My Friend Changed Her Home Address

This is Debbie. She was my secret sister. You haven't met anyone on fire for the Lord like Debbie. In the few months we went to church together we enjoyed one another a lot. Whatever the social event, we would find each other. Both of us weren't what you'd call the quiet and gentle types. When she came over to swim this summer she made sure to grill me about the new church we were attending - like any dear friend would.

Last month we were at a friend's surprise party. Her and I were laughing over the fact that we were both huddled on different parts of the couch trying to quickly seal our birthday cards...hoping the birthday girl wouldn't notice how fresh the spit was on our licked envelopes.


Debbie moved September 8th.

Her new home address is Heaven.


Debbie was 48 years old and died unexpectedly from pneumonia. Everyone was shocked, but God wasn't. He knew full well the date and time of her welcoming party. Knowing Debbie, she ran full speed into His waiting arms and hasn't stopped talking and laughing with Him since.

She leaves behind many touched lives, a godly husband, her precious seven year-old son Samuel, and a church family who loved her dearly.

My plan was to attend her life celebration yesterday, but at the last minute I was held up. It was difficult not gathering with my sisters who were missing her too.

Friends shared later how beautiful her service was and how the church was packed with people from all over. I wasn't surprised.

If Debbie were here she'd remind everyone of her forwarding address. She'd point out the way and joyfully and quite matter-of-factly tell you how you could see her again.

When she was a child she heard Jesus knocking and gladly opened the door of her heart for Him.

For some of you He is knocking right now.

Debbie would want you to answer.


Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. Rev. 3:20

I'VE BEEN TAGGED!

Well friends, there seems to be lots of bloggy tag going on lately. Three blog friends have tagged me. So if you're not in the mood for random facts, run for lives.

My bloggy-bud Christelle from Beloved Mama and my newest blog friend, Jennifer from Through the Storms of Life, was first to tag me in this fun little game of randomness...
Here's how it works.

1) Link to the person who tagged you.
2) Post the rules on your blog (copy and paste 1-6).
3) Write 6 random things about yourself (see below).
4) Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them.
5) Let each person know they have been tagged and leave
a comment on their blog.
6) Let the tagger know when your
entry is up.

1) I am one of the most ungraceful women God has created. I am as dainty as an elephant on roller skates and a bull in a china shop.

2) I will reach for a donut and cookies over chips or soda any day of the week.

3)When I eat out, I almost always get iced water with lemon. I don't waste my calories on my drink. I would much rather eat my calories.

4) I can be very loud. My husband often ssshhhhh's me while I'm on the phone with a friend.

5) Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday of the year. No pretense, just the love of your family around the table, unified in gratefulness of heart...and love of turkey and stuffing!

6) When I breathe my last, I plan on holding my precious husbands' hand, looking into the eyes of my children and whispering, "Wow...that was awesome!"

7) I was my high school yearbook ad manager. (Jennifer's game of tag asked for seven facts!)

I chose some lovely new bloggy friends to join in the fun below!

The Cozy Corner

Eternity Cafe

This & That

Stop and Smell the Chocolates

Joyful Laughter

Maudie's Meandering Thoughts

Linda from Growin' with it, has tagged me to share fifteen things with all of you that I'm not afraid to admit. Just like Linda, I am only admitting to ten!

1. I don't enjoy playing cards. Actually I don't enjoy playing games much at all. And video games make me nauseus.

2. We have a tradition in our family, to watch the movie It's a Wonderful Life together on Christmas day, all curled up on the couch with the lights out, cuddled under blankets. It is how we close out the holiday season together.

3. We don't have a TV in our house with working cable right now. DVD's only!

4. I can sit and talk with ANYONE.

5. Hanging out with my husband is honest to goodness, my absolute favorite thing.

6. My second favorite thing would have to be women's Bible studies. I love gathering women to learn about God's word.

7. I am horribly sarcastic. (No. Really?!? Do ya think?)

8. I say, "Seriously, are you kidding me?!?" way too much.

9. My first car was a 1976 Ford Elite, white with red interior. It was as long as Noah's Ark, and almost as big.

10. I have been called (by many) a food pusher. I show my love by feeding you until you are sick to your stomach. No one, and I mean no one, leaves our home hungry!

