I came across this word the other day while browsing the web. I thought it was quite funny, and very true! Here is the definition:
Friendationship: (n) frin-DAY-shun-ship
A male-female relationship, which has exceeded the normal level of friendship, but has not yet acquired official “relationship” status; a phenomenon that is prominent in the Post-Joshua-Harris era; often occurs pre-DTR; i.e. “Greg doesn’t want to date Sally, because he’s not sure if she’s The One, but it’s obvious to everyone that they are in a friendationship.” Synonym: “Just Friends”; Antonym: “Friends With Benefits”.I invented this word a few years ago, because I sensed a great need for it. My friends and I have used it frequently in everyday conversation, and they have recently encouraged me to release it to the world. It hasn’t been entered into the dictionary yet, but I figure that if enough of us start using it, those days can’t be too far off. As a matter of fact, “bling-bling” was just added to the Oxford English Dictionary. I’m not even kidding. I heard that they credited some rapper with it. So, let’s just all operate on the safe side here and make sure you credit me when you use the word “friendationship”. Then I’ll be rich enough to have some bling-bling of my own someday.
Friendationships are a confusing thing. First of all, I haven’t come up with an official word for what it’s called when you “hang out” with the person you’re in a friendationship with (is it a “frate”, an abbreviation of “friend-date”?). Furthermore, what do you call that person? Until now, I’ve just referred to the person as “your friendationship” (instead of “your girlfriend”, “your boyfriend”, or “the person you are always with but won’t admit that you like”), but I’m not sure if I like that either. If you think of anything better, let me know.
I’m not going to go into any details about my personal experiences with friendationships; but I will tell you that I think they are the best new trend in dating (or non-dating, whichever you prefer). And as a matter of fact, the best “relationships” that I’ve had have been friendationships. I fully endorse them. They’re also fun to witness…
Two friends of mine, whom I will call “Adam” and “Eve”, have just recently admitted to each other that their friendship is, in fact, a friendationship. I’ve been telling Eve this for six months. Everyone else knew it, too… Adam just finally admitted it to himself. I feel so relieved. So… maybe they will get married someday. Or maybe it will all end weirdly, and none of our friends will feel comfortable hanging out with each other anymore. But that’s the beauty of the friendationship… total uncertainty, total lack of commitment.
To find out if you are currently in a friendationship, take this simple quiz:
1. Have you ever read “I Kissed Dating Goodbye” by Joshua Harris? (yes) (no)
2. After reading the book, did you burn it? (yes) (no)
*disclaimer: Joshua Harris is actually a friend of mine, and I have personally read everything he has ever written, including his private journals, which he keeps in his hall closet. Josh, I mean you no harm, and I think you and Shannon are amazing. Have a nice day, and please don’t hate me… this is all in good fun. (P.S. Can you make the word “friendationship” hugely popular?)
There is even a book out now by a similar title Friendlationships. So fess up, who’s been in a friendationship before? Who’s in one now?
My older brother KC has the concept of speaking the truth in love nailed down. At least he does in regards to my life. Some times it is terribly irritating, and I don’t want to admit that he’s right, I mean really how can he be right ALL THE TIME!? It seems statistically impossible, he’d have to be wrong at some point, right? Nobody is perfect.
Disclaimer: My brother does suffer from ‘Allen’ disease, aka ‘I’m always right’ So in an effort to not inflate his ego, let me clarify. I’m not saying he’s a perfect person, or that he’s always right when doling out insight/advice to others, or even in making decisions in his own life, but in my life he seems to have the uncanny ability to always say what I need to hear, no matter how badly I would prefer to not hear it.
So you’d think I’d learn, and not go to him when I know he’s going to say something I don’t want to hear, but I haven’t. And I haven’t because although sometimes I wish he would sugar-coat what he’s saying a little better (he rarely does) - he does always speak the truth in love, and he does always support me whether I listen to him or not.
He is always pushing me (and I do mean pushing sometimes) to be more like Christ, to think more like him, to act more like him, to love more like him. Although it is intensely irritating to have to admit that he’s right so often, I am thankful that God has put him in my life, and that he loves me so intentionally.
Everyone should have someone in their life like this… Who is yours?
I’ve been thinking about this word quite a bit today. It all started in an email conversation with a friend in regards to two people who seem to be in very different places in regards to contentment. I think so often we are told to be content, but is being content really ideal, or is there such a thing as being too content. So content that life lacks goals, or the desire to do and be more. On the other hand discontentment can wreck havoc too, always wanting what you don’t have and feeling like you’ll never get it.
Tonight has been an evening of discontentment for me - on various levels, in various areas, and I’m sure for various reasons that I have yet to uncover. I’m trying to figure out what God would have me do with my discontentment, is this a prodding from him to get me to move in a particular direction? Or am I suppose to find contentment in the current situations?
I have no answers…
Most of you are on some level aware of my upcoming trip to India in August. In an effort to raise awareness and hopefully some money, some friends and I are putting together a BBQ and Wiffle Ball Tournament! Visit http://wiffle.honeystreet.com for more information on the details of the event, or if you’d just like some good entertainment. I’ve also added this nifty graphic to my sidebar so that the event will stay in the forefront of my blog reader’s minds.
If you’d like to play on my team, let me know and I’ll send you a link to a player sign-up form. It’s $20 to play which includes a t-shirt and food. If you’d like the t-shirt but don’t want to play, you can sign-up to be an honorary team member for the same price.
Hope you all can make it!
So after having a conversation with a friend last night it seems like we are both in a place where God is asking each of us to do the right thing even though we don’t think it will make a difference and even may fear the outcome. Basically a let God be God and trust Him to do what only He can. Have you ever been there?