Playing Catch Up and Honoring Friends

There is a lot going on these days, and I haven't really had time to blog, download pictures, or even catch my thoughts. I hope to work on some of those things soon, so you can see what my cute boys are up to these days. For now there is one thing I wanted to write about. It happened over a week ago, so I am just a little behind!

I have a dear friend Alicia that I met about 8 years ago in BSF leadership. She worked at the same company as I did and we would often have lunch. Since I've been at home, she's become a full time working mother, so we don't have a lot of free time to spend together. But she is a "kindred spirit" so we always are able to pick right back up where we left off. Alicia's sister fought a long and valiant battle against cancer and passed away last year.

A few weeks ago, I got an email from Alicia asking me to "hold the date" for a special event. She decided to do something very special to honor what would have been her sister's 45th birthday. She had a tea party at her home and invited her closest friends. But this wasn't just any tea. She went all out: decorated with her best china, made everything from scratch herself including the food, detailed menus and gift bags. I have no idea when she found the time to do all of this!

I was also shocked when she said she had something to say to each of us. She went around the table (there were 5 of us there) and shared how each of us had taught her more about God. She used a specific name of God and scripture to illustrate her thoughts. Because one of my love languages is words of encouragement, this really spoke to me, but the thought she put into the individuality of each person's impact on her life was amazing. I was truly humbled by the things she said, because I never would have guessed how my little investment in her life had grown her character.

I was so blessed by Alicia's presentation and tea. It was such a beautiful way to honor her sister's life and encourage her friends at the same time. She also acted on her ideas as they came to her - she knew if she waited it might not happen. I'm glad she didn't wait, because I know it was a divine appointment to celebrate a very special birthday.