...and I am now tagging you gals below to play along!

Greetings from Butterville

Just Another Day in Paradise

The Lord, His Truth, and His Love

Scattered Stones

A Glimpse into the Life of the Stanfords

A Portland Granny

For all of you older bloggy buds of mine (and you know exactly who you are), don't think for a minute that you have gotten off the hook! I am watching and waiting for the right time to pounce on you, and yell out...TAG YOU'RE IT!

Friends are Friends Forever, dah dah dah dah dah

You all know that song by Michael W. Smith right?

"Friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them..."

I am beginning to write a new song in honor of the weekend my son had at my best friend Celia's house this weekend. I am going to title it:

"Friends are friends forever unless their son barfs in their car..."


My teenage son has been waiting for four years to fish with his Uncle Bob, this would be my best friend, Auntie Celia's hubby. The anticipated fishing weekend began on Friday evening with a stressed out call from Celia asking my husband if our darling son ever shut up. My dear childless friend and her husband have a vacation home that they come up to on weekends. It's a short hop and a skip down the road from our house to theirs.

Have I mentioned yet that my friend has never had kids?

Just this weekend while standing and smiling on her white carpet, she asked me why we don't bring up the family to their place more often.

Really?

She has already forgotten the first time we all came over and our youngest got his head stuck in their deck railing.

Auntie Celia (as my four children love to call her) has the same problem with my children as I do with little puppies. They are all just darlin until you have to take care of them.

So now you'll understand why I laughed out loud when I overheard my husband talking to Celia over the phone yesterday. The call went kinda like this...

Paul: Hi Celia.

Silence, long pause...

Paul: Really, oh boy, I'm so sorry.

Silence, longer pause.

Paul: Sure, you can just bring him home.

Silence, even longer pause.

Paul: Yes, there's an all service car wash right by our house.

(Paul is squinting his eyes, trying not to laugh while talking)

Paul: We will be home in a few, go ahead and just drop him off.




And just like a puppy, my teenage son barfed in their car.

Friends

Friend: 1.One who is attached to another by affection; one who entertains for another sentiments of esteem, respect and affection which lead him to desire his company, and to seek to promote his happiness and prosperity.

This picture was taken last Fall when five of us moms took our teenage daughters to the Revolve Tour. This is in the hotel room, after the sugar high had set in.


My hearts desire with this post is to share a bit about friends. Not the precious ones you see with me above, but 'blog friends'....

I found it a 'God-incidence' that the scripture on my sidebar tonight, while I was adding all of my blog buddies to my redecorated site was "Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." Proverbs 27:17

This scripture means exactly what it says. The influence of a godly friend can improve your life for the better. My Walvoord and Zuck commentary explains the scripture above this way, "When iron is rubbed against another piece of iron it shapes and sharpens it. Similarly people can help each other improve by their discussions, criticisms, suggestions, and ideas."

I just love that!

What a wonderful definition of what you blog gals do for me. My blog originally started out as an exercise just to work on my writing. A daily writers' sit-up if you will. What I discovered instead was an example.. yet again, of our Father's exceeding and abundant blessing on my life.

In my un-blog world, I have so many dear friends and even one bestest girlfriend. I never knew how your lives would touch mine. I wish I had enough time to post about how special each one of you have been. (Gotta wrap this up, hubby has already hit the sack!)

Instead, I am just going to point everyone who comes to my blog this weekend to take a peek at the column to the right of this post, titled 'Blessed Blogs'. There they will find a beautiful myriad of godly women who desire not only to draw near to Jesus, but to encourage one another to be the sharpest piece of iron in their friends' lives and their savior's hands.

I am so Blessed...