Friends

While talking on the phone with a good friend of mine the other day, I was telling her about how my best friend uses her singleness, as well as her unique gifts and interests, to serve others.  I was telling about how she stocked my freezer with homemade meals after we lost our baby, and how she said it was her joy to do it because she doesn't have a family of her own for which to cook.  My friend (to whom I was talking at the time), paused and said with great passion, "Duski, you are so blessed to have such amazing friends!"  Can I get an, "amen!"?  Seriously, my friend just reminded me of something I have already thanked God for many times...but can never be reminded of enough.  I am so blessed by the community God has provided for me.  Let me just tell you that I have not prepared ONE MEAL for our little family since the day we found out the baby no longer had a heartbeat...and that was 3 weeks ago!  I have had so many friends brings us meals, come spend time with me at our house so that I didn't have to be alone, go to follow up appointments with me, re-organize and help declutter my closets, call or email to let me know they are thinking about and praying for us, listen to me talk about my feelings just one more time, answer questions about this experience, or call just to say, "hello."  We have friends offer to watch John for us for doctor's appointments, or just so that we can have some time together.  I seriously don't know what in the world I would do without community and the gift of friendship.  This has been one of the hardest events in life that I have ever experienced...just a very unique kind of grief.  But it would have been exponentially harder if we would have had to walk through it alone.  I am so thankful for the hearts of my friends, who are willing to give up their time, comfort, resources, and agendas to help carry this burden with us.  This is why, even though it's not always easy and not always "comfortable," it is SO good to be vulnerable and let your needs be known.  It gives you the opportunity to see how much you are loved and cared about...I believe ultimately by God through community.  I pray that I will also demonstrate the love of God poured out upon me by giving of my own time and resources to my friends when they are in need.  But for now, oh, I am just so grateful.