On (in)RL Friendships

“Amy, would you quit pouting?” Scott said in frustration on the way home from church yesterday.

“I’m not pouting, I’m thinking,” I explained.  And that’s always when I know that my brain has had enough.  I’ve over thought every single scenario, I’m staring off into space into some twilight over thinking zone and it’s time for some serious girl time.  I stalked my friend Dani yesterday until she agreed for a coffee date last night.  And she knew, after two weeks of Scott being away, that I needed to decompress.  She dropped everything and we talked for hours, both of us trying to figure out all the God rumblings and kid frustrations.   It’s what friends do and after this weekend I am ever more grateful.

With Scott being gone the last two weeks, I didn’t want to commit to the (in)RL conference.  The concept sounded wonderful—the online conference would be enjoyed from your home this past Friday and then instead of all the attendees converging in one location, you’d find a local meet up on Saturday to watch the simulcast together.  Once the tweets started coming in Friday, I just knew I needed to hear.  I registered 20 minutes into the first session and I’m so glad I did.

The conference was put on by (in)courage where many of my favorite bloggers converge to blog.  It was exciting and interesting and fun to have all these ladies that I know solely from the written word on screen talking about just what I needed…friendships.  Irony abounded as I watched all by my lonesome but I knew my friends were out there, always available at the drop of a text or an invitation to coffee.  So many nuggets gleaned beyond friendship.  Even simply hearing how God put (in)courage together made me want to jump in because it’s clear God is in the midst.  I walked away more thankful than ever for my friends and encouraged once again to follow God’s leading.

I find it fascinating that jumping into these real life friendships sounds a lot like what I just read from Bob Goff’s Love Does and even more ironically, I was picked to speak about friendships in the workplace this week at work.  The loving and the doing and the friending thing definitely all came to a head this weekend. I’m listening, Lord, I’m listening.

If you missed it, I’d highly encourage you to pick up the online pass and booklet that’s just $14.99.  I don’t get a penny for saying that, I just really think you’ll be encouraged and blessed.