Friends

Do you remember the song, "Make new friends, but keep the old; One is silver and the other gold."? Last night as I lay down to sleep, that song came to my mind. I have had this amazing week with "old" and "new" friends. (Note: I am considering an "old friend" anyone I have known ten or more years.)

Last Saturday I went to "Girls Night In" with some of my friends from school. It was hosted by one of my newer friends, Kelly. My long time friend, Debra, and I went. There were 9 or 10 of us there--some "old" friends and others newer to me. Some of the ladies were sleeping over. We sat around laughing and talking and eating and being "women" for an evening. Even after I left (which was after 11) they watched movies and played games into the wee hours of the morning. It was an absolute blast just hanging out and being with a bunch of "girlfriends".

By Sunday, I was starting to get a bit of a cold. I received an email from a friend I've made in the last few months at church, Connie. She knew that DH was out of town and said, "May I bring you all dinner this week? I like to do things for working Mom's once-in-a-while?" I thought, "We don't NEED her to bring us dinner." But I told her that while she didn't have to do it, that it would be nice. She said she'd bring it on Wednesday.

I ended up staying home on Monday. One of my newer friends, Katie, saw that I was sick when she read my Facebook page. She sent me a note to ask if she could do anything. I declined as I had everything I thought I needed. Still, it was so nice that she asked because I absolutely know she'd have been there in a second.

By Tuesday, I had to push back to work because the state tests were arriving and I am the test coordinator at my school. While there, I received a phone call from another newer friend from church, Carrie. She had also heard that I was under the weather and she wanted to bring me some homemade soup! I never could coordinate getting the soup with our strange schedule and the track meet that day. Still, I was moved that she wanted to do that for ME!

Wednesday morning I woke up and checked my Facebook status and there was a message from an "OLD" friend, Kelly. Kelly and I were friends from about the time we were 4 - 9 years old. She lived down the street from us. They moved away and we lost touch after that. I did hear from her for a brief time when we were in high school, but other than that...we had not heard from each other. Low and behold, she found me on Facebook! And she only lives about an hour from me now! The conversations we have had via Facebook over the last 24 hours have been like a good soup for me.

Wednesday night, our dinner from Connie arrived. I felt worse Wednesday than I have all week. I have to say that dinner suddenly became a double blessing, because I did NOT feel like cooking. I know my boys enjoyed it as much as I did.

Later Wednesday night, I reconnected via my old friend Kelly, another old friend, Cindy. Cindy also lived on our street when we were very young. We played for HOURS together. We have tons of pictures together--which I cannot wait to share with these girls.

Needless to say, last night I went to bed so thankful! I believe in the power of friendship. I know that there are different "kinds" of friends. Some are really close and intimate, others a bit removed from that level. Some are seasonal and others are lifelong. Some are "fun time" friends others are "anytime" friends. Still, all are important; each one a gift. And I am richly richly blessed by mine!