January 2021 - Linda J Dudley

“God gives you your family, thank God for your friends”

When this phrase was first spoken to a family member by her father-in-law many years ago, I think it was meant more tongue-in-cheek at that moment but this statement has become a great truth in my life and that of my immediate family.

Emigrating from Scotland to make a life in the United States meant leaving close family far behind. When we moved here it was before cell phones, social media and all the technology available to us now. The best we had then was good ole AT&T long distance calling. It was our lifeline to our parents, siblings, aunts and uncles.

As we all know, life has a way of throwing things at us which can knock us down or unhinge us. As the years went by and our circle of friends became family to us, it was all of those loving, accepting, kind, nurturing people who became our family. As one friend remarked to another during a family celebration in which we were surrounded by all of these close friends, “Linda’s friends ARE her family”.

Like any family, we have our good times and bad, agreements and disagreements, joys and sorrows. What I know for sure is that when I have a need, these friends jump right in, often without being asked, to encourage, support, advise, direct, admonish, sit with, cry with, cheer with and accompany through life’s journey.

At this point in life, they have seen us through everything from birth to death and everything in between. Talk about feeling blessed!

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers

1 Thessalonians 1:2

I thank God every day for these treasured Friends who are my family. I pray for them, as I know they pray for me. Knowing I can turn to them for anything – to share a laugh or triumph, discuss a problem or sorrow, or reach out for help and encouragement – gives me a deep sense of affirmation. Their love and support demonstrate God’s love alive and well in my daily life.

The Lord bless them and keep them! The Lord make His face shine upon them and be gracious unto them! The Lord look upon them kindly and give them peace!

Numbers 6:24-26

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one.

C S Lewis

Who are the people in your life who have become family and when did they show up to support or encourage you?

The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life

Richard Bach

Peace and blessings,

Linda

I left my home in Scotland 36 years ago and have to admit, part of my heart is still there. You would think that making a new home and raising a family might change your perspective about home.

One aspect of this was always a desire to take my best friends to my old home and homeland to show them the places I love, meet the people I love and to experience the warmth of the Scottish people I was raised with not to mention show off some of its beauty.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a wish fulfilled is a tree of life

Proverbs 13:12

Happily, I have been able to do this a few times with close friends. Each time brought great satisfaction as each of them fell in love with my homeland and became familiar with my family and friends. I felt such joy and excitement when they each expressed their own love of the places we visited and pure delight in sharing their experiences.

The last trip with a friend was in 2017 with Lisa, whom I’ve known for over 30 years. At that time, Dad was fairly active so we did lots of sightseeing to visit and show off our favorite places – he enjoyed doing this equally as much as me, or, perhaps, even more. Dad was always a gracious host and fun tour-guide and held some knowledge of the local history and folklore, regaling us with some fun and interesting tidbits.

That Christmas, Lisa presented me with a most thoughtful and touching gift. A book of photos of our trip and travels with my Dad. She had taken dozens of photos illustrating everything from our home and neighborhood to the town and each of the stops on our day trips. There was even a page of what had become a fun theme of that trip, our “selfie of the day” (makes me giggle even to write that). Of course, there were all the tearooms we stopped at to sample their home baking and warming pots of tea.

Although, at the time, I was deeply touched by Lisa’s thoughtfulness, I had no inkling then of how important that book would be for me just two-and-a-half years later when Dad’s house would belong to someone else with his death following soon after. One of those “Wee Acts of Providence”.

Find your delight in the Lord who will give you your heart's desire

Psalm 37:4

Every now and then, I open that book and peruse the pages, hovering a bit longer over a different page each time remembering the moments captured in the photos on the page and often recalling the memories and thoughts of my life back home in Scotland tucked behind those photos.

What item in your home is a special treasure for your heart and spirit?

Peace & Blessings,

Linda

Month: January 2021

What is Family?

Home is Where the Heart Is