"Life is lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road and we stand on the mountain looking back through the valley that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale.” Jill Savage

Saturday, July 02, 2011

Saturday - Last weekend . . .

I have a wonderful friend - my only problem is she lives 8 hours away in North Carolina. We met in Chicago in 1979 - at a neighborhood Bible study. Let's see - 32 years - and we've been through a lot together. We moved to GA and she moved to North Carolina. Of course we've stayed in contact through the years. She's visited me and I've visited her. Well she is retiring and I went to NC to her retirement party last weekend.

I feel she is my angel girl - she has been the wind beneath my wings - so very many many times through the years. God gave me a great gift when he put her in my life.

So I dedicate this post to her!

Her home was done up just beautifully - she loves flowers and it shows!

She is sunshine!
Look at this eye candy . . .
Her FIL made this for her - is starts the first day of her retirement - and goes for the rest of the year. He has even put pictures up of her family when it is their birthday - or and did I mention he in 89 years young? He is awesome.



"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." – Sir Winston Churchill

She had around 100 friends there - if that says anything about her. She is a wonderful giver of love. Her husband told me (as if I didn't know - teehee) that she invests a lot in her friends - and yes she does.





Look at all the wonderful gifts!

More flowers . . .



"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." - Anais Nin


Food was PLENTY - guess I took all pictures of desserts.


Her friend Jennifer made these.

The food table was just as plentiful - there were always people around it and I felt embarrassed to take pictures of people eating - lol.




Do you ever think about your friends? Each and every person that you meet that becomes your friend - brings you into their world - that makes a new world - add another and it makes a bigger world - your world expands exponentially to how many friends you have in it! Her world is HUGE!

She has wonderful children and grandchildren and SIL.

Hubby.

Three generations of strong Christian women and wonderful friends!


Bloggers prove this - we have friends we would never have had a few years ago! These too are wonderful friends - we bring each other friendship - love - support - prayers - joy - and more - you know I'm right! And I think all my followers are very, very special!


Now this is funny - she kept telling everyone I came all the way from Georgia - so I joked her and said, "Gee you should have a prize for the person who came the longest way." And guess what? She said, "I do!" And she gave me this gorgeous - loving - wonderful plate!


x_a4f395f

31 comments:

Mevely317 said...

What a beautiful post, Sandie!!!
Your weekend sounds like a come-to-life "Hallmark" moment!
I was immediately reminded of my oldest and best-est friend in Florida. We're so blessed by our friends (Vitamin F!); in particular those once-in-a-lifetime people God has put in our lives.
Any special plans for the holiday? It's supposed to hit 118-degrees out here, so I just hope to stay home close to the AC!
Love ya,
Myra

Terra said...

That is just so fun, your friend giving you that lovely plate for traveling the farthest! Her FIL is incredible, making the calendar for her. Yes, we do love us our friends, don't we? Blog friends like you Sandie are dear also.

Anonymous said...

What a lovely post Sandie.
It's great to have such good friends and it is important to nurture them.
Those lovely cakes look's gorgeous - I bet they were as tasty as they look.
Have a lovely Saturday my dear friend.

Eva

Jeanie said...

A great post Sandie and a great tribute to your friend. You have inspired me to try to re-connect with a long ago friend that I have lost contact with lately.

Wanda's Wings said...

What a beautiful tribute. Friends do make the world go around. Have wonderful 4th of July.

Nancy said...

I just love reading reading about old friends and their adventures...sounds like you made wonderful memories on this trip and came home with a gift to boot......

This is a wonderful tribute to your friend and good for you that you two have stayed in touch......Special friends are for life........

I hope you have a wonderful and blessed 4th......

Southhamsdarling said...

I loved this post so much today, Chatty, because female friendships are so important in my life. How wonderful that you have this friend whom you have known for so long, and even more wonderful that you have dedicated this post to her. Lovely photos for us to look at as well. I believe that "a life without friends, is like a garden without flowers". Enjoy your Independence Day weekend MY FRIEND!

MadSnapper said...

a wonderful story today CC and a beautiful tribute to your friend and to your friendship. life would be a sorry place to be without friends. the food pics came out good enough to make me want something off eachof the plates. that calender took lot of work Cheers to Friendship

Sally said...

Indeed, how lonely our lives would be without our friends who lift us up!

Wonderful post. When I saw the photo's of deserts, I had to run grab a pop tart. :)

Have a great weekend! :)

Love Of Quilts said...

I can see you had your self a good time you recieved a nice gift yourself...all the desserts you could eat. Sound like a winning trip to me. O plus you got to see you friend.Trish

Granny Annie said...

