A True Friend...

"Friends come and friends go,
   but a true friend

sticks by you like family."

Proverbs 18:24 (MSG)

It's a small round pin.

A tiny, yellow seed encased in a glass bubble.

Presented to me by a dear friend, a token of remembrance.

Faith.

Our friendship was started at a women's retreat, close to 9 years ago.

Only God could have planned it, the timing so perfect, the relationship so needed.

I remember well her bright smiling face and how it drew me in.

An immediate connection from a parallel experience.

An aching heart. Empty arms. 

The dream of a child...

Through the next several months, she encouraged me,

prayed over me, and mentored me.

We spent time in the Word, my soul thirsty for understanding,

and hungry for peace.

We spent time in fellowship, passing the time with laughter and fun.

She was my friend, my supporter, my cheerleader.

She accepted me, loved me,

and nurtured me the way only someone who really knows can do.

She was the kind of friend that

sticks by you like family...

She was there when we started our journey into parenthood,

and there when our "surprise" came along too. 

Both blessings that left me a little overwhelmed, tired,

 but grateful through it all.

I will never forget how much her sweet, encouraging words did for me.

Or how much it meant to me to have someone walk alongside me,

who knew just how it felt to be right where I was.

She gave me the mustard seed pin to remember our time together.

To remember God's promises.

To remember to have Faith,

even when you feel hopeless.

I wore the pin again yesterday.

"What's that?"  Isaac asked.

I smiled, pushed down the lump in my throat, and told him the story.

The story about a friend.  About a dream.

And about 4 miracle babies...

To my sweet, wonderful friend Judy.

"We have been friends together

in sunshine and in shade."

-Caroline Sheridan Norton