"Life is like playing a violin in public and learning the instrument as one goes on." - Samuel Butler

Like playing a violin, or any other instrument for that matter, life is a noisy mess of mistakes at first. Learning the art of living takes time and trial and error--and even when you think you have it down your fingers get tangled up and you miss that one note that you've been playing since day one. Living in community is like being in an orchestra. Everyone makes mistakes. Maybe the guy sitting next to you got the note you missed but he jumbled it up on the chorus.

In life, we all have struggles. That's good to remember sometimes. It keeps me humble on my proud days and it lifts my spirits on the days I struggle, knowing others are struggling along side me.

Today, I can't help but sit here and think about all of the things I have used to busy my life--all those notes I had down in my head but when it came to playing them they turned out to be squeaky, or flat. And all for what? For the approval of others? To fill a void that can only be filled by Him? I don't really know. All I know is life is short and God is everything. And if I'm sitting here worrying about whose going to take a moment and notice the score I've written and the song I've played then I think I'm missing the point. It's not a concert. Yes, living in community others get to see what I create of my life but I like to think that I'm playing for an audience of One, and a few lucky people in this world get to listen in--give me a few pointers about how to make that melody sound smooth, and all along as I'm learning my instrument I am depending on Him to teach me how to play it to the best of my ability. Having now discovered that, it's time to take up my instrument in this thing called life, make sure it's tuned, and play my heart out, for Him and Him alone.

“If friends were flowers, I'd pick you” - Author Unknown

As I am thinking about relationships and reflecting on the many people who have impacted my life I have come to realize that slow-growing relationships are much stronger than the relationship which blossoms quickly. It's a great deal like growing a garden of beautiful flowers. Some plant already blossomed flowers--enjoying their beauty, here, now in the present, only to watch them die shortly after planting them. Others, plant a flower bulb. They care for it, watering it and watching it grow, allowing it to take deeper root in the soil and slowly blossoming into a beautifully, vibrant flower. Though it seems like more work there is much more satisfaction in starting the growing process from the bulb.

I realize that in relationships I tend to fall in the instant satisfaction side. I want to see the results now instead of waiting months on end of caring and watching my relationship grow and blossom. Looking back on life though, I know for a fact that I have been so much more happier when I have taken it slow and cultivated my relationships.

The problem is putting this thought into action. I dislike this emotional stage of life, the in between of everything (or so it seems). I have to remind myself to wait on the Lord, knowing that when the time is right He will bring me sweet friendships.