Who is in Your Fire Side Group?

Have you ever heard of the Fireside Poets? The group is thought to include Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, (Paul Revere’s Ride and The Song of Hiawatha), William Cullen Bryant (no idea what he wrote), John Greenleaf Whittier 
(the man who penned one of my favorite quotes),

also James Russell Lowell (again, no idea), and Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. (The Last Leaf).  They were the first American poets whose popularity rivaled that of British poets, both at home and abroad. Ralph Waldo Emerson (Walden’s Pond) is occasionally included in the group.  I carry his book with me when I travel…

The name "Fireside Poets" is derived because their writings were a source of entertainment for families gathered around the fire at home. But the main thing this group of men made me consider was this:  who is in my fireside group?  “They” say we are most like the 5 people we surround ourselves with.  So, who are yours? Jesus had 12, but they strove to be like HIM which turned out great.  I know who my five are and it has taken me years to get them.  Some have come and gone.  Few have remained.  And yes, we are very much alike.  We all love The Lord.  We all have children.  Our children make us crazy on occasion. We are married or have significant others. We all have sizzling senses of humor! 

You never know when your 5 (or however many) will come, go or stay.  Some will move, or even die, and some will change.  Your group will have the same beliefs, the same morals, the same hobbies, or like and dislikes. But what is important for each of us is this:  be careful of your group!  If your peeps don’t share your love for The Lord, you are wasting your time.  I’m NOT saying, be unkind if they sin, WE ALL SIN, I’m just saying be equally yoked. Have you ever been in a group and one is being negative?  It changes the entire evening.  Have you ever had problems coming up with an idea and you get with a group of people who are creative and intelligent and it gets your juices flowing?  I have.  You see, people can make us better, or they can make us worse.  Don’t tell me it doesn’t change you.  Studies show no matter how happy or productive you are, consistent interaction with a negative and unproductive individuals will eventually rub off on you.  This is a study from the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA).

 You cannot take a bad apples and put it in a tub of freshly picked ones and have IT TURN FRESH. It spoils the bunch. I am telling all of you this because I have kids and they have friends who influence them.  It is imperative that you learn, early on, by being involved in their lives. And not only what kiddos emulate the morals and values you want your child has; but that also you get to know the families as well.  Several things will happen, not only will you have your child be surrounded by good kids, but those good kids come from good families and those will be your tribe!  The ones you call and say, "I need you" to and they load everyone up and come.  See, they will be your friends and  even your family at times. 

 The Bible warns against being unequally yoked in 2 Corinthians 6:14: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”  I am so thankful that in the process of raising kids I had a Fireside Group!  It made a difference in how my kids were raised, loved and taught.  If you have someone in your “5” that is not making you better for Jesus, well…that is called a necessary ending.  

My Fireside Group has changed a little, but not much and not by choice.  We have laughed and cried together, prayed and begged at times, we were detectives and tattle tales when need be, but we did it together and I we did it well! These are not all my "tribers" but these three have been there through the thick and thin!

 

Here is a little dose of reality that hit me one day when my daughter was in kindergarten.  A little boy asked to come over to our house and play to which she replied, "you are NOT the kind of friend my mommy wants me to have!"   (OUCH)