The Bonds We Have are Everlasting...

I knew this day was coming...

I just never knew when.

Cancer Sucks...

can I say that again?!

CANCER SUCKS!!

Seriously!

It's taken enough of my family and friends!!

Okay, I have that out of my system for a minute...

let's get on to more important things.

The Bonds We have are Everlasting...

a cute mug isn't it?

My dear friend gave it to me about 6 years back when I moved from McPherson.

It means so much to me...

only for a long time I couldn't look at it.

The Bonds we have here...aren't always everlasting.

About the time I moved...some things in our relationship changed....

And I was angry, hurt, sad and mad...at her, at others and at God.

I was questioning a lot of things about my faith about that time.

I was so hurt...I packed the mug away...I couldn't even look at it.

But God is a God of Love, faithfulness and restoration.

In the years since then, He's healed, repaired and restored this friendship.

I unpacked this mug last summer when we moved.

I have it on the shelf above my computer...

I look at it often and remember my dear friend.

I sent her a picture of the mug and explained my feelings

and told her how God has restored us.

She, too...had felt God moving and we had a lovely conversation.

Unfortunately, that was the last communication I ever had with her directly.

And I was Blessed by it...

as I was with my friendship with her.

I believe that God places people in our lives for a reason...

And these two ladies were placed in my life right when I needed them!

Our first meeting was when we were all going as sponsors for a middle school mission trip.

I didn't know them from Adam...or should I say Eve.

But, God knew them!  And He knew I needed them.

I was nervous to go on this mission trip...

I didn't know them, they were sisters...I'd be a third wheel.

And to top it off...I was going with a bum leg...recently broken and still healing.

Hmmm...I should have known...God used it ALL!

For our GOOD!!

And ultimately...His Good!

His Will!!

These two ladies became my 'Sisters from another Mother'!!

We have/had a friendship like no other.

We were there for each other...good times and bad.

My kids were their kids...

Their kids were my kids.

We studied together, prayed together, laughed together,

cried together, laughed together, served together,

worshipped together, laughed together...  :)

We were tough on each other...

brutally honest...

calling each other out...in LOVE!

The way it's supposed to be done.

I learned more from these two women than any books could teach me.

We walked the walk and talked the talk!

Just ask our hubby's!

We could Talk!

And Laugh!

Oh my!!  The laughter...the dinners together, the card-playing, ringing in the New Year...

Birthday Celebrations, Graduations, Weddings...

Ecclesiastes 4:12 became 'our' verse:

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend 

themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

We may have been called the 'Three Musketeers'...maybe.

I miss the friendship that we had...

I mourned it for years...

it was that special.

But I know that I will see her again.

We'll never be separated after that...

We'll Worship like we used to...

only Better...'cause I'll have a decent voice in Heaven...

or it just won't matter.

Debbie taught me many things...

As she did to any one she crossed paths with...

She was a great listener...and could Pray like no other!

 We went to the Women of Joy Conference in Branson...

along with many youth retreats - forming bonds with many kids and leaders...

We attended many Woman's World conferences...

where we talked about what we thought Heaven was like...

she's got our chairs reserved on the beach...occasionally, we'll take a trip to the mountains.  :)

We learned that God is 'My-Tee!!  MY-TEEEEE!!!'

We worshipped on many, many Sundays and other services together.

 We laughed...a LOT!

Her smile and laugh were infectious...

 We prayed for our children... a lot!

Big things and little things...

We celebrated the Big moments together...

and helped each other when our children went off to college or got married.

We talked about being Grandparents...

she loved David so much...

and prayed fervently for his future.

As she did all her 'children'...

which included her step-daughters,

nieces, nephews, youth group kids...

and others that she cared for.

 That smile...that laugh...

I miss it...can't wait to hear it again.

 She loved and embraced my children as if they were her own...

 She served...

 ...gave of herself...

 Loved on the babies!

Breaks my heart that her grandchildren won't get to have her in their lives...

  Some days...

you just want to step back in time...

pick up where you left off.

I'm sad that things took us in different directions...

but, I still learned from her...through God, in our time apart.

 Finishing her College education was so important to her.

I remember the years of dedication and determination to finish...

and the joy of celebrating her accomplishments!!

 She had the biggest heart...she would do anything for you.

She wore her Faith on her sleeve...

I miss 'doing life' with these two ladies in my life on a daily/weekly basis.

Everything we did or talked about centered on our faith...

and how God was working in each of our lives. 

 So, Debbie...

my dear, dear Friend...

until Jesus calls me Home...

I say...Thank You.

Thank You for being my friend...

my Sister from another Mother...

Thank You for loving me, my children, the homeless, the youth group kids...

Thank You for your Faith, your Honesty, your Forgiveness...

So long...it's not good-bye...because I'll see you again.

And when I do...we'll Worship Forever!

Tonight, I see you sitting in your Father's lap...

hearing how much He loves and adores you.

You, my dear friend are healed...you are whole.

And that gives me great joy in my sadness.

Our Bond is Everlasting...

Love & Hugs to you!

To ALL of you...

Don't miss an opportunity to tell your family and friends that you love them...