Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Sisters

Having a sister is the best gift in the world.  Right?  I don't have one but I do have two daughter's and I have watched them grow up.  As sisters and they are opposites and just alike, all at the same time.  One is loud; one quiet - one will tell you about it; the other will watch - take it all in.  One the instigator; one the peace maker.  I love watching them and I envy them just a little.  

I have sisters, too.  You know the ones, the sisterhood of motherhood, sisters in Christ, sisters as friends.  They add a great dimension to my life.  The creative ones inspire me, the talkative ones intrigue me, the funny ones make me laugh, the thoughtful ones may me cry and deep ones take me with them as we go deeper still.  

I have a hurt sister out there, a mad sister, an angry sister - an ex-sister.   She was once a friend but today I am feeling pain for her, like never before.  I want so desperately to reach out to her and I have wanted to all year.  I keep hoping for healing, hoping for an opening, a place to reach through the pain.  If there was one I missed it or wasn't ready myself and now I fear too much time has gone by and now I can't or won't. I feel all jumbled up  inside when it comes to her.  I hurt her.  I thought I was doing what I had to do, needed to do, to protect others, to keep others from being hurt.  But today, one year later, I'm still thinking about her, still looking back, still analyzing - wondering, did I do the right thing?

Last night I listened to a man - an ordinary man.  He is a husband, a dad, a farmer, a preacher.  You would never know by looking at his unassuming ways, his plain clothes, his stature that he has much to say, much less anything that I need to hear.  He is a kind man, you can see that you can hear it.  His tone of voice is kind, not too surgery soft, not the kind that makes me want to throw up, not condescending, the kind that make me want to . . .  well, I'll just leave that one to your imagination.  But kind, full of wisdom, says what needs to be said.  I don't know him very well, but I have been around him a little this past year - this man - unassuming, quiet, kind, is anointed to preach the Word of God.  Last night he talked about spiritual battles and that we do have an enemy that wants to destroy everything that is good, that is God, that is beautiful, and he talked about forgiveness. 

He's right, you know.  

Looking back I realized that I could have handled the situation better, I could have been bolder and told my sister, not with anger but with honesty, what the problem was, instead I tried to do it in a way that I thought was easier for me, and I lied to myself, for her.  Hoping she would understand, be okay with it.  Hoping that it would not destroy our friendship, turns out the truth was have served us both much better.  Now, in the year since, there has been a bevy of miscommunication, rumors, things taken out of context, you name it.  Just plain hurt, the accuser of the brethren has destroyed what was lovely, sweet, and beautiful and now is broken and never to be repaired.  Maybe we could talk and but after all this time how do you bring up all that stuff and work out this twisted mess?  I don't think you do.  And if someone feels that you betrayed them to the level that she feels I did to her, how do you get over something like  that, I don't think you do.  I think you move on.  I think . . .  you just move on.  Try to look honestly at yourself, forgive yourself, pray for forgiveness and blessings for her, and move on.  

I am so tired of this hurt, I'm just ready to move on . . .  or maybe go to the mountains or the beach.  

I'm having a beachy/mountain thing here this week.  I think it's because of BooMama, she's at the beach with her sisters, whether they're friend sisters or blood sisters I forgot but they're there and eating good and laughing and I want to go too.  I'm ready to get past this thing and go laugh real hard and cry while I do it.  Yea that's it, I want to laugh til I cry and then I want to sit and watch the waves hit the shore and smile at the memory of my youngest doing cart-wheels up and down the beach one year, the whole day I might add.  That was the year of the cart-wheel for her.  She cart wheeled to the car, when we got to the beach she cart wheeled out and up and down the beach all day.  I think she even cart wheeled through the outdoor shower and to the car, then slept like a baby the whole way home.  That was a good day.
       

9 comments:

HappyascanB said...

This is beautiful, sweet sister. I, too, recently hurt a sister. I was doing what I thought was right, but I didn't go to her in love and confront the issue. And I hurt her. I know your pain. I am praying God will heal that for you.

Shayla said...

I am so sorry that you have gone through much pain in losing a sister.

The only advice I have is for you to go to her and apoligize. Make sure you are blameless, that you have done everything in your power to "fix" the situation (which does include prayer, and repentance).

Some people enter our lives as a Blessing that we can hold onto forever, while others bless us momentarily.

There are a handful of seperate people that are used by the Lord as a test to remind us that we are Blessed by a Loving and Forgiving Father who is there throughout the pain and suffering.

Maybe the friendship wasn't meant to last, but this hurt that is in your heart can still be used to Glorify God. You now have another experience that may help you in witnessing to another person in the same boat.

-I am TOTALLY AGAINST prosperity preachers, but every once in a while (a long while) they get something right. I heard one say that:

"God can turn your scars, into stars"

Amen, He sure can!!!

jerriann said...

tears and tears, your kindness is such a sweet blessing and I agree, it;s time.

Thank you

Dawn Jenkins said...

sweet, sincere, honest, raw...
God has told you what to do already...I am praying now for boldness and then get ready b/c the flood gates of peace WILL BE OPENED.
**remember you are not going into the "call/email" alone...God is leading you by the hand.

Belinda said...

I understand how you feel. I had the same thing happen to me only she has acted like she never did me wrong. I was the only one to suffer. I had a hard time letting God have it......1 yr later I finally let it go......you can too.Love ya miss ya. Call me.

Mama said...

Oh, Sister Jerri, I can so relate to this heartfelt post, because I have been there, too. In fact, I am still there in some ways.

I hurt a sister and she hurt me. I've apologized many, many times for my part in the problems. I believe she has forgiven me, but the bottom line is I just don't think she likes who I am, so I have to be ok with that.

Still love her like a sister, though. I think Shayla is right when she says that people enter our lives for a reason or for a season. Relationships change,and sometimes there is no going back to what you once had. You have to find a new kind of relationship with that person after something like this happens.

God bless you -- and your "sister friend".

Shayla said...

Hey sista how are things???!!!

I miss you, please blog again soon!!!

I'm praying for you still :)

Kelly L said...

This post touched me deeply - after my dad died one year ago this month - my sister (blood) had a misunderstanding and now she refuses to talk to me.. I have reached out over the months but nothing is working.. she has accepted my friendship on Facebook so now there is some kind of communication... I guess but I am praying daily for her heart to unhardened and my thoughts and actions to show her I love her...
I am sorry you are going through this.. But I have learned that you can forgive through pain... the pain may not go away... but forgiving is freeing and God does bless us...
Love Your Sister in Christ.
Kelly

Gail said...

sharing your sorrow and knowing your pain..*hugs*

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