Wasn’t that a really nice Beauty from Ashes Christmas party we had? The tables were decked out in red, with lights illuminating the entire room. We had Christmas music softly playing in the background and a sweet little spot set up so we could take photos together. And the food, well, I for one thought it was good. If I’m going to have chicken, that is my favorite way to enjoy it. We had a good number of widows attend that night, too, wouldn’t you agree? P.S. The dessert… oh wow. Me and my sweet tooth! I always wonder if my craving for sweets won’t be the death of me. What a sweet way to go—no pun intended!
I enjoyed the gift exchange game we played, also. So much fun! And you all are well aware that I can raise this voice of mine from time to time. That white elephant game is a hoot—at least until you get something you really wanted and one of your “friends” decides to steal it from you! Watch for that coal in your stocking. Just kidding! All fun aside, it really was an awesome time. Not necessarily because of any of the above, although yes, all of it was wonderful. It was because of all of you.
We have all gone through so much—good and bad. We’ve shared laughter and tears. We’ve prayed together. We have all lost someone we loved, and still love so much, that we sometimes wonder, Will I ever truly be happy again?
The answer is YES.
We have the Lord, who sustains us every day. We can call on Him anytime. We can cry to Him, even yell, “Why, Lord, why?” But no matter what, He will always love us and never forsake us. And as an added blessing, we have each other. That, too, is a gift. We all share the common thread of loss. We know how each other feels, and we can empathize with one another on a very deep level.
We are all here for a reason, and until that reason is fulfilled, let’s hold onto this truth: We are here to love and help one another in times of need. We all need friendship and fellowship—a time to gather not just for fun, but to lift each other, to be present for one another through the good times and the hard ones. Friendship is a gift I never take for granted. They’re few and far between. Aren’t we truly blessed to have one another?
So make time to enjoy fellowship, and continue to call one another “FRIEND.”
