Post for a pretty girl

A family member of mine has been going through a tough time.
She has lost a lot of weight, YIPEE

BUT, she has also been tackling her alcohol addiction and attending AA meetings, getting her life on track and just fixing all the broken little pieces.

These are some pictures for her for motivation.

fri.END.ship

Friendship, a relationship of mutual affection between two or more people. Friendship is a stronger form of interpersonal bond than an association.

Loyalty, faithfulness or a devotion to a person, country, group, or cause.

Influence, the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of others.

The past year has opened my eyes to a lot regarding friendship, loyalty and overall influence.

I would like to think I am a good friend, we all have faults and little things we lack, but I have always tried to do my best.

I went through a heavy friendship “break-up” last year; it was painful and affected me for a long time. She was extremely special to me and we were friends for a very long time. We shared a lot of special stories, some private and others were how we would embarrass ourselves without even trying.

If I think about my teenage years and even as I became an adult, she was always there and her family carried me through difficult times and struggles. I spent every weekend and holiday with her, and we grew to be part of one another…we learnt each other so well that I could look at her and she would know what I was saying without words.

Her mother, a very strong, opinionated lady who wore perfume that stuck to you for days… she taught me how to cook a few things, how to use a knife and fork, and she bought me things whenever I was in need. She became like a mom to me, someone I could trust.

It’s unfortunate that things change, people change and sometimes… you just grow apart.

Although I loved her very much, she was very different to me. We lived VERY different lives, had very different jobs and responsibilities.

If I were to go back a year or two back, I don’t think I would do things differently; I do think I would be more honest though and voice my opinion in the times when I was too scared to speak.

Life does go on; I have had to learn that the hard way.

Friendships/ friends have the power to influence and change your behavior, even if you don’t want them to. “You are who you hang out with”- you become like the people you associate with.

My dad has a saying: “Like likes like.”

You are more likely to do something crazy, different and wild with a friend than by yourself… As a girl, there is no one’s opinion you want more than your best friends, from clothes to guys and the occasional rant.

I know I would have told my friend a lot more than I would have told my mother.

I don’t think a friendship is about excessive amounts of PDA, or who can out do who. Sometimes all you need is an ear to listen and a hand to hold.

Not everyone is made, designed for long term friendship. It’s not easy to be faithful and loyal to someone even when they aren’t to you.

I find it very hard to trust without question, it’s one of the traits my boyfriend really doesn’t like… I ask too many questions.

I have taken the last year to get over all my friendship issues and focus on ME… I haven’t made time to make new friends and I have become very attached to my boyfriend.

Only recently have I decided to ‘stick my neck out’ and try and be open to something new. I have only made one new friend, but that’s fine. I have never been one for a huge group of friends.

There is still a lot of time for friends and relationships; someday I will feel content with where I am.

For now, I will just continue to work at being open to new possibilities.

Life

Life... it doesn't always work out the way you imagined it would.
I can remember dreaming up a life of Planet Shakers and being a full time youth leader, touring the world, studying accounting and singing my heart out as often as I could.
A lot of things determine your success in life; being passionate about what you do, having support, stability, and putting your life 100% in Gods hands.
Family, I would say your family makes a huge impact on who you become and where you go.
I thought my family was perfect, everyone fights so mine is no different, RIGHT?
It took only so long before things started to fall apart.
A marriage without God at the center never gets very far.
I was 20 when my mom decided to take my little sister and go live her life with her boyfriend.
Im not saying my dad had no part in the mess and pain caused for a woman to leave her child and hurry away.
Court appearances, phone calls, missed birthdays and a lot of pain filled the next year or so of my life.
Life doesn't go the way you want it to...
Besides all the gloomy bits, I can say with a heart full of love and joy...that my boyfriend is by far the best thing that has come along since high school.
Cliché? Naaah.
His wonderful and so so patient even on the worst days.
Although not many approved of our relationship at first, I am yet to meet a family member/ friend that doesn't love him now.
Its taken a year to forgive my mother and father for all the pain caused.
But id like to say that I am moving past it and trying to live a life of forgiveness and peace.
Life doesn't go the way you plan, or dream.