Friends are not always forever

my Liz

God has blessed me with awesome friends.

I have learned this past year especially, that not all the friends you have are forever friends.  I guess I've been really naive to think so.

But God has taught me that there ARE friends who stick closer than a brother to you.  Friends who are there in the thick and the thin.  Friends who you grew up with, met online, met at a library class, or even through your blog.

my Vivi

 My best friend Cinzia and I met in the 6th grade, and we are lucky enough to have been in each other's weddings and watch each other become mommies.  My college roommate Rayna and I reconnected through blogging and Facebook and have watched each other's children grow up. Violeta and Adrian have been our buddies since we opened up the taekwondo school 10 years ago, they were one of John's first adult students and we have gone traveling together, NYC together, restaurant hopping, all before the kids came, and even after my babies came.  My best friend Liz and I got really close in 10th grade gym because she had just moved to OB and we both were exempt from gym because of health reasons (I was going through the tumor in my foot) , so we sat in class on the sidelines talking and getting to know each other.  Little did we both know that we would both attend Rowan.  Both get married young, and both have kids back to back apart and both have a daughter first and then a son.  Our children are close and we have remained close all these years!

my rayna

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some friends you are close to because they are like iron for you.  Iron sharpens iron and so they give you that encouragement or push you may need to get you through the day.  Since becoming a stay at home mom I've needed a lot of friends like that.  And God continues to put godly women in my life who really sharpen and challenge me to be the best mom and wife and person I can be.  Even on the roughest days I can call one of these women and they will always have the right thing to say, a shoulder to cry on, or words of inspiration or balm to soothe my soul.

my Suzette

And let's not forget our godly mentors who guide us (are older and wiser and have much more experience) and who pray us through the really difficult times.  Oh, I am so thankful for these women too numerous to name in my life.  Thank goodness they are there to shed light on issues and behaviors we may not know anything about.  They are so much calmer about the things we fret about.  They have been there and done that and they can talk us through it and give us sound advice.  They've been married longer, their children are older, and so there is so much knowledge we can gleam from, thank goodness for these women!

my Debi

I have had one mentor since I was 13 years old!  So for over 20 years she has played a key role in my life.  And now her kids are graduating high school and college and mine are just starting Elementary school.  She gives me so much advice and mostly it's just how she lives her life that shows me what an amazing woman she is and how lucky I am to be a part of her life and family as well.

my Christy W.

I have not shown or named all my friends.  Some have requested me not posting their pictures to my blog and others are just very shy and modest, but I hope they know that they are so important to me and such a blessing.  Even though friends are not always forever, I would like to believe that some are just for a season.  God puts them in your life at just the right time to show you something about yourself, to teach you something, to grow you, and although they may move away, or you may lose touch, or life may just get so busy, hopefully you will always look back on that friendship with fondness and love.  Because as sisters of the heart we all do need each other.  We were made for relationships.  We were made to laugh together, cry together, sing together, dance together, and grow together.  Friends are not always forever but God can always make good of the time you spent together.