Friendships

This weekend I attended a 'moving away' dinner party for my friend Amy who will be relocating with her family to the Dallas area in a very short time. It was certainly a bitter sweet evening. The night out with the girls was a blast - full of funny stories, heartfelt conversation, and just a few "perfect" margaritas (but I'm not saying any names)! It was so much fun to get together with old friends and even meet some new friends, too. But at the end of the evening, it was sad to realize that a friend was saying good-bye.

Ironically, Ian came home from preschool this past week singing a song that I hadn't heard him sing before. And I think I've asked him to sing it half-a-dozen times since then because it's so simple and yet so sincere (and I love how soft and sweet his little voice gets as he sings it).

The lyrics go...

Make new friends, but keep the old
One is silver and the other gold.


A circle is round, it has no end
That’s how long I want to be your friend.

As simple as the message is, it's so very true whether you're in preschool or well into adulthood. The Lord brings specific people into our lives for a purpose. Even though it may seem to be for just a season, when we look back on that person's impact on our lives, we realize that friendship really is precious. Our connections and relationships with others mold who we are and who we aspire to be.

I pray that as my children grow they will encounter friends who impact them in such positive, powerful ways that they can't imagine their friendship circle ever ending. And I pray that they will be such a friend to others, too.

Walk A Mile

On Saturday, April 30th there will be an event in downtown OKC called Walk A Mile In My Shoes to build awareness about the over half a million kids currently in foster care throughout the United States and the 8,000+ children in foster care right here in Oklahoma. Learn more and register for this free 1 mile, family-friendly walk at WalkAMileOKC.com .

Here from actual foster care children in the video "What Foster Children Have To Say"

Food for thought

I discovered this extremely powerful video via the Christian Alliance for Orphans. No introduction or explanation needed. Please watch in its entirety. It will surely speak for itself and gives each of us food for thought.

True Religion from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Top 10

As I prepare to attend the 8046 Conference in a few weeks, I received this recently and thought I'd share...

Top 10 Things You Can Do For A Foster Child

10) Pray for the children in foster care and their families.
9) Collect birthday gifts for the foster children in your community.
8) Have a baby shower to collect baby essentials.
7) Donate luggage for foster children in transition.
6) Collect school supplies, toiletries, towels, and wash clothes.
5) Volunteer for a foster care organization.
4) Contact your local OKDHS foster care specialist about specific needs in your community.
3) Provide occasional respite for foster children.
2) Mentor a foster child.
1) Become a foster parent.