I'm not sure why blogging comes and goes in spurts for me. Some days I feel like I could post multiple times, and other days I just don't really have much to share. I'm not sure if it's always because I'm truly out of things to say, or just that I'm drained from the busyness of life.
Either way, I'm here now...
Today I'm thankful for the friends that God has carefully chosen and planted into our lives.
Last Thursday we were blessed to have a visit from my best friend from high school, Jana. She and I are 24 days apart in age, and we've known each other practically from the day I was born. So, I guess you could say we have a lot of history. We still keep in touch, although not daily or even weekly, but enough. Even though we know a lot of each other's "history," life is still changing enough to keep us interested in each other's futures! :-) I'm thankful for old friends.
At Sunday evening services recently, Pastor Jeff has been preaching about developing deeper community. He asked us to consider a time when we felt we were able to cultivate really deep relationships, and he wanted to know the circumstances surrounding that...What made the depth of relationship/community possible?
My first thought was my "Philly girls." During the summer of 2000 - the summer between high school and college - I worked at
Gull Lake Bible and Missionary Conference (since renamed "Gull Lake Ministries"). There I lived in the cabin called "Philippians" with six other young women who were working there as well.
The closeness of living together, rubbing elbows daily, as well as working together in a ministry capacity (with a common goal - to lead kids to Christ) developed those deep relationships. These were the girls whose first instinct in any situation was to PRAY. No matter what was happening, if someone came into the house upset, we prayed together. What an impact that made on my young, developing life!
I still keep in touch with
Larissa and
Michelle through email / blogs. And I'm thankful that time and distance don't destroy relationships that are built on a solid foundation (that is, Christ!).
The picture above was taken a little over a week ago at a get-together for our Sunday School class. It's Grace (on the right) with her friend Karisa . I'm so thankful for the relatively new friendships that God has given us within our church family. (Okay, we've been there almost four years, but that's why I said "relatively!") Karisa is one of the
Perrys, a family that we really respect and enjoy!
Karisa's mom Kathy is a wonderful friend to me. I love spending time with her not just because our kids get along well or because WE get along well, but also because I know she'll always encourage me to be a better wife and mother and to be a more godly woman in general. What a great friend!
And I'm so thankful to know that Grace will have godly friendships growing up. To know that (Lord-willing) Grace and Karisa can encourage each other throughout their growing up years to live for God's glory. I know that kids these days face a lot of challenges and temptations, and I'm beyond grateful to know Grace (and Caleb and Ava) will have friends with a common purpose in life!
Well, that was probably a sappy post, but it's been on my heart lately.
I'm truly blessed.
Disclaimer: This is just a small sampling of the wonderful people in our life. (Don't be sad if I didn't mention you. I'm thankful for you, too!)
Notice the trash all over the floor and lid of the trash can. It was take-the-trash-out day yesterday, and we obviously hadn't quite gotten to that job yet!
