Friends, One of God's Greatest Gifts

I have decided that the "saying" holds true that God gives us one another to be a part of him here on earth.

In our bitterly cold Wisconsin weather, the shorter days, the lack of sunlight and Vitamin D; many of us find ourselves getting those good old winter blues.  What I have found, however, is that an afternoon at a friend's house can do wonders both mentally and physically.  I feel loved, energized and alive when I am surrounded by friends.  

I'm certain that many people are lacking the type of friendships that God actually intended us to have!  I look at Caroline Ingalls and her friends on Little House on the Prairie; they spent a lot of time together!  Good times and bad.  

Ironically, as close together as many of our houses are, we tend to isolate ourselves in today's society.  Heck, I don't even answer my door half the time because I'm not "expecting anyone" so why would I answer it?

We should have friends with whom we don't worry about dust-bunnies, dirty dishes, and disarray.  

We should have friends who we can call and say, "Oh my goodness, my kids are driving me crazy, and I'm exhausted.  Can we come over?"  

That doesn't mean, necessarily, dropping my kid off and leaving for some R&R (of course it doesn't rule that out either)...it means, going with my kid, hanging with another family, and my friend and I building energy off one another.

Parenting is hard, and God didn't intend for us to do it alone!  

So, I encourage all of you who may be in the bitter-cold winter blues to throw caution to the wind, bundle everybody up, and hang out for a few hours with another crew.  It's so worth it.  Not only will the moms benefit by sharing support and energy, but the kids will learn a little about friendship as well as they will likely see how much happier friendship can make mommy feel.  

Tomorrow is WAGR Wednesday here at My Cup Lifted!  (Insert shouts of joy and jubilation). The topic I've chosen, one of our WAGR favorites..."sleepy baby."