Friendship

I've been blessed all my life to have good friendships. I didn't realize how blessed I was until I was an adult and started hearing stories of people who didn't have good friends as a child, adolescent, and even adult. Some people are in a place where there are just not a lot of choices of good friends. Others just don't seem to connect because of circumstances or whatever. But after looking back over my life, I marvel at how God has provided me with good friends wherever I have been.

Friendship is something that I cherish. I may not be really vocal about that, and I should be!! I really need to tell all my friends how much a cherish them. I am a Sanguine personality by nature, and if I didn't have someone to talk to, I think I would go insane. My incessant chatter doesn't always go over well with my choleric/ phlegmatic husband. So I crave the company of good women friends who share the same ideals, values, and beliefs as I do. I'm not saying that I can't be friends with someone different than me, but you know how nice it is to just talk with someone and not have to worry about what you say!! :)

I have to say, and I mean this with all my heart, that my best friend is my husband. He fits me beyond any match I could have ever asked for! I thank God everyday for ordaining our marriage before the beginning of time. There is no doubt that he is who I should be with.

After him, I can say with no reservation that my Mama is my next best friend!! She truly deserves to have her children "rise up and call her blessed." She has always been a wonderful role model for me as a wife and mother, and she has always been a wonderful grandmother to my children. When anything happens in my life, she is the one I call first. I want to share everything with her, and I'm so grateful to have her in my life.

As I look back over my life, I see friendships that began when I was two and three years old that I still have today!! Some stronger than others but all with special meaning to me. I even still have some childhood friends whose children are special friends with my children! I cherish these relationships. I met and made friends throughout my school years--some lasted longer than others--but each were important in my life.

Then I got to college, and I knew NO ONE!! My college friendships took on a different meaning. These were girls that I lived with everyday. We laughed together, studied together, played together and even maybe fought together (although not too often!) There are five of us that are still the closest of friends. We get together every 18 months or so. We have all changed in so many ways as we all live very different lives with different husbands in different parts of the country, but one thing remains the same--Jesus. With him being the center of our relationship, we never skip a beat when we get back together. It's just the same as when we were all living together on the same hall all those years ago.

I have also been blessed with friends in adulthood. After I got married, my husband and I stayed on Lookout Mtn. for a few years. I was a good bit younger than other married adults I knew. It was pretty easy, though, to stay close to others from college who stayed around the area as well. But then I had a baby. Having a baby changes a lot! I was 23 years old and looking for a friend in the same situation as me!! I found a wonderful friend who was my best buddy for the next few years. Our boys were two weeks apart in age and spent most of the first 3 1/2 years of their life together. I don't talk to her too often anymore, but I am still thankful for the role she played.

After moving to Naples, I was worried about not finding good friends again. God has since taught me never to worry about those things. He always provides! He has given me more friends than I could ever hope for here. Some have lasted the entire 10 1/2 years that we've been here, others not as long. But, once again, each has played a role. I have found a multitude of homeschooling friends that share our values, beliefs and decisions for our children. That has been such a blessing. I also have plenty of good friends at church. I have friends that share our beliefs that children are a blessing and share our desire to teach their children to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and mind. Yesterday, a good friend, (who is a relatively new friend) offered to come over and help me clean up my house!! That doesn't happen very often. My first response was to say, "No, that's okay. I can do it." But that's my prideful heart! I don't want to admit that I can't do it all. And I certainly don't want anyone to actually see that I can't! :) But I decided to accept the help and let her come. I'm so glad I did. It was a blessing to both of us. She brought her children, and they all played with mine while we worked. We worked with babies on our hips. We worked side by side while talking, and we worked in separate rooms as well. I thank God for her friendship.

I would encourage you to let people in. Be an open friend so that others will be open with you. Allow people into your life. Seek out God honoring relationships, and pray that your conversations will be honoring to Him as well. Take time to sit together, sip some tea (even amid the mess of your messy life) and strengthen the relationships that God has placed before you.