I don't know everyone of you personally, and not everyone of you know me. I want you all to know that you can consider me a friend, though. Friendship is a very important thing to me.

Recently I had  a great week of love, encouragement, and rediscovery of old and dear friends for me. Bear with me while I share a couple of things I was reminded of.

I had a friend a few years ago, when we were living in another state. He was very dear to me and a special friendship developed. He had so many complicated and serious problems, I could never touch them. All I had to offer him was my friendship. My heart broke as I waved goodbye to him.

A few nights ago I got a phone call into the wee hours of the morning. When I realized who it was I got really excited. Instantly reminded that friendship is forever. Forever. He told me of his new baby, and his life. His excitement to share important details blessed my heart. From where he was to where he is now, is very good news. The love was still there. The enjoyment of hearing each other talk. It was all still there.

That same night another old friend called. We have lived in different states for some time now, and there has remained a close friendship. He used to be an average, decent, law abiding citizen. He called me in trouble, and shared about all of the mistakes he has made recently. Stupid mistakes, made by a precious friend....it broke my heart. Yet, the amazing and wonderful thing?? My heart felt the same love and loyalty for this friend, and maybe even more than I have ever felt. Friendship stands strong through the adversity of the times, and struggles we live in. Friendship is strong. Supernaturally so, even.

Friends are 4-ever! Now and always. Isn't that cool? That isn't to say that every friend is this kind of friend. Just that the act and relationship of true friendship, is truly, forever.

Thank God....

"Be Who You Say You Are"

It was recently brought to my attention and suggested to me that who I am in person doesnt always match my website articles. Now, while this person was almost certainly not calling me a hypocrite, allow me to remove all doubt.

It is my belief, my opinion, that life is a tightrope/a balance. A song my dad used to sing said it this way, some days are diamonds, and some days are stone. We have extreme highs, and we have extreme lows. We make major mistakes, and sometimes...just sometimes, we do some things right.

Sometimes the articles on this site are all, warm fuzzy, and touching type subjects, but sometimes they are not. I fell in my heart that this is a direct reflection of real life and of who I am.

It is my belief that you should be who you say you are. I want to be that all the time, to everybody. This does not mean that Ill be the same every time someone sees me. I have different moods and feelings, as does everyone else. I assure you, however, each and every article is from my heart, and they are each a part of who I say I am; a part of who I am.

There are more than enough hypocrites in the world. Watch one commercial on TV and youll most likely see one. Selling something. Swearing its the best darn, something or other. When in reality they dont even know what a Ginsu Knife is. They lie, in effect, for money.

We live in a world of people who habitually put on a front for everyone else to see that doesnt remotely match the person that they actually are.

We can blame it on TV, the media, peer pressure, the devil. In actuality, it really comes down to....us. We can blame ourselves. We are the ones who build these false personas. We are the ones who allow, in fact prefer, peoples fake faces and actions.

Are there churches full of hypocrites? You bet. And schools, and workplaces, and homes, and anywhere else there are people. For God sake people, be who you say you are!

The other day on a nature hike, my family and I came across a little spider. Probably no bigger than a quarter of an inch in diameter. It had spun a beauty of a web, round and forboding, about a foot in diameter.

My nephew and niece, and my son, 10, 6, and 7 years of age, approached it in curiosity and youthful mischieviousness. As my nephew drew close the tiny spider rared up and took a defensive stance with its fangs showing. Warning him that he would certainly get a painful bite if he went through with any assault on the spider.

As I stood there watching, I explained to the kids that the spider wasnt being mean. It wasnt a bad thing. It was actually something to watch and admire. It was hard from their point of view to understand, so I suggested that they imagine things from the tiny spiders.

Here was this tiny little thing, not even an inch tall, looking up to us 3 1/2 to 6 feet tall. Were approaching it with quick and noisy movement, and in my nephews case, with every intention of destroying its beautiful home.

How very brave that little spider was to stand its ground. To stand up to impossible odds to protect and preserve everything he held dear.

We went away from that little guy with a new respect. Now maybe the kids will still trash a spider web or two. They are kids. I expect them to. But...

