237 - Bonds of Friendship

Oh Lord, Praise You! Thank you for a great night last night. Courtney went with me last night to speak to a group Valentine's Dinner. They were cater by Olive Garden - Courtney and mine, favorite restaurant - and absolutely scrumptious! It was a mixed group, men and women and I spoke on Beauty and the Bedroom. It is always a very well received message. I did even have one man hug me after it was over. I knew exactly what he was saying in that brief hug - Thank you Thank you Thank you! ha ha! The group was so generous. They covered my gas expenses and then gave me a love offering from their budget and then passed the plate as well. I was really blown away by their generosity. Wow- thank you Lord.

This morning in I Samuel 20:1-17 was a great and intense interaction between Jonathan and David. It was intense because there is a moment of blaming and panic from David - "Why is your dad tying to kill me? Why are you not trying to stop this is what he really might have been screaming." Jonathan listened and then not only understood his "complaint", but internalized it and set out to prove if this was the truth or not. He did not get defensive or totally dismiss David as crazy fool. I am just blown away by the relationship those 2 had. It was a bond!!!

I think every place I have lived there have been relationships in my life like that. It saddens me that moving or time or schedule has weakened those friendships at times. As a child growing up in Texas Jennifer Meffert was my sole sister. We are the ones that laughed until we peed our pants MANY times! Then I moved to New York. Then Lisa Shinn Rauscher became and has remained so close in my life from 5th grade on. She is by far the most loyal person I have ever known. Then I moved to Texas again and my mom was my sole sister during a hard time in our lives. It was great fun for me, but I know hard on my parents having to live apart while dad finished his job in New York and we had to move on to Texas because mom's job was already starting. Then we moved to Indiana where it was really just me and my mom again. I had a few sole sister from time to time, but really i had rather been with my mom most of the time.

In college my sole sister was one that i never thought i could ever be as close to someone as Suzanne Brown. Wow - the Lord bonded us and we even began to look alike. She was so special in my life. But then i got married and moved - again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Charlotte brought so many special girls i can hardly mention in fear of missing one. Ginger, Melissa, Faith, Tracy, Jennifer, Valarie, Toyia, Toni, Traci, Tisha..............such and neat and special bond with them all and then I moved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

God has already bonded my heart in special ways here in Illinois with some great girls. I am excited to see as time goes by how the relationships will grow and change. Even though i have moved so much my fondness for my friends has not changed. I am not good at keeping in touch or saying good-bye for obvious reasons - had to do it too much! I guess some might give up after so many moves and just hang onto their dog or worse. But I have seen His faithfulness in providing friends and then strengthening those bonds over time.

Thank you Lord for Your provisions! Thank you for those girls i have never even met in person that I feel so close to as well. Tracy from Iowa, Tracy from Atlanta, Jennifer from Alabama, oh the list could go on and on with my Internet buddies. Praise You Lord - thank you!!