Guest Blogger: JoEllen writes about Relationships

JoEllen Claypool is back for a second guest blog post. JoEllen is the author of The Secrets Behind the Eyes,  A Realist’s Guide to Being a Pastor’s Wife, Realistic Tips to Being a Pastor’s Wife, Are You on the Verge of a Spiritual Heart Attack  and a contributing author of the Eclectic Collage Volumes 2, 3 and 4. She serves in the ministry with her husband who pastors a small country church in Caldwell, Idaho. Understanding the impact that one person can make, JoEllen is eager to reach out and encourage others to make right choices so that lives can be saved.

THEY'RE EVERYWHERE! THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!

There is not one area of your life that you can visit where there is not a relationship with someone or something. Yes, they're everywhere! Think about all of the people that you interact with on a daily basis. Chances are, you interact with infants, the elderly and everyone in between. When you are not engaging with people, including your own self, you are having a relationship with inanimate objects: food, the TV, your computer.

Recently, I made a pie chart. The irony of that last statement just dawned on me, as one of the relationships I have is with unhealthy food ... like pie. That's an issue for another day, but I charted every hour of my day and categorized where my time was going focusing on relationships. How much time did I focus on my children? How many hours of my time did my husband get? Am I getting enough me time? How much energy was being spent on other relationships? I did this every day for a week and then combined the week's findings into one big chart. It was interesting and it showed me where I was doing well and where I needed to concentrate more efforts.

The truth is there are only so many hours in the day and they need to be used wisely. Here is another truth. Relationships take time. Your relationships with the TV and the computer take time, time that could be used nurturing human relationships. Ouch. I am speaking to myself right now. You cannot expect to have healthy relationships with people without spending time with them.
  
It is easier to steal time away from certain areas in your life for the people in your home. The balance comes when building relationships with groups of people outside of your home. You probably have pockets of people who are in your work environment, your church setting and your groups of friends. Keeping these relationships healthy is very important as well, but where do you find the time?

Well, your work hours are set, so utilize that time to "SEE" that group of people. When a church activity is scheduled, make the most of those opportunities. Take the time to truly see behind the masks that so many people wear just to survive the moment before them. Many people have built walls that are hard to break down. Maybe you are the one with the wall. We have to take risks in relationships and may have to be transparent. You have something to offer and there is a reason people are brought across your path. You need to understand that your words and actions within these pockets of people could impact their lives! What great opportunities we have everyday to make someone smile!
 
Enjoy the moments you are able to sneak in with your friends. The older we get and the busier our lives become, the harder it is to carve out time for people. That was a difficult adjustment for me when I first realized this truth. I have learned that friendship takes on a different role when you are older. I do not have the time to go hang out at the mall, but I can make time for a phone call. There are still ways to reach out and connect.

Be perceptive to the nudgings you get no matter which group of people you are with at the time. Someone in that group may need a kind word, a healing touch, a listening ear. I want to encourage you with this: take the time to look someone in the eye; you never know when they are going to let you see them.

I would love for you to visit my blog, Making the Most of Every Opportunity. You may be interested in my featured post titled "Be Careful With the Bananas" which shares more regarding relationships.

Read JoEllen's previous post

Slow Down! You Move Too Fast!

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