I Love Who You Really Are
Posted by Hannah Etsebeth | Posted in Musings, Relationships | Posted on 05-01-2010
Tags: friendships, getting along, love, people
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It’s not always as it seems…
He was mean, quite honestly, and half the things that he said hurt my feelings… painful.
She was rude and pretty much acted like the world revolved around her… obnoxious.
He was arrogant, and his arrogance was like nails on a chalkboard… infuriating.
She was pious, and acted as though she was the only one that knew the right answers… belittling.
Yet…
He was one of the most giving people I knew and would have taken a bullet for me in a heart beat… loving.
She was wise and beneath her calloused layers, she gave me profound opportunities and offered me hope… encouraging.
He had a heart for people and when he gave to the poor he gladly gave generously, not sparing anything… humbling.
She loved people with all of her heart and her desire to help others would often leave her neglecting her own needs… sacrificial.
It’s not always as it seems. Beneath every layer of good, bad and ugly, you’ll find a human heart and a human spirit. And that’s what I love. It may not be the outward layer that I see at first glimpse, but beneath that layer, I love what’s there… beneath that layer, I love you.
Wearing Scanties in 20 Degree Weather
Posted by Hannah Etsebeth | Posted in Musings, Relationships | Posted on 27-12-2009
Tags: change, friendships, life, Relationships, seasons of life
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It dropped 30 degrees on my car ride home.
Then the wind began to gust and snow began to drop… like crazy.
I left Dallas in a T-Shirt I arrived in Kansas in my North Face and by Christmas Day, we were snowed in at our house.
When the weather changes, clothing changes. When seasons of life change… so do people. And that’s okay.
I’m getting ready to turn 30 (How do you make screaming emoticons? I need one right there…) This birthday has had me reflecting on a lot of things and the biggest is change.
“If you love them, let them go.”
There is something to be said for “holding loosely” seasons of life and even people in each season. We hold loosely not because we don’t love those we do life with nor because we want anything to change, but we want to be ready when it’s time to step into the great unknown. Each dream and each calling on all of our lives will require a change from immaturity to maturity. Sometimes it’s a 30 degree drop in 2 hours where all the sudden the season is different, and sometimes it’s gradual.
In Relationships, Good Change Can Mean…
- Dynamics in friendships change.
- You don’t see people as much as you used to.
- Schedules begin to naturally conflict.
- Life just looks different because it shifts and adjusts.
…and that’s really, really okay. In fact it’s good.
For all of us, let’s remember that we want our friends to be prepared for every new season that is awaiting them, even if it doesn’t include us in the same capacity.
For those of you I’ve walked with, I hope that you know that I will do all I can to be your biggest supporter and your greatest cheerleader, because I believe in you and your dreams. And of course, my ever-ending-never-fading loyal self would love to be your best friend in every season, but maturity tells me that more important than that… I want you to walk in obedience to where God is leading you.
And for me… I go back to Dallas tomorrow… and am hoping that the temperature will take a little ride up another 30 degrees because I’m cold.
As a quick disclaimer, this email is unrelated to any relationship in my life, but is more of reflections on change.