Thursday thoughts & the life of a friend

 

Good morning, friends! Most of you know that my mom-in-love's best friend died very unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago. We attended her memorial service last week, and it was wonderful for a few different reasons. I thought I'd share some thoughts on that here today...not just about her friend who is now with Jesus, but on loving people well and telling them how we feel about them, while they're living.

I'll start with that one, because it may be one of the most important things I'll ever encourage you with here on my blog. Don't wait until a funeral to tell someone how you feel about them! I'm a big believer that we need to say all the things to the living, so that means that every week, I try to tell people thank you and why I am so grateful for them and the influence they've had on my life. We are never promised tomorrow!

Secondly, make the phone call. Take the phone call. I've always known that life is fleeting, but this year, more than ever, I've seen the shortness of it all. When my sister died, I remember wishing that I'd called her on her birthday. I texted her, because I knew it was hard for her to talk because of her breathing. She died about a month after that, from pulmonary fibrosis. So, make the phone call. Take the call from that person you never want to talk to; do it anyway, because it's the right thing to do. You never know the impact that kind of thing could have on someone.

When I listened to story after story of how Nita lived her life, I was encouraged to live in that same kind of way that honors Jesus. She loved everyone, she had joy that was contagious, and she was the ultimate servant, all for the sake of making Jesus known. She loved to make things, so she was forever crafting things to give away as gifts; she volunteered joyfully for everything she could, and she never uttered one complaint; she was known for giving away more than she had to give. 

I was so inspired by her life! Maybe you will be too. The Bible talks about things like this, and one verse that I love that reminds me of that kind of living is found in 1 Samuel 12:24.

Above all, fear the LORD and worship (serve) him faithfully with all your heart; consider the great things he has done for you. 

I'll leave you with some pictures of sweet Nita. 

One last thing, and I'll be done: we are not meant to walk through life alone! Do you have a friend like this? Phyllis (my mom-in-love) and Nita were best friends who were more like sisters. My mom has that same kind of friendship in her best friend Pam, and they've been friends for over seventy years! I have this kind of friendship as well. Do you? What are you waiting for, if you don't? In order to have a friend, you must first be a friend. Don't just be a "friend"; be a great friend! You'll never regret living your life that way and having that kind of relationship with someone. I am so thankful for mine! 

Thanks for reading my blog today, friends. Love to all.