Friends

I am so thankful for friends! As I look around when I'm at church, or when I am visiting, I realize just how truly blessed I am! Last night Jeff and I went to visit/help friends Brian and Deb. They have two darling little boys Nathan and Daniel. I have gotten my "fix" for the day after I spend a little time with the "guys". I have now received two full tours of their home down to the laundry chute. These two little guys have helped to heal the broken mommy heart I've been suffering with since we've turned into empty nesters! I read Fox in Sox till I thought my tongue would forever be twisted around my eye teeth!!! I read three other books or at least portions of them too. It was wonderful. We had terrific fellowship, and Jeff and Brian got a lot of trim put up in their basement.
Today while at church, I was able to visit with people that I don't get to see very often. It was WONDERFUL! I do have to chuckle when I think about what Jean V's daughter Jordan had to say today. She and her mom were "manning the table" where the box lunches are being ordered. Above the table it says "Save a cow, eat more chicken" or something like that. Jordan said to her mom "oh mom I'm so glad we can save the cows" (that may not be the exact quote, but close" Anyway, I forget how cute kids can be when they are still innocent. I enjoyed manning the Group Life table a lot, just to get me out there... I only talked to two people about Group Life, but I had a blast visiting. I'll be there next week too, so if you're visiting or attending NewPointe stop by and say hi!
Last weekend we went to Indiana to see our two IWU sons. IT WAS (sniff-sniff) SO GOOD TO SEE MY "BABIES" I know it's hard to refer to my 18 and 20 year-olds as babies, but hey, I call my oldest son (23) a baby too! I guess it just makes me feel needed if I think like that. (warped I know). I'll be going to Virginia to see Micah next month. I am going down to share my testimony at the Cornerstone Chapel's women's ministry on Tuesday November 13. What an awesome privilege that is. I hope I make God proud, and don't embarrass my son!
For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, our family suffered a horrible tragedy in May of 2000. Our daughter (then 17 years old) was abducted along with a friend of hers from a video store at our local mall. Our daughter was murdered, and her friend suffered tragically at the hands of this man as he tried to rape her and then murder her as well. She (the friend) lived, and helped to identify the man. Thank you Jesus!
God in His infinite mercy gave us the gift of forgiveness, and as a result we have been saved from a life of bitterness and hate! I know this was a gift because I am not a naturally forgiving person. I have to stew about it for a while, I tend to get a lot of cleaning done when I am mad or upset. Good for our home, but the forgiveness is good for the soul! Once I get to the point of being ready to forgive, or seek forgiveness, it can be hours or even days. I realize that is NOT the way God wants things to happen. He says "don't let the sun go down on your wrath" (Ephesians 4:26).
In the case of the murder of Liz, when Jeff immediately said to the detective: "I know that our daughter is dead, and we forgive the man that did this" It came as a SHOCK to me to know that Liz was dead, but the forgiveness was instantaneous! And REAL! That is what I will be sharing about in November. It is something so important to me and to our family that if you check out my personal profile you'll see that I am attempting to write a book about it.
Friends, I don't know what we'd do with out them. They are here for us, and hopefully we return the favor and are there for them. I love all of our friends!!! Thanks for allowing God to introduce us!