I Have Been Abundantly Blessed!!

One thing I all too often take for granted are my friends. I think we all do at times. I'm talking about your true friends, the ones you know will be there through thick and thin! Over my life (which will soon be a half century), the Lord has blessed me with some very dear friends. I want to take this opportunity to recognize those dear friends who I all too often take for granted.

In high school I had two friends who to this day mean the world to me even though we don't talk often or seldom see each other. They were Mary and Janelle. In college my sweet dear friend who also was my maid of honor was Gwendelyn, who I affectionately called Gwenie-pooh. With all three of these girls I got myself into a lot of trouble and then out, laughed till I cried, shared secrets, cried over boys with, and just enjoyed the fellowship of a sweet friend.

As I entered adulthood I still was blessed with even more very dear friends. One who I would consider my dearest friend is someone who I can not talk to for months and we can pick up the conversation where we left it off before. She is someone who I am so comfortable with we don't even have to talk, we can just be together. She is someone who has been there for me through horrible events. She has also rejoiced with me through joyful occasions. Her name is Delilah.

Another dear friend is someone who keeps me grounded. Sharon is like the big sister I never had. She can get me in trouble and then get me out. She'll tease me to no end, but defend me to the hilt when I am attacked by others. She's not afraid to tell me like it is and then help me get through my problems. She'll also cheer me on when I feel like I can't keep going anymore.

Although these are not the only friends I have had in my life, these are the women who have meant the most to me other than my Mother. Each of them was placed into my life by the Lord to teach me something very important. I learned something different from each of the relationships I have had with them. But what was shared the most through all of these dear friendships was an unconditional love. Even when I was a total jerk and not so friendly, they never let me down or rejected me. They loved me and still do for who I was and who I have become. I am abundantly blessed because of them. I am abundantly blessed by them. Proverbs 17:17a says, "A friend loves at all times." Without a doubt I can say that these friends of mine have loved me at all times, even when I haven't been so lovable.

Proverbs 18:24 says, "A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." This verse means so much to me, not only because of what is says about the friendships I have had with these dear ladies, but also what it says about the friendship I have with someone who has been there even more than any of them have been for me. That friend would be Jesus Christ!

I didn't find the friendship I have with Him until I was almost 19, but when I did I can't even come close to tell you how much that friendship has meant to me over the years. Each and every special thing the women in my life have done doesn't measure up to what He has done for me. There were times they couldn't be there for me because of distance or circumstances in their own lives, but without fail He has always been there for me. I know that with a surety beyond my understanding. Hebrews 13: 5b says, "For He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you." What an amazing promise, and something I can hardly grasp the total meaning of. How could someone love me so much to do all He has done for me? It is such a blessing, an abundant blessing!

I have a new group of friends in my life now, and I met them, of all places on the internet. We call ourselves The Dork Sisters. These ladies live all over the country, yet we have forged a close knit group. We are only a couple of clicks away from each other even though thousands of literal miles separate us. I am again abundantly blessed to call them my friends. Each and every one of them has brought something significant to my life and I am thankful for that!

I learned about a special blog award that is going around and decided that all blog awards have to start somewhere so I would start this one with my dear Dork Sisters. It is the Circle of Friends Award. I am awarding it to 5 of them to start with (that way they can share it with other Dorks!!). I picked the names randomly too by drawing them out of a basket. They all mean the world to me so I didn't know how to choose any other way!

So here they are (in no particular order other than how I drew them out of the basket):

Toni

Karen Lynn

Traci

Beth

Wendy

So now what do you do. Well you need to follow the guidelines bellow:

Cut and paste the award logo and use it on your own blog.

Nominate 5 other bloggers you feel have become a part of your circle of friends.

Link to your nominees within your blog post.

Include these instructions on how to pick up the award in your blog post.

To show your appreciation to the person who gave you the award, link back to their blog.

Finally, comment on the recipients blogs to let them know they've received the award.

This is just my small way to let the Dork Sisters know how much they all mean to me. I hope they all know how special they are.

So if you have some very dear friends I hope you feel like you are abundantly blessed as well. Make sure your friends know how much they mean to you and what a difference they have made in your life. And if you would like to know more about how you can have the same friendship with Jesus Christ as I do contact me. I would love to tell you how!

I am abundantly blessed!!