles of my driveway.  I dream of giving all I can, and then some, to those less fortunate and those in need.  I dream of someday starting my own non-profit, seeing it become a success, and passing it on to my children.  I dream of growing old with the man I love more than I love myself.  I dream of rocking grandchildren, sewing cute little outfits, and spoiling them until the cows come home.  I dream of surrounding our cozy little home in our hometown with horses and dogs and cats.  I dream of spending Saturdays fishing with hubs and the kids and enjoying time together.

Most importantly, I dream of the day I can see Jesus’ face and fall to my knees in praise of His glory.  I dream of spending eternity in the glory of heaven worshiping the Father I love so much.  And I dream of my family being there with me.

I have a lot of dreams.