my heart has been very full today. to the point where it kind of hurts...in a good way. i just made my second trip of the day to the grocery store and on the way the circumstances were just right for me to hear God speaking to me. this time, he wanted to talk about the friends in my life. and i listened (for a change). it was a little overwhelming and i had to take a few deep breaths before i could even walk into the store.
here's the thing. i realized that my absolute dearest friends are those who allow me the honor of serving them. God blessed me with a "servant's heart" as my sister and brother-in-law (two people i put in the "dearest friends" category) say. and some of my happiest and fullest moments in life are when i'm helping my friends in some way.
today i'm cooking for a friend whose father-in-law passed away last week and she & her husband just moved into a new house. a slightly overwhelming week, to say the least. she could have declined my offer for a (mostly) home cooked meal. but she didn't. and the gift of her acceptance put me in my kitchen on a beautiful Memorial Day, chopping (one of my favorite pastimes) anything that got in my way. most of what i've been making won't even make it to her house (per her request, not my refusal) but i've been working on fresh salsa, roasted red potatoes, broccoli salad, red cabbage slaw and who knows what else between now and dinner time.
in the middle of the joyous madness i got a message from another sweet friend. one who constantly tells me how special i am, despite how bad i am at reciprocating such kind affirmations. she came home early from the beach yesterday so she could relax at home and get ready for her work week. she spent this morning and part of the afternoon at the ER with her mom. my response was food first, then (closely followed, but followed, still) prayer. the order doesn't matter to her. and while she didn't accept my offer to come sit at the hospital with her or meet her at her mom's house to help get things in order, i know she will gladly accept (and even propose - an even better gift sometimes!) offers yet to come. including all this extra food i have sitting around now.
the situations aren't always so grim, yet they are often related to food. my best friends know that i want to feed them...and they let me.
thank you, my dear friends. i love you.
here's the thing. i realized that my absolute dearest friends are those who allow me the honor of serving them. God blessed me with a "servant's heart" as my sister and brother-in-law (two people i put in the "dearest friends" category) say. and some of my happiest and fullest moments in life are when i'm helping my friends in some way.
today i'm cooking for a friend whose father-in-law passed away last week and she & her husband just moved into a new house. a slightly overwhelming week, to say the least. she could have declined my offer for a (mostly) home cooked meal. but she didn't. and the gift of her acceptance put me in my kitchen on a beautiful Memorial Day, chopping (one of my favorite pastimes) anything that got in my way. most of what i've been making won't even make it to her house (per her request, not my refusal) but i've been working on fresh salsa, roasted red potatoes, broccoli salad, red cabbage slaw and who knows what else between now and dinner time.
in the middle of the joyous madness i got a message from another sweet friend. one who constantly tells me how special i am, despite how bad i am at reciprocating such kind affirmations. she came home early from the beach yesterday so she could relax at home and get ready for her work week. she spent this morning and part of the afternoon at the ER with her mom. my response was food first, then (closely followed, but followed, still) prayer. the order doesn't matter to her. and while she didn't accept my offer to come sit at the hospital with her or meet her at her mom's house to help get things in order, i know she will gladly accept (and even propose - an even better gift sometimes!) offers yet to come. including all this extra food i have sitting around now.
the situations aren't always so grim, yet they are often related to food. my best friends know that i want to feed them...and they let me.
thank you, my dear friends. i love you.
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