How about us? Will we continue to go around destroying everything we touch? Or on the other hand, would we ever fight for what we have?

In light of the terrorism and war in the world, you might think of this right away, and rightfully so, but this is merely the obvious. Further, its someone else fighting for us.

No. What I mean is, when was the last time you were willing to be yourself and, no matter what kind of giant tried to hinder you, did you hold your ground on what you believed in?

We, as a society, are so quick to talk out of both sides of our mouth. We are chameleons. We blend with our surroundings. Hypocrites and liars in many ways.

Im not saying that we should be negative and intrusive on others. Remember the spider? He wasnt trying to offend or change us. He was merely unashamed of who he was and was willing to die for it.

From, my point of view, we could learn a lot from..his.

Recently I've been talking to a new friend of mine, I've referred to her in the prayer request section as, 'Pink'. As I listen to her struggles and feelings I realize more and more that this is all too common.

Does Pink play a role in the neglect that seems to be in play here? Has she done something to ostracize herself from her loved ones? Maybe, maybe not. Did she make herself invisible?? Shouldn't somebody notice her whether she did or not? Shouldn't she be noticed even if simply because of her absence?

I, myself, know some of what she is going through. I know what it feels like to be on someones 'B' list. A last resort kind of friend. They call everyone on the 'A' list first. Or, worse yet, they don't call at all. If you don't call these types of friends yourself, you might not ever hear from them.

Then, there are family members that are just as bad, or worse. I understand Pink, believe me.

I know what it's like to speak freely, openly, sometimes painfully honestly, to a close family member and have them prove, then or later, that although they were there when you spoke, they didn't listen to a word you said.

I know the pain of being ignored by the ones you love the most. It's a nagging, numbing pain.

I hurt with you, Pink. I care and want to help. I understand through my own experience and can identify with you. More than you know.

I wish I had all the answers. A way to stop the injustices of our lives. I wish there was an instant cure to what ails us.

If there is a reader out there who would like to comment on this, please submit a comment in the comment box. Perhaps you have the right words to say to touch another persons life.

I guess the general theme of this present edition is friendship. As I sit here writing this I'm overwhelmed with love for my friends and family.

I am so thankful for my best friend..my son. He is my everything and the closest friend I have. My brother is so special and dear to me. I know that he is not just my flesh and blood, but a loyal and precious friend.

All of my family have proven through thick and thin to be not just obligated relatives, but dedicated friends.

On the other hand, I'm blessed richly with dear friends who are more like family.

I have an adopted son who means the world to me. Of all the people in all the world, I'm so thankful God brought you to me Brice.

I know that our lives are a journey, and not a destination. I see this every day and have proven it over and over looking back through my memories.

It can't be a mistake, or chance, all of the precious friends I have met along the way. My loved ones are stretched across this country and beyond. The list grows, and still there is love for one more.

Friendship amazes me. I'm thankful for all of you, and welcome each new friend to my list.

As the saying goes... A stranger is simply a friend..you haven't met.

The Republicans, the Democrats, George W. Bush, Osama Bin Laden, me, you? If you listen to any one segment of people for very long, on the subject of 9-11, chances are someone is going to blame someone...else. More than likely, the wrong, someone.

I've watched CNN and Fox News until I'm ready to bust. I find myself talking back to the TV set. My dad thinks I'm losing my mind, and he might be right. "Would you stop?", "What are you people thinking?", "They're gearing up for another dirty election!" Those are the nicest things I say to the TV. I raise my voice, I get mad, I let the media work me into a frenzy. I let the political machine get me going. I give them exactly what they want. My attention, and my emotions. They get ratings, and throw doubt into our hearts and minds.

He did it! They did it! You knew. When did you know? Simply put. The world is a corrupt place, generally speaking. Who is guilty? Who is responsible? Maybe we all are to some degree. To what degree and extent? Maybe we have to work these details out with fear and trembling. Perhaps each individual in the world needs to take personal responsibility and worry a little more about their own short comings and work through them. If we are working through our own struggles we find a lot less time to criticize and more time in thought and prayer.

Think about it. Who is to blame?