Month: January 2015

Relationships “can” Bring God Glory

| Laura Lee Bonde

Lately, God’s been showing me A LOT about relationships. Even this morning, I woke up in mid conversation with Him about people’s value and having them know it. It was such a comforting way to wake up that I fell right back to sleep in His Arms. The second time I woke up, I felt SO rested. It was insane!

I used to live my life a very different way…very different, and my idea of a relationship was absolutely bonkers. I won’t go into that twisted view. I’ll just share what relationships mean to me now.

Relationships grow through intimacy. I’ve recently learned what intimacy “really” means. When you learn depths of someone’s heart, that’s intimacy, so it’s really each individual’s choice of whether they want to let you in or not. I like letting people into my heart because there’s so much freedom in that, and as a result, many good relationships are being built.

I’ve learned to hang out with people who like me. I won’t be liked by everybody, and I’m done with trying to force my way in and waiting on God to “change” that other person. That never works out well. I’ve learned that the hard way. But when you’re friends with one another, lay your life down, encourage one another…that makes God smile.

God wants that intimacy too. There are things that I’ve learned from my time alone with God that I’ve tried in friendships that worked amazingly well, and there are things I’ve learned in my relationships with friends that I’ve tried in my alone time with God that worked amazingly well. He’s so personal, so loving. He wants us loved by one another in a good, healthy way.

My relationship with Him has never been stronger. Because of this, I will NOT let anyone close to me that may hurt me. God has taught me my created value, my worth, my beauty, and now, I get to teach others. I love lifting others up (like He has lifted me).

Our Game Nights

| Laura Lee Bonde

When I post about me and the kids having “Game Nights,” you have no idea how much fun they are, and it would be hard to describe each night in words because it’s just something where you really do need to “be there.” I’ll do my best to take you there now.

We sit around a table, so everyone’s face if visible. So much laughter may be found in facial expressions, in body movements, in hand gestures. It’s hilarious, but then, you add voices to that, and the laughter is unstoppable! But it wasn’t always like that.

For years, we’ve been having game nights. It all started when I would open my home to friends from Rock Recovery. We used to hang out at Denny’s, Miniature Golf, etc, but I missed my kids, so I decided to take our hang outs to my home. I learned so much.

The kids and I started having our own game nights. With the kids, there used to be arguing, bad attitudes, etc. Even though we encountered “moods,” we never stopped having them. Right now, the kids are the happiest they have ever been. Before a game night ends, we talk about having our next one.

141227_0002 (1)In this particular picture, we were playing Uno Dare. That’s where you either “draw two” or take the “dare”…hilarious. In this turn, Carolyn had to walk around the table with a card between her knees without letting it fall. It was so funny. She almost peed her pants. After she sat down, Kyle told her, “Oh, I added that part about it not being able to hit the ground. You could’ve let it fall.” Oh my gosh, we laughed so hard!

The other day, I picked up Katie from Sprouts and was headed to drop her off at the Thai place, where she holds a second job. She was telling me about a conversation she had with a coworker from Sprouts. She was telling him about our game nights and told the employee that it’s through those game nights where she has learned to love. Isn’t that amazing!!

God uses our “Game Night” to teach the kids (and me) lessons. He’s taught Katie how to love. Isn’t that beautiful!! My birthday is this month, and I’ve been thinking about just leaving my front door open for a day, and if anyone would like to come by and join us in a game, they could come by and say, “Hi!” I guess I will share my amazing kids for ONE day.