Over the last several weeks Ive been thinking back on the last year. Amazed at how time has flown by. And, amazed at the storms we've weathered.
In all {or I guess most} of our lives, we have rings of friends. There are those that are in your inner circle...your besties. The ones you do daily life with and your hearts are mended together in a special way. Than there is the ring of casual friends. Friends that tend to be at the same get togethers as you and you see often, but your hearts just arent as close as your inner circle. Than there are the very casual aquaintanaces that you would say hi to at the store, but you dont really know what's going on in their lives. And nowadays, you have your FB friends. People who you may not actually know, but is a friend-of-a-friend that you have since been connected to....and those who really arent your "friend," you just went to elementary school with them.
Atleast for me, those are my rings of friends. And, I am so THANKFUL for all of them. But I am most thankful for my inner circle. People who's heart are honestly mended to mine. The people I do daily life with. And for me, my inner circle stems from college, church, neighbors, and some randomly placed in my life from the Lord. Friendship has always been such a deep and profound thing to me....part of the reason why growing up, I didnt seem to have a lot of close friends. I think its something that comes with growing up. I, for whatever reason, 'developed' it early. Anyway, now...in my life....I have so many amazing friends I am undoubtedley THANKFUL for. My heary bursts with joy.
And yet....as I look back over the last year I cannot believe what we have had to weather {in our INNER circle. The people who's hearts are mended to mine.}
Death of a parent
Job loss
Cancer
Miscarraiges
Divorce
Questioning of faith
In one year! I look back at this year and Im stunned. Did we really just go through all of that? What a horendous year. I mean really. The tears that were cried. The hearts that were broken. The anger that formed. The fear that was festering.
And yet...I am truly THANKFUL. Not because I dont care about these people. I do. With all of my heart. My heart went through each of the trials along with them...becasue I love these people just like family. No, I am THANKFUL because through all of it....we had the Lord. That everytime we didnt understand why things were happening or we wondered if we would get through it, we could go and lay it at the foot of the cross. And, we did it together. I have an inner circle that does life together. Not just the good, but the horendous too. And I am amazed that after reminising the last year....my heart can truly find JOY. Not a forced joy, but a true JOY. Because despite all the hurdles that have been climbed....God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.
The way I see it, this last year may have been a heavy one....but I have a feeling this is what life is going to be like. Life isnt easy. Sin is in the world. But knowing that I have a God to turn to every step of the way who is crying along with me...and friends who are going through life together with me....I can whole heartedly say that I AM THANKFUL.
Plus, my JOY comes from those same people who in the last year have expereinced:
New Jobs
Pregnancies
Renewed faith
Remission
Hope
Of course, Im undyinglying thankful for my smart, sweet, creative, polite, quirky, chatterbox little man and my devoted, hard working, kind hearted husband, too:)
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
