There's a time and a place. And we get that!

Today, I needed a reminder of something good. I dug around and finally found the book Kimball made me before she left on her mission. The book is called "25 'just because' Reasons I Love Brooke Michole Silvester" Reading this book made me laugh and cry and burst out into song and snort and crave corn dogs. It also reminded me how good it is to have balance and respect and honesty in relationships. Reason #25 is "You've helped me to love myself, my friends & family, and the Lord through your example!" Through all of the silly stuff that only makes sense to a few select people, this is the most important. This applies not only to Kimball and I, but it should apply to all of our relationships here on earth! We are all here for the same purpose: to gain eternal life. We all have different trials and tests to pass through. But we're not isolated. We're not expected to do it alone.
"We must strive to manifest the love of Christ, who always sought to please His Father by doing His will. . . . We must make every effort to follow His supreme example--to demonstrate such love through our thoughts, our speech, our actions--in all the things we do and are. We must not allow pride or vanity, selfishness or personal agendas to displace our reaching out to others in love. Quite simply and profoundly, we must first allow ourselves to be encircled by God's love. We do this best by embracing the Savior's eternal Atonement. Then we can expand that circle to include our family and all others. Such a circle is indeed heaven."
Bonnie D. Parkin, Eternally Encircled in His Love, Ensign, Nov. 2006, 109-10

I'm learning a lot about friendships. Today I've studied and prayed and have learned a lot and have come to realize my own limitations, weaknesses and strengths. Reason #9 in my "25 reasons" book, Kimball stole from a list I'd written her. "When we're Czechbuhtnians, we speak like Czechbuhtianss. When we're bears, we speak like Bearnie. There's a time and a place. We get that."
The last part applies to so much more than just speaking in funny accents. We can be fun and silly and CRAZY! We can be reverent and loving and uplifting. We include others and show our love to them. There's a time to love and uplift and there's a time to stand back and let the Lord work. There's a time to depend and encourage, and there's a time to set boundaries and grow as individuals. Independence does not mean isolation. We're here to strengthen each other, but we need to also support ourselves. Indebtedness and neediness is not a good foundation. Christ is the foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall. We need to have balance and always be good for each other!! That's how the Lord would want it. that's the kind of sociality that can exist in Heaven! I'm so grateful for righteous relationships, and I'm so grateful for those friends in my life!
I need to work to achieve better balance so that all my relationships will flourish as the Lord would have them do. I apologize for my weaknesses and for the effects they have on those I love and those who love me in return. Thanks for continuing to love me.
ECCLESIASTES 3:1-8