Girlfriends Dinner at North 11

Tonight the Girlfriend’s met for our monthly dinner.  Our number was down by two as Anna remains south soaking in the sun and Elisabeth had last minute plans with family.  So Miram, Sarah and I gathered together at North 11 for a nice evening of dinner and fellowship.

North 11 is located at 5585 W Gull Road in Kalamazoo, Michigan, about 4 miles west of Richland.  It is a great place to gather for food, fun and friends!  That is what they advertise, and they are right on!  The evening we met they were hosting a KalamazooWine & Canvas event.  Wine and Canvas is an entertainment event much like a concert, dinner theater or movie theater.   No talent or experience is necessary.  Their talented instructors will guide you step-by-step!  You will be amazed at your very own work of ART!  Or so they say.  It was interesting to observe....maybe a future evening together!!!

Sarah and I each ordered a different one of the pizza’s while Miriam had a sandwich.  The waiter gave us plenty of time to enjoy our drinks and a little conversation before our food was served.  Of course, I could eat pizza almost any time.  

I’m a traditionalist and had Traditional Old standby; marinara, pepperoni, mushroom, mozzarella and Parmesan. It was delicious!  I even had enough leftovers for lunch the next day.  Yummy!

Our conversations move along the same lines each time we meet:  family, work, and studying the Word.  In our very busy lives this time together helps us slow down and recall what is really important.  Life isn’t about the “what we do” or “how we do it.”  It’s about the relationships we have and how we do them.

I am truly blessed to know these Christian women.  I am blessed to call them friends.  I am blessed to have their counsel.  I am blessed to have them praying for me.  I am blessed to have them hold me accountable.  I am blessed.  

Thank you, God!

As I wrote this blog post, I couldn't help but think of the following Bible passages from Ecclesiastes (NLT)

⁹ Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. ¹⁰ If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. ¹¹ Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? ¹² A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

Blessings!

Ruth

Blessed by Faithful Friends

October has come and gone.  With Anna out of town, the other four of us met for dinner at Mission Pointe Steak and Seafood House. It is a locally owned and operated business that serves a nice selection of steak, seafood and pasta dishes.  They have nightly dinner and drink specials.  The evening we visited the establishment was busy with tables full of ladies.  While the food wasn’t excellent, it was good.  Sarah and Elizabeth had pasta dishes while Miriam and Ruth had fish.

The best part for me of every meeting is not the establishment, it is not the food, it is the gathering with friends and breaking bread together.  God has blessed me with these Christian women I call friends.  They are faithful women who love God.  They continue to grow and learn on their journey.  They serve God and others within their local churches as well as their community and abroad.

These women are real. They have families. They work. They have challenges. The difference between them and other women is that these women don’t do any of this alone.  They have God on their side. They love Him. They lean on Him. They are learning to trust and obey Him more every day.  They are an excellent example to me and those they meet.  They point others to God.

Each time we meet the conversations move between what is new at work, what is happening in our families and what are we going to do next.  This particular evening the controversial subject of same sex marriages came up.  We discussed same sex couples we knew, both family and friends.  While we recognize everyone will read and interpret the Bible for themselves, we also recognized that the Bible is very specific on what it has to say about this.  We also recognized that God calls us to love the sinner, not the sin.  That is what He does for us and expects us to do for others.

On a lighter note, another controversial subject was that of Endorsements on Linkedin.  We had some laughs over who has been Endorsed and the subject of the Endorsements.  For an interesting read on the topic, go to: http://www.corebrand.com/news-views/blog/747-why-i-dont-like-linkedin-endorsements. 

The evening ended with plans for a trip to visit Anna.  She will be out of state for some time and has invited us to come for a visit. We are hoping to visit her and have dinner sometime in mid to late January, pending confirmation of work schedules.  Although we keep in touch via email and text messages, we are all looking forward to that gathering!

Until next time,

Sister’s in Christ,

Ruth

End of Summer Park Party

Meeting with girlfriends in the park in Richland on a most beautiful, warm and sunny summer evening after visiting our local Subway for our selected meals - life doesn't get any better than this!  

Delightful conversation followed as Miriam and Sarah tried the pulled pork and Ruth stuck with her Subway standby, the Italian BMT. I chose the oven roasted chicken and we all made it a meal by adding our favorite chips and cold drinks.  All meals were tasty, with many healthy veggie additions! 

It was a really comfortable evening on the picnic table in an active town square. We talked and laughed over the details of a recent excursion on the Kal-Haven trail, bicycling in monsoon rains that Ruth and  Miriam bravely attempted.  We were very proud of their efforts, however, in getting out there.

We all discussed those friends we had who were going through health challenges and prayed together, missing our friend Elisabeth, who was out of town.

Work and life challenges were again topics of concern, as well as our children and families. Updates on possible retirement areas we have considered were examined also. Wow, we can't possibly be saying that!  We're all way too young for retirement.          

It's great knowing each of us can depend on the prayer and support of our entire group! We all seem to be refreshed and lifted up after sharing time together.  

Looking forward to our next meeting and the next update,

Anna

From Hamburgers to Hammer Toes

Elisabeth here.  Another great dinner with the girlfriends in the outskirts of Richland. We ventured to The Dock at the Bayview across the street from beautiful Gull Lake.  Weather was great and we perched outside on the deck, overlooking the bay.  A little breezy, but warm sunshine and great company kept us cozy.  

I was anxiously awaiting this particular dinner since the Dock has recently re-opened and I had heard somewhat mixed reviews.  

Photos on The Dock's Facebook page showed the inside looking nicely updated with a shiny wide open dance floor and evenly spaced tables surrounding.  The view is always great, so I knew that would not disappoint.  

What did disappoint is that the pictures were much more generous than the real thing.  Though it was clean and somewhat updated, there wasn’t much difference in the layout, the table and chairs were the same old ones, carpeting had not been replaced, and to top it off, the salad bar boat was still there! 

Having said that, the atmosphere was lively and there were plenty of thirsty golfers and lakers enjoying a cool drink and a bite to eat.  

Our food was good and served hot within about 20 minutes; not the best burger I’ve ever had, but for a bar and grill, I thought it passed the test.

Enough about the place.  It was really the company that was the best.  Sarah, Miriam, and Ruth joined me and the conversation always abounds.  We covered the gamut, from kids to spouses to bosses to parents.  

It seems no matter how old we get, kids always seem to continue to be a topic of concern and prayer.  Some of us are happy that the kids have finally left the nest, and others are hoping for new babies to arrive.  Whatever the case, we continue to lift our children up in prayer, knowing that God’s ultimate plan is always the best, no matter how much we think we may know better!  

Health was an interesting topic this week, too.  How we went from trigger fingers, to hammer toes, to rotator cuffs, to hot flashes, I do not know, but it was very entertaining!   Our conclusion was that too many doctors merely want to do surgery to solve every problem, and that we need to be cautious about overlooking  less invasive alternatives.  Whatever happened to physical therapy first?  

Jobs, well, what can I say?  Jobs are always a source of many prayer requests from our group.  As hard as it may be to comprehend, we actually do pray for our bosses!  Go figure.  Maybe instead of always praying for things to work out for us, we should pray that God opens other hearts to see things differently.  Maybe this will positively impact our situation.  What a concept…. take the focus off me. 

All in all, it was a great evening and I always leave in good spirits knowing that I have strong women to support me, listen to my whining, lift me up in prayer, and just love me!  It’s a great feeling. 

‘Til next time… Elisabeth signing off.