Uplifting

Good morning to you all! First, you may have noticed a few new options on my blog. I am learning as I go so be patient with all of my experiments. I am hoping to add more fun things to it in the near future. Please feel free to click around but remember it's still a work in progress as am I.

Next.... I am terribly excited to be going home this weekend to visit my family in Kentucky as well as two of my oldest and dearest friends. It has been too long since I've been able to sit down with girlfriends who really know me and love me just the same. I have been friends with these women since we were second graders. Thirty-five years young, that seems an eternity ago. It is very uplifting to know I will be in the presence of such true friends. I have missed them more than I realized. We all have children of our own now and it will be wonderful to see friendships between them develop. I sure wish we all lived closer. But such is life. For now, we try to plan our trips back home at the same time just to capture a few hours together to catch up. I hope to get some great pics of us and our children. I'm also going to experiment with my camera a bit and try for some great inspirational shots to share. I have pulled out the user guide to my camera to learn more and work with what I have until the time comes to purchase my dream camera (more on that later). Where was I? Oh yes, friendship. Spring has come early for me. I'm off to bask in the sunlight of true friends. I will try to blog while in Kentucky, but if you don't hear from me for a few days, don't worry. I'll be back to rattle off some more nonsense as soon as I can. I hope my excitement inspires you to call up some old friends this weekend.

Thoughts on Thursday

I have recently had the pleasure of getting back in touch with an old friend. I absolutely love catching up with old friends. So to be back in touch with her gave me the warm & fuzzies all over. Though it's been a very long time, we picked right back up where we'd left off as if no time had passed. I didn't realized how much I missed some of my old friends. New friends are great and can make some of the best. But there's really nothing like a friend from the past that knows your history, knows you at your best and your worst and still loves you just the same.

My warm & fuzzies were quickly replaced with feelings of sorrow and sympathy as I learned this old, dear friend was experiencing a divorce. With small children, she is desperately trying to hold it all together for them, for herself and just really needed a friend. I was touched deeply that she thought of me to lean on during this difficult time but sad that there was a need. Having not gone through a divorce myself, I can't empathize with the emotions she is abiding at present. I think I probably told her some things she didn't want to hear. That was arduous, but I didn't feel as if I'd be doing the word "friend" justice if I didn't say these things to her. I believe the words needed to be heard in order to start the healing process for herself as well as for her children. But still, a very difficult task when saying them to someone you care for and love. I know God has a plan for her and shared these same thoughts, but I'm not sure what her relationship is with God at present and definitely don't want to appear a bible thumper. I will pray for her and hope she puts her trust in God as well. While I am thrilled to have my friend back in my life, my heart is heavy. I pray that I, myself, will be a good friend to her. I pray that God will give me the right words.

Sunday is Valentine's Day. The holiday of love. Maybe a good time to reach out to an old friend and reconnect - feel those warm and fuzzies.

To ALL my friends, old and new, I love you deeply and would not be the person I am today without each of you.

BLESSINGS!