Friends

Greetings from Fischer!

The sun never shined through the clouds today.  It has looked like rain most of the day, but I never saw drop.  Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow. Maybe this is in preparation for the rain.  It isn't cold outside but without the sun I am cold.  Written on Friday and finished on Saturday.  :)

Finished a book written by a friend today.  The words  opened up the chamber of compassion in my heart for her. As I went back to the sofa this morning for an extension of sleep, I thought about friends.  Over my life time, I have had many friends.  Somewhere just for a season and some have been for a life time.  The book was written by a new friend and one I hope to know better in the days and months to come.  I appreciate all the readers that have followed the series of letters to those I never said, good-bye too.  I am sure, I am not finished with the list, but need to take a  path of loving friends that still capture my heart with their part in my life..  I started listing them by name in my head and I still can add more and more names since raising from the twilight sleep.  If I started to list them, I am afraid, I would miss someone. As i slipped in and out of sleep, I know I had a smile on my face.

In high school, I had a pack of girlfriends.  Jeanie, Anna Mae, Nancy Wallace,Janie Fegus, and others.  We smoked, road around in Jeannie's old car, went swimming, danced at the Lake Lawn ball room, hung out at Denny Moore's, and laughed about everything together.  We had boyfriends and memories to make in a short period of time.  I can smile and remember those days with joy. I do wish they would all  come for tea someday.

Then came married life and more new friends.  I always had wonderful neighbors and it did not take long to fit into a friendship circle on the circle.  We all had children and it was about play dates, coffee dates, celebrations and lots of baseball. Our children grew up and we moved to Texas in 1981.

Leaving a job in Wisconsin was difficult as many of my co-workers had become my best friends.

Moving to Texas created a whole new set of friends for me.  I joined the Hill Country Artists and drank coffee almost every day at the Bowling Alley Cafe.  I would learn so much from my new friends. I meet Jan W. and we painted and then would find an art show to sell our work.  Her and I laughed, painted and became friends for life.  She moved twice and the last time  to all the way to Michigan so we had a time of silence.  I think we both knew we would always be friends.  June and Hershel were friends that I sought wisdom from.  Lucile and Henry were precious friends that loved drinking coffee and spending time with John and I.  I meet Valarie at church and her and I walked and talked about everything.  Her daughter was the same age as my granddaughter and we would go to Abilene to the ACU workshops together.  We shared our love for Christ with each other.  Her teaching keeps her busy but we Facebook now and then. I love seeing photos of her and her family. When I moved to Stephenville, I had a ton of friends at the Children's Home and church. First it was in Cherokee.  I meet Linnie, Cindy S, Diane P., and many others.  I will never forget Sue at the grocery store.   The ones that stand out were Karen L, Michelle O. Cindy F., Randy K, Linnie,B., Donna S. and many others.  Donna and I took a class from Weigh Down and that is where I learned to write all the scriptures that touched my heart.  We also walked around the campus early in the morning and shared the verses.  Melissa and Jill were relief girls for our time off and I loved them like my own.  Still do!  After 7 years at the Home, I went to work at the High School as the In School Suspension Teacher.  I loved all the teachers on my hall and in the teachers lounge.  I still follow many of them on Facebook.  John and I changed churches and with that move came many new friends.  I miss that little church and the fellowship.   All of my life in Texas, I found many many little friends.  I helped many with art projects in Blanco and in Stephenville, I was honored to care for hundreds of them. I have been blessed with friends.  Now I am back in the Hill Country of Texas and at first I went back to school at Texas State to finish up my degree.  That is when Daniel, touched my life. The friend, I lost!  My neighborhood use to be small, but now it has grown.  I have Debbie, Two Barbara's, Shiela, Kathleen, Sandy, and many more.  I go to a Spirit filled church and I am making new friends every Sunday.  I know I have missed a zillion friends but they are all here in my heart.  My writing group has become very important to me with Julie, Peggy, Leslie, Brandi and a few others.  My newest friend is Ruth Gretchen a soon to be famous author.  Life is so good!  I am so blessed.  If I wrote about each precious friendship, I would be here forever.  I will just tell you they are the best of the best.  They have touched my life like no other could. 

The word for today is: Respect and the verse is 1 Peter 2:17.  According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary is means an act of giving particular attention as in consideration.  Respect has been a lost art the last few years.  I pray it will return as life is good when you know how to gift someone with respect.  I believe respect goes with love. 
The verse for today is: 

Show respect for everyone.  Love you Christian brothers and sisters.  Fear God.  Show respect for the king.  1 Peter 2:17

 The promise for today is:   I will meet all your needs so you can overflow with good works.  
                                                                  2 Corinthians 9:8

Today has been a good day.  I know God is meeting all my needs, I have tons of friends, and a sweet cozy house on a hill to enjoy it all from.  By the way the sun did shine and it still hasn't rained.  Tomorrow is the Lord's day and I will be there. 

Love is in the ink. 
Mary Kay