In Gratitude

Today I'm joining Ann in gratitude.

I am thankful for friends who are my friends in spite of the kind of friend I am.  You see, I'm not your average call-you-every-day-just-to-chat kind of friend.  Shoot, I'm not even a call-you-once-a-week-to-see-how-you're-doing kind of friend. 

I'm not your let's-have-a-girls'-night-out kind of friend. I'm not opposed to it, I just like being home when my husband's home.  And with a $50 a month eating out budget for the 7 of us, there's not a lot left over for individual use~at least not as far as I'm concerned.

I am a give-you-the-shirt-off-my-back kind of friend, a stand-up-for-you-while-adrenaline-pulses-thru-my-veins kind of friend. I'm an encourage-you-to-love-submit-and-care-for-your-husband kind of friend.  And an encourage-you-not-to-follow-the-crowd kind of friend and keep-it-simple kind of friend.  I love my friends.  They are all so unique and perfect in their own ways and I would love to spend more time with them.

But, I also love my husband, five children, parents, in-laws, and siblings.  I have a home to run, parenting classes to teach, ministry opportunities to do with my husband and five children.

All that said, it's the friends who understand this about me and like me anyway that I am praising the Lord for today.  As much as I would like to, I can't be all things to all people.  I have to live in this season.  And I'm choosing to live in it joyfully and with gratitude!