My good friend, Sarah, was able to come visit on Friday night. She lives a couple hours away and stayed the night. Her 3 children were with daddy so it was only half crazy here until my children went to bed. We enjoyed a cup of tea on the couch and lots of catching up. We could have talked the whole night, if Sarah, poor thing, wasn't coming down with a cold. It was SO nice. I felt so good that night and the next day. If you are reading this, Please say a prayer for her, she recently lost her mother and is kind of living on a prayer right now. Oh, how my heart aches for her.
It got me thinking about friendships. I am very blessed with many friends. Many close friends. They all meet different needs I guess, I hope both ways. I have to say Sarah, Lisa, Christine and Kerry are all friends I'd call my closest. The ones I'd say I could trust with anything, they get me. They understand me. I understand them. (I hope) We think the same things about pretty much everything important. We are all different ages, I am 38. Some are around my age, some quite a bit younger and some quite a bit older. We have the same faith. That is what links us, keeps us close at heart. I love these women as if they were my sisters.
Then there are friends like Bonnie, who I see maybe once a year, if I am so blessed, and we both have such a yearning to have the time to spend, to have tea on the couch and talk all night. I love her too, as if she were my sister.
There are new friends, neighbors. (we just moved here in the fall) Like Jeanne, who I feel a connection with, I love to see her, she brightens a room with her non judging smile. A friendship that I see such potential for. I love her as if she were my sister, already.
There are new "blog friends", they are real, but to explain them to someone, well, they just don't get it! There's Margaret, Nerm, Kristin, Melissa, Cheryl and so many more (sorry, I don't know how to link you in my post yet!--anyone, help?) We seem to share the same faith, there is such a connection, such an instant friendship, yet I've only met one of you!! And probably will never meet the rest of you. I love you like sisters, and pray only the best for you.
There are homeschool friends,too many to name, old neighbors, Nicki & Melissa, who are so much more than just old neighbors, childhood friends, Denise, old work friends, prayer group friends and church friends.
What would I do without all of you? I love you all. I love you all like my sisters. We are sisters in Christ and will be forever. You are such a part of what I do, what I think, how I pray.
I thank You, God, for my friendships, old and new and the ones I haven't met yet. Please bless all of them and continually draw them close to You.
You are so blessed to have so many friends, in all walks of life, that you can reach out if needed, and in turn they know they can reach out to you. When I moved to this area 5 years ago I left a lifetime behind, including friends. Unfortunately, living "in the country" is not as conducive to IRL friendships as living in the Twin Cities was. I, too, have come to enjoy and depend on online support and friendship, and the out-of-town visitors I get!
ReplyDeleteYour words remind me of St. Francis de Sales' chapter on true friendships. We are so blessed in them, and I thank you for counting me among yours, Jamie. You are a pearl of great price--and always remind me to look at the eternal side of life.
ReplyDeleteLove to you & that beautiful family,
Margaret
PS. I'll try to explain how to do a link. First, go to the site that you want to link to. (I do this in a separate window.) Highlight the address starting at "www." and right-click to copy. Then go back to your post and highlight the words that you're using for the link, like "my friend Christine."
Click on the "link" icon in your blogger program--it looks like a little chain--and you'll get a box for the address you just copied. Right-click again and paste it there.
It took me some time to figure out how to link! Don't worry--the learning curve in blogging is very steep and you'll be surprised at how much you'll know in a month. All for the glory of God!
Oh Jamie that is the sweetest blog. When I tapped you on the shoulder at church I was looking for a friend for my little Colette. Little did I know that I was going to be the lucky one. I also just moved here just 3yrs ago and I am blessed to have met you. I know God has had a hand in it because he has answered my prayers.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jamie, for your friendship.