There is not a greater celebration than that of lasting friendship. You two are blessed to have each other.

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

What a fun trip you had! wow, that is one good looking spread!

Bev said...

What a wonderful time...the food looks wonderful...It is great to have friends...that are friends forever!!!

Betty said...

How wondferful that the friendship has lasted all these years even though you're seperated. I have many friends that have just become Christmas cards over the years. We always intended to stay close and keep in touch, but it just didn't happen except for a yearly remembrance. Love the plate. That friend is a keeper!

Ginny Hartzler said...

I'm just loving these pictures!!! You snapped everything, the food the special people, your prize, how cool!!! And I love the thing about each friend being a world, it is so RIGHT!!! I have often thought of this concept, but didn't know how to explain it or put it into words. This is a wonderful tribute to your friend, and one that DIDN'T have to wait till her funeral!! Most people don't say such nice things till after someone is dead, too bad!!

Donna K. Weaver said...

What great pictures. How fun for you to be able to attend. I'm jealous I can't retire yet. I can feel my thighs getting bigger just looking at those yummy lemon bars.

Loved the Winston Churchill quote.

Pat MacKenzie said...

What a lucky woman to have so many friends in her (and your) life. I'm sure she treasures every one of them. A lovely post.

Angela said...

That's wonderful Sandie that you got to go to your friends retirement party in North Carolina! She sure does have a beautiful place! All those desserts! Wow! The cookies with the icing and flowers on it! Those would have tempted me! lol Hope you had one!

.·´¸.·*´¨) ¸.·*¨)
(¸.·´ (¸.·`¤
Happy 4th of July!
¸.·´¸.·*´¨) ¸.·*¨)
(¸.·´ (¸.·`¤

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Awwww what a blessing you are to each other. Friends really are the wind beneath our wings! hugs, Linda

Susan said...

Very nice post, Sandie.I'm sure your friend feels the same way about you. And you are MY special bloger peeps! LOVE the quote by Elizabeth Kubler Ross. Susan

Belle said...

I was really touched by your post. I love the way you sprinkle quotes through your story. What a lovely lady and family! Friends are truly important.

Ann said...

first of all you made me hungry with the picture of the dessert table :)
Second, congratulations to your friend on her retirement.
Looks like a great party and love all the flowers.
How wonderful to have a friend that has been in your life for so many years.

Sharon said...

Oh Sandie - I enjoyed this so much. What a lovely friend this dear woman is! I wish her the very best retirement ever! If she takes after her father, it looks like she'll have many more years to touch the lives of many other people!

Yes, blogging has brought me so many new friends (you do know you're a special one, right?!?)

The Lord is good - and He blesses us with loving people who make this life's journey just so much easier, better, and a load more fun!

GOD BLESS you, buddy of mine!

Knitty said...

How wonderful that you could join her in this celebration! Congratulations on winning the plate, but you already had the grand prize...the gift of her friendship.

betty said...

I love the butterfly signature line, Sandie! What a dear friend she is! I love the calendar her FIL made her! I'm sure she will treasure it in the days ahead as she begins this next season in her life!! She sounds so very special and I'm so glad you guys were able to meet at that Bible study years ago and continued on the friendship even through moves, etc! That is awewsome! And the food, yum! looked delicious!!

I wish her the best in her retirement! What did she retire from?

Friends are God's gifts to us I do believe. We need to treasure them indeed!

betty

Joey said...

People don't understand when I talk about my blogging friends, and how much I love them.

You just expressed how important people are to us... how precious they are in our lives.

What you did is an example of "Christ working through you".

Your friend must be a beautiful person, inside and out... and what a husband she has.

God bless you, Sandie! You just made my night!

Love to you,
Joey

Patty in Oz said...

I so am inspired by your post and your blogspot in general. What a lady of faith you are.

Yes, family and friends are the true treasures in life. I heard it said that when we share or troubles...we allow people to love us a little more.

Hope you are having as much fun as I am this weekend. Hubby & I are visiting our daughter and her family for the weekend and she created a fun agenda for 2 1/2 days. I feel as though I'm in a dream. Time with her is priceless.

Oh yes, I'm going to be one of your new followers. :-)

God bless you!

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

You are blessed to have a friend like that!!!

Anonymous said...

I love this! I love knowing that each new friend opens up a whole new world for us. Friends are so important. Thank you for being my friend! Love to you, Carol

Sweet Tea said...

Great post about your Friend.
Friendship shared is something to be celebratee!

Retired Knitter said...

Wow, what a spread of food!!!!

(I am dieting so you know I would focus only on the food!!!) *sigh*

Sounds like a great friendship too, but the food ........