thank you for being a friend

I have mentioned it before, but really....Golden Girls. If you haven't checked out the re-runs i highly recommend. Sofia.  Just sayin.

I was able to top off my bucket again last week with a visit to Algona to spend time with my sisters. Had a great lunch (if you've never been to Algona - it's worth a trip to go to The Chocolate Season for lunch and then buy some of their amazingly beautiful chocolates) and shopped at a really cute boutique. I bought overalls! I am very excited about them. My mom has always told me that you only "have" to do a trend once (and really you don't have to do them at all). Everything comes back around. There are quite a few styles right now that I cannot get behind...the high rise mom jeans and cropped tops? Uh...no thanks.
But overalls? Sign me up.

This week I am looking forward to really filling my bucket. Two of my dearest friends will be in town (one coming in from Alaska!). There is always amazing conversation, laughter, and so much love. The time I spend with them is so precious. Which got me thinking....

...the time I spend with all of my friends is so precious. If i sit and think about all of the incredible people in my life...the word "blessed" just doesn't seem big enough. I get cards and gifts and many times my mom will ask  "how do you know that person?"  And sometimes its just from a random meeting, or a friend of a friend, or someone who took classes from/with me - but I truly consider all of them - all of YOU - true friends. Not just someone i met once, or "just" an acquaintance. I don't know how or why but God has brought all of these amazing people into my life at one point or another - and there is so much kindness and goodness and intelligence and joy and sadness and heartbreak and LOVE shared between all of us. I have said it before...to sit and think about it is pretty overwhelming - and truly amazing. Spending time with each and every one of you has enhanced my life tremendously. There are no words to thank you enough, but know that i have very genuine love in my heart for each of you.

My devotional today said this (read as though Jesus is speaking):

As I fill you with My Love, you become a reservoir of love, overflowing into the lives of other people.

I mean.

And now these three remain; faith, hope, and LOVE. But the greatest of these is Love.
    1 Corinthians 13:13

* ALSO -  my friend Rhonda (who I thank God for every day and have wondered frequently what I ever did in my life to deserve her incredible friendship) posted a comment on my last blog post with an amazing scripture from Matthew. Highly recommend checking it out.