Circle of Friends

I am absolutely so blessed. 

My circle of friends has grown.

Sadly, for many years I felt I had to limit my friendships.  In hindsight I realize I was believing a lie.  The lie being I had to surround myself only with friends from the Club I worshipped at.  Seriously!  That is what I did and I missed so many additional friendship opportunities during those years.  My Worship Club friends are precious but God had a plan for me to see the many others in my life.

Praise God, He showed me the truth.  I now see and have friends from every aspect of my life:  work, sports, neighbors, past-sports events the Kidlets were in, my worship Club and other worship Clubs.

I am so blessed!

I could be on the phone all day long with my circle of friends!!!  My Friend Bucket is full of people that laugh with me, cry with me, some of them pray with me and others would never think of praying.  And I love all of them the same because each one brings something new and different into my life. 

What a blessing friends are.

This morning I have am having breakfast with one of those Circles of Friends.  We've been friends for over
20 years.  We call ourselves the Birthday Babes for some reason!!

Last fall we took our first trip together.  What a hoot that trip was!

The fun started at the gas station learning how to put gas in the van...

We stopped to enjoy the sights along the five-hour trip...

We acted goofy all weekend...

Shopped in Many Small Cities...

Wandered into a City Festival complete with the
REE COLAAAAA players...

Cooked our meals and ate together...

And enjoyed scenery like this.

I am so thankful that God removed the Lie Blinder that was on my eyes to see all of the people around me that love me and want to be my friend. 

Just this week we had the End-of-the-Season Baseball party.  The baseball moms have become friends over the summer.  The kind of friends that won't end just because we had the last party.  In the fun and goofiness of the summer and at the party, we've become "Check the Chin Hair" friends.  We've decided we have spent enough time with each other that we could point out a chin hair with each other.  There were many teary eyes saying goodbye at the end of the night.

Check-the-Chin-Hair friends.  After all, that is what friends do with each other, right!

How about you?  Are you friends with your neighbors?  Start there.  You've got one thing in common already:  you both like the area you live in!  All of my neighbors do "Neighbor Store" with each other.  It is not uncommon to get a phone call like this "Neighbor, I am baking and realize I don't have enough eggs.  Do you have two eggs I could borrow?"  Neighbors on all sides of us have that kind of friendship with me.

I am blessed.

Lord God, thank you for the friends you have placed in my life.  Thank you for those that have been with me for years and years and those that are new this year.  Even the friends that read this blog that I haven't met.  I ask that You bless each and every one of them.  First and foremost, Lord, give them eyes to see the Love that You have for them.  Then, bless them and protect them.  Let them know I love and appreciate them, too.  You, God, thank you for the awesome friendship you and I have.  In Jesus's name...Amen.