Friends

One of the reasons I've been busy the past few weeks is because of friends. One of my dear friends will soon be moving. It's a good thing for she and her family. I'm so excited to see how God is going to use them in this new place. But it's also a sad thing to not have this dear friend daily touch my life in the way she has for so many years. This past weekend we had a celebration at church for she and her family. But it also was the last weekend my group of friends would have with her before her move. So we made it special.

For several years a few of us have gotten together to celebrate our birthdays. It's always been a special time. Next month one of us would be having a birthday, we decided to celebrate while we were still all together. It was a great time of remembering and just spending time doing the little things friends do. But we also invited a friend or two from afar to join us. The arrival of two of those friends was a surprise to some in the group. It was so much fun to see the surprise revealed.


This is our motley crew. Such a varied group! We share a love for Jesus, for serving the Lord at camp, and for kayaking. (at least those are a few of the ways we connect.) It was a treat to all be together for a rare time.



We took to the water during our afternoon together. It was cool, but oh so nice to chat in a place we love. We didn't do much padding, but we've always known it was the yaking that we really loved in kayaking.


Training the little one in the ways he or she is to go! I was kayaking with Ethan a few weeks before he was born. I did get out with Todd and Ethan a few days after this picture was taken, but I don't think we'll be hitting the water much longer.


Our crew, all dressed up for church.

I have to count my blessings this weekend and put high on the list the gift of friendship God has given me. What a joy. What a privilege. Many things may shift and change, but I'm so grateful for all that has been and for what can still be thanks to the ties God gives us in deep friendship.