Life has been crazy as we were trying to move the site and then a couple times it went down which you would know if you’ve been here for very long. That means I missed things I would have wanted to share with you. Including a passel of #Holidays featuring the women in our lives.
Being Holidays instead of letting them fall by the wayside I wanted to share those Holidays with you as its Sunday the beginning of a new week and I wanted to take the time to tell all the women in my lives I love them. I’m grateful, thankful and blessed for each one of these ladies who bring a new aspect to my life. I wouldn’t be who I am without them.
I’m sure your blessed with the family the Lord gave us, and I’m sure your grateful and thankful for your friends as well. Let’s start off with my sister. not only my sister and brother, but also the girlfriends the Lord has brought into my life over the years. Because sometimes, the family we’re born into and the family we choose become intertwined in ways we never expected.
Growing up, there was such an age difference between my sister and me that I often looked toward my girlfriends as family. They were the ones I spent time with, shared my secrets with, laughed with, and turned to when I needed someone to talk to. They are also the ones who kept me sane.
And even though I graduated a hundred years ago, back when the dinosaurs roamed the face of the earth, as Charlie likes to say, some of those friendships have lasted a lifetime! This is why I am excited to share National Girlfriends Day:and the Friends Who Become Family with you.
Some friendships don’t fade just because life takes us in different directions. I have my friend Vicky. She doesn’t live here anymore, but that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t be there for each other if something happened. True friendship isn’t measured by how close somebody lives or how often you see them. It’s knowing that if life gets hard, you have someone who cares about you.
Then there’s my best friend Debbie, who is blessed enough to live right around the corner from me. Debbie and I ‘ve been friends since second grade! Can you believe that? We’ve been friends for so many years, and I’m thankful that we still get to spend time together.
We go out to lunch at least once a week, and those lunches mean more to me than people might realize. It’s time to catch up, talk about what’s happening in our lives, laugh, and enjoy one another’s company. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself is spend time with somebody who has known you for years and still wants to sit across the table from you. That is why I thank the Lord for Debbie because that’s friendship!
For me this girlfriends become my sisters and that is why I wanted to celebrate them even though National Sisters Day may have passed because they are still My Sister but also My Girlfriend and I’m thankful, grateful, and blessed that the Lord gave me a many sisters.
Even though we had a big age difference growing up, my sister Debbie has also been one of my girlfriends and, at one time, one of my closest friends. Our relationship has changed over the years, as relationships sometimes do, but that doesn’t mean the love has disappeared.
Life has a way of taking us through different seasons. Sometimes we’re close, sometimes we’re busy with our own lives, and sometimes we find ourselves leaning on other people for support. But the beautiful thing about friendship and family is that there’s room for more than one person in your heart.
My sister and I may have gone in somewhat different directions over the years, but she’s still my sister, and she’s still a piece of my heart. I’m thankful for the friendship the Lord has brought into my life because those friendships have also given me opportunities to spend time with my sister and appreciate the relationship we share.
Then we also would have celebrated the friends who were there when we needed them which was my best friend Debbie when Suzzane passed away. But there is one thing you may not know about me and that is my friendships don’t stop with the people who live around the corner.
I have friends online, too, including Sonia Cadell and Renee David Brown, and Karen Haller, and Sara Lehamn and I feel closer to them than my own family at times., These ladies live out of state. Renee and I talk every single day, and she tells me all the time that I’m her best friend. I feel the same way about her.
Distance doesn’t have to keep people from being close. Sometimes a phone call, a message, or a conversation throughout the day is enough to remind you that you’re not alone. And then there are the people the LORD brings into our lives later in life which your struggling or need a new friend.
I met Lisa through my cousin Larry, and she became one of my closest friends, too. The Lord has a way of bringing people into our lives when we need them. As my sister and I were going in somewhat different directions, Lisa filled a place in my life that needed a friend.
But now they’re both there, and they’re both pieces of my heart. Isn’t that a blessing? We don’t have to replace one person with another. We can make room for new friendships while continuing to treasure the people who have been there all along. Without these ladies, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.
Yes, I have David, and yes, I have Charlie, and I’m blessed beyond measure to have them in my life. But my girlfriends are the people I pick up the phone and call when something goes wrong. They’re the ones who help keep me sane, listen when I need to talk, and remind me that I don’t have to figure everything out by myself.
The Lord has blessed me with a wonderful circle of women, and I don’t take that for granted. In August we should have celebrated National Cat Day which I missed out on and that is okay because as much as I want a cat with the dogs I can’t have one. But my sister is by herself and people like to say a single women will be a Cat Lady more times than not I wonder if my sister will or what will happen to her.
Lets take time this morning to talk about cats, because National Cat Day gives me another reason to talk about my sister! My sister has always wanted a cat. In fact, she’s always wanted a calico cat. And now that she’s single, people always ask her why she isn’t dating but if she had a cat they would have something else to talk to her about.
Of course, that just makes me think about what I could do to make her happy. If I could, I’d go to the Animal Shelter and get her a calico cat for Christmas. Can you imagine surprising somebody with the cat they’ve always wanted? I can just picture her face! But before anybody starts worrying that I’ve already brought home a kitten, let me explain.
There are already two cats in her household. She lives with my niece and nephew and their parents, so adding another cat isn’t necessarily a decision I can make for her. A new pet affects everybody in the home, and I wouldn’t want to create a situation that wasn’t right for the family or the animal.
Still, when you have a best friend, you want to give her the things she wants. You want to see her happy, and you want to do something special for her. And she wants a calico cat. So, by damn it, maybe I’ll get her one! Although it might just be a stuffed animal.
I’m laughing as I say that, but there’s a little truth behind the joke. When we love somebody, we remember the little things they want. We think about how we might make their wishes come true, whether it’s a Christmas gift, lunch together, or simply showing up when they need us.
Naturally, any decision about bringing a cat into the household would have to be made with everyone involved. But a girl can dream about making her sister’s Christmas special, can’t she? Now that we’ve decided getting Debbie isn’t the smartest thing I could do let celebrate the Friendships God Has Given Us
When I look back over my life, I realize how fortunate I am to have so many women who have become part of my story. Some have known me since childhood. Others came into my life later. Some live close enough that we can meet for lunch, while others live far away but still manage to be part of my everyday life. They each have a special place in my heart.
That’s why I want to celebrate National Girlfriends Day, National Sisters Day, and National Friendship Day. These observances remind us to appreciate the people who stand beside us, whether they’re biological sisters, lifelong friends, or women who came into our lives when we least expected them.
And since we’re celebrating National Cat Day, we can include the furry companions who make our homes feel a little more like home, too. Friendship isn’t about how long you’ve known someone, how close they live, or whether you share the same last name. It’s about love, trust, laughter, support, and being there for one another.
I’m grateful and thankful for the family the Lord gave me, and I’m equally grateful for the friendships He’s allowed me to build along the way. Do you have people like that in your life? If you do, take a moment to let them know how much they mean to you. Call them, send a message, invite them to lunch, or remind them that you’re thankful they’re part of your life.
And if you’re looking for a new friend, please let me know. I’m always taking applications! Because here at Greatful Moments, we believe we’re Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed for the people who make our lives richer, our burdens lighter, and our days a whole lot more fun. And if anybody knows where I can find a sweet calico cat who might make the perfect Christmas surprise, well, you know where to find me!
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
