There is a song that says “that’s what friends are for” and I have been thinking a lot lately about the importance of friends in our lives. We have social networks like Facebook (by the way the mpowergen.com has 200-fans Hurray!) to help keep us connected and to open the door to re-connecting with friends from long ago. We had a blog from Wyddeth talking about the power of the written word to keep us connected through generations. We have cell phones and home phones with unlimited calling times available. All these things and others, keep us connected to the people we love.
Dictionary.com states that a friend is a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard; a person who gives assistance; patron; supporter; a person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile; a member of the same nation, party, etc.
Friends are the golden threads in the tapestry of life. They bring the color, light and sometimes even life to our lives. Friends tell us what we need to know about ourselves. They encourage us when we are struggling, they lift us when we are low; they tell us how we truly look, in a nice way; and they are always there to listen to our thoughts, concerns and triumphs.

Yesterday was a particularly hard day for me.  Yet, I was surrounded by my friends, my family and people who care about me.  Even those who were far away were praying for us.  I felt the strength that comes from prayers others offered in my behalf.  The day was hard, but the support of my friends made it possible for me to have the strength and the courage I needed.  I will be forever grateful to those beautiful people in my life.

Best of all, friends become a part of our family.  Some, like sisters, are kin by blood and also by friendship. We love them and want to share in their lives too. How blessed we are to have wonderful friends. My mom always told me to be careful who I chose to be my friends. I am glad I followed her counsel. I have the best friends in the world!

How can you share your love with a friend today?

Oh well… (I borrowed this phrase from a very dear friend of mine), I am posting my blog contribution a day late again. Our family has been under siege, as of late, and I promise, promise, promise that after we get through this, things will get better (this phrase is for my sister) and I will be able to post my blog on time. Ha! Ha!

I have been thinking a lot about what I would say today. The words which come into my mind are “thank you.” I cannot think of anything more profound or important to say than “thank you.”
My heart is full to overflowing with gratitude for the love, comfort and help we have been given recently.

As we have gone through this experience, I have been awed and amazed at how many friends we have; amazed at how we can be connected with people from far away, not having kept in daily contact, but still have the same love and attachment that we felt years ago. We are family. We are one, big, gigantic family. We are the family of God.

I hope I remember always that we are brothers and sisters. I actually don’t think I ever forgot it; I just didn’t always pay enough attention to the connection which occurs at each of our births. But now, my eyes are wide open, and I am fully awake. So, I won’t write a long blog. After a while, you will understand our experience because I believe we have to share our experiences with each other so that others can benefit from our mistakes and benefit from the growth we experience as a result of learning from those mistakes.

I also want to express my gratitude for a loving Father in Heaven who takes good care of us. Without Him in my life, I don’t know how I would be able to look forward and keep moving in that direction.

Our family has been strengthened. We have reopened doors wide to reconnect with the people we love. Thank you to each of our family members and friends who have supported and sustained us. You have empowered us to continue and to fight, even when we were too tired to go on. Your encouragement and your love nourish us daily. Thank you.

How can we help to sustain and support you?

Our guest blogger today is Mormor. Surprise!!! It was my assignment to ask someone to write our guest blog this week, and, well, with all the busyness of life, I didn’t get it done. Oh, no! I apologize, but hope you enjoy an extra blog by Mormor. And I am already in pursuit of a guest blog writer for next week.

There are many seasons in our lives. My children actually visit a client of my husband who has become their friend. She lives in a nursing home not too far from our home. In the last week, each of them has come to me and said, “Mom, we need to go see Mary. We haven’t seen her for awhile. She really wants us to come more often.” The words may have been a little different, but the thought has been the same nevertheless.

We met Mary when my husband invited us to go and visit her. Now, my girls especially, love listening to her life story. One of their favorite times is when she talks about meeting her husband. Mary never raised children of her own; she taught school and helped shape the lives of many children born to other parents. Now she continues to shape the lives of my children who love the stories that she tells of her teaching experience.

Sometimes, Marissa will bake cookies to take to her. On various holidays, we will take dinner to her. Marta will play the piano for her, and our whole family will go and sing to her. She is always grateful for any small kindness shown to her.

I hope that I can always show gratitude for all the small kindnesses in my life. I feel grateful for so many things and I am working on making sure to express my gratitude. Expressing gratitude makes us stronger and happier. Being happier makes us healthier. Gratitude benefits the giver as well as the recipient.

Years ago, it was recommended that we keep a gratitude journal. I like to write down 5 things each day for which I am grateful. When I first started, it was sometimes hard to think of 5 things at the end of the day when I was tired. Not that there were not numerous gifts of kindness to me each day, but I wasn’t paying enough attention. After a few weeks, I found that I preferred to write down things I was grateful for all during the day, so that I would have a record, contemporaneously kept, of the kindnesses of my Heavenly Father and others. I think that I am more aware of my blessings because of writing down 5 things each day.

We can be grateful for little things. Last night, I looked up at the stable covering a Nativity on the piano. Our family was gathered together and I looked in front of me and noticed the pine bough and berries that one of my grandchildren had placed on top of the stable. I never would have thought to place pine and berries on top of the painted stable. Yet, it adds even more of a Christmas feel. Sunday night, Caleb, our 2 year old grandson, called my daughter. She was delighted that he called just to talk to her. Little things mean a lot.

There are so many things to be thankful for. We just celebrated Thanksgiving and now we celebrate Chanukah or Christmas or Kwanza or Ramadan or whatever you celebrate. Each of these holidays remind us of good things, help us to remember the blessings we have been given and helps us to be better people. This is something we can be grateful to share. We have sunsets and sunrises and light and family and friends that make our life better and we can be grateful for the small things we have been given; and on and on goes the list.

Perhaps, you too can begin today to write down a list of things you are thankful for in your life, just a few things, maybe 5, and enjoy the increased happiness you feel as you spend more time being grateful. So, what are you grateful for today?

I love holidays–the cooking, the traditions, the music, and don’t even get me started on the food….

But my favorite part about holidays is the family getting together! Clichè or not, I love it when all the brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles and cousins gather at some semi-common location (which, this year, was my hometown) and share laughs, memories, and loads of fabulous food   After dinner, we split off into smaller groups and chat, play, and sing songs around the piano (we are lucky and have two pianists in the family, so my aunt and I switch off so we both get to play and sing!). 

And are the children perfectly behaved the entire time?  No.  Do all the desserts come out perfect, never burned?  Not exactly.  Do the dishes magically do themselves after the 4 kajillion family members go home?  I wish, but nope.  And does the stress level ever drop below 11 in the days right before the big event?  Ummmm….no.  But I am so grateful to have my family close enough that we can share these experiences–sometimes bordering on adventures–together.  Because being with my family, as imperfect as we are, brings me life, love, and true joy.  So my (now post-) Thanksgiving message to you, dear readers, is to enjoy those gathering-together times for what they are:  blessings.  Happy Holidays!