"Do these make my butt look big?"

Another Saturday morning.
Saturday used to be my day to be allowed to hit the snooze alarm (reminding my children every ten minutes not to fight and that they are old enough to pour their own cereal) until 8:30. Really not the same thing as sleeping in; just the stubborn display of not getting up at the same time I do on a work day. I guess I was sure I was making a point each Saturday morning. The clarity that comes from blogging :) ANYWAY-

In my very supported pursuit of reclaiming myself, I am trying to destroy the hermit part of me. I have done this by starting to schedule things to do outside of my house. One of those things is my Saturday morning at Panera where I pick up the very modern pen of my laptop, enjoy a cup of coffee, and catch up with not only my good friend who has recently moved, but also the old friend of myself.

I have maybe three really good friends. I mean the kind of friend who knows why I do what i do and will cheer me on by encouraging me and telling me to knock it off. I call these my "Big Butt Friends". These are the kind of friends who love you enough to say in the dressing room, "Yes, that makes your butt look big. Try these on." Why does she do this? She does this because she wants you to look your best. She tells you this so you do not spend money on something you will really never wear because each time you put it on because it just doesn't look right. She tells you this because she would want the truth. In addition, they are the friend that you go to (knowing the Truth) but needing to hear it aloud and you know she is the one who will say it. Ladies, if you do not have a friend who loves you enough to tell you the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the sometimes hard to hear- Truth, you are missing out! Chero- you may feel free to call them big bottom friends, big darrierfriends, big tooshie friends, etc so that the title does not distract you ;)

What does me planning things to do outside of my house have to do with "B.B." friends? I wondered how much of a B.B.F. I have been to myself over the last ten years. I can tell myself what not to do. I can tell myself what is good. I think I do these each in isolation. The joy of B.B.F. is the they have this magic way of telling you the Truth (God's truth) in a convictingly encouraging way. I have been self convicting. I have been self encouraging. However there is this gap between the two entities. It is too compartmentalized for me. Rather than police myself, I need to develop a relationship with myself.

Thank you to my B.B.F.s sent to me by God. Thank you to God for seeking me and sending these women on my journey. Thank you God and my B.B.F.s for convictingly encouraging me to seek myself in a convictingly encouraging way.

My B.B.F. have told me who they met, who they saw, who they see- what I am missing in the sight of myself. I am missing it because I have been affraid. I am less affraid than I have been in YEARS. Now is time to move past my fears. I need to get out and see life again. This beautiful world and people that God has created. I need to make myself vulnerable to the possibilities God wants me to see. I need to make myself available to the possibilities God has for me. My friends told me my preverbial butt was enormous in those old pants and I need to put on a different pair. I have GREAT FRIENDS!!!!! I really mean that- thank you ladies.


Do you have any B.B.Fs- ladies who tell you the hard Truth when you don't see it, or when you just need to hear it aloud?

Can you convictingly encourage yourself? Or do you do each of these separately (convict and encourage)?

Are you a B.B.F. to yourself?

Thank your friend who tells you what you need to hear rather than keep the waters smooth.

Treat you B.B.F to a cup of tea, coffee, pop, or chocolate this week. Most importantly, thank God and her with specifics for being your friend- you B.B.F.

M