Friends

Today I had lunch with my friends, Noonie and Shirley. This was no ordinary lunch...it was a special lunch celebrating our birthdays (mine on Jan. 5 and Shirley's on Jan. 6) and anniversary (Noonie & Jon on Jan. 6). I don't know when it started, but a few years ago we started celebrating our special days together...well, at least us girls. We have done a date thing together - going to a nice place and having a very nice dinner celebrating the two birthdays and the anniversary - but it has been mostly just us three gals. This year Noonie wanted to treat us, so we went to lunch after Bible Study.

It was so nice and we just had a great time sharing what we did during Christmas holidays, what we did on our actual special days, had a picture taken of us (Noonie gave Shirl and I a frame for that picture), eating a delicious meal and then sharing what our goals are for 2008.

What better way to kick off the new year by spending it with good friends! We celebrate each other and that starts out the year with a smile. After all the busyness of the holidays where we are focused on our families and celebrating another birthday - that of our Lord, Jesus Christ - it's a nice time to get together and remember how blessed we are to be friends and sisters in the Lord. Be thankful for the friends you have and take time out just to enjoy each other.

And as Noonie said in my card, "Onto 2008!"

"Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done,
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God has done."
(Count Your Blessings: Words by Johnson Oatman, Jr./Music by Edwin O. Excell)