Sharing Tests of Faith - and Weather!

It was mid-January in mid-Michigan when only the hardy will survive.  We've all been weather tested over the years so a few more inches of snow never stopped us from getting together for our monthly girl's dinner.  

 

Though we've had a somewhat mild winter so far, it seems January was trying to make up for the lack of snow in December!  We arrived at Hunan Gardens on the west side of Kalamazoo, so that I, Elisabeth, didn't have quite as far to travel from the lake shore.  The 40-mile jaunt down M-43 can be somewhat harrowing in the winter, and especially at night.  Luckily, for this visit I was staying with a friend in Kalamazoo, and did not have to travel back home in the snowy darkness!  

 

Hot tea, a warm atmosphere, hugs and smiles greeted us as we settled in for a tasty meal at Hunan Gardens.  The menu was a menagerie of wonderful Asian dishes with all the normal fixings, rice, wanton, egg rolls, and of course some hot tea!  The smell of all the spices was fabulous and made our mouths water as we checked out the menu.  I, for one, was sneaking a peek at the dishes being delivered to the table next to us.  Yummy!

We missed our friend Sarah tonight, who is getting ready for a big trip to celebrate her mother-in-law's 100th birthday!  Wow, what a milestone for this woman and to have her entire family help her celebrate with her!   Our sister, Ruth, is still in sunny warm Florida helping out her parents.  What a blessing for so many of us to still have our parents in our lives, and to be able to give back what they have provided to us throughout our lives.  Perhaps we don't always see it as a blessing, as our parents age and require more of our time and energy, but we all continue to pray for patience, perseverance, and being able to honor our parents in a Godly way.  

Even though some of us don't get to see each other so often anymore, as the physical distance between us has grown a bit, we still seem to pick up right where we left off the last time.  Kids and grandkids are the biggest topics of conversation, as we all share stories of our families, challenges and struggles along with joys and praises.  How difficult it still is to let go of the worry, even as we now all have grown children.  As much as we want them to make their own decisions (and mistakes),  it's hard to sit back and watch sometimes.  We trust God to guide them and keep them safe, but in our humanness, it can be hard to let go.  Conversation drifted into vacation plans, happenings at church, and of course the weather!  

I mentioned earlier about us all being "weather-tested", by Michigan winters.  I thought about how that applies not only to the weather, but also to our faith.  We've all had the ups and downs of plenty and want, joys and sorrows, confidence and fears.  Sometimes our faith does waver, as we are tested by things of the world.  But it seems the longer we continue to hold fast in our faith, and look to the Lord first and foremost, our faith can withstand those tests of time (or weather!).  

 

I know this because I've witnessed it with this group of women.  We are not perfect, nor are our families, but we look to each other for strength and guidance, with no judgement or bias.   It's such a blessing to be able to share our "tests of faith" with our sisters in  Christ, and know that at any time of the day or night, they are there, prepared to pray, prepared to respond, prepared to be by our side.  Everyday I thank God for these women, and the bond that we have formed together.  May God continue to richly bless this special group of women that I am honored to call my BFFs!

Stay warm everyone!

 

Until we meet again,

 

Elisabeth (writing this from sunny Alabama!)

Celebrating Friendships

It was a chilly, gloomy day when the girlfriends last met, but the warmth of our friendships served to brighten the room. 

Since it was a few days after Christmas and Sarah and Ruth had the day off, we chose to meet for lunch at Food Dance in downtown Kalamazoo. The restaurant, which opened over 20 years ago has been known for sourcing ingredients locally long before it was a popular trend in dining. A favorite meeting spot and eatery, on any given day you will find business people, visitors to the area, families and friends at Food Dance.

In addition to food prepared for on site dining, Food Dance offers an array of fresh meats, cheeses, desserts and deli items for take out. This makes it a popular stop for folks who live or work downtown and want a quick, yet fresh dinner to take home to the family.  A selection of wines and even gift items round out the offering.

Calling ahead was a good idea as the restaurant was already bustling on a Tuesday shortly before noon. Although reservations are not guaranteed for parties of 5, the heads up to the hostess allowed us to be seated right away. With the exception of Anna who is still in sunny Florida, all girlfriends were able to make it to town!

With so much goodness on the menu and lots of catching up to do, it took a while to place our lunch orders.  


Eventually we settled on a variety of dishes from salads to soups and grilled cheese sandwiches to burgers.

As we waited for our food to be prepared, we shared a little about our Christmas celebrations which included visits from adult children, aging parents, siblings and grandchildren! We were all blessed to be surrounded with love in this season when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the source of all love.

In case you have just stumbled upon this blog, we have been meeting pretty much monthly for nearly three years! It's amazing how close we have become as we hear each others concerns, joys and sorrows! 

When we are not together, we often reach out to one another with prayer requests, praises and comfort via text messages, email or phone calls. We lift each other up and in doing so, we are growing our faith, friendships and ability to set our worries aside, knowing God is in control.

I recently heard someone say "Why would I want to sit with people who do not know me and tell them every detail of my life?" 

This broke my heart. How else do we get to know one another? How do we build relationships and get past loneliness and isolation if not through sharing our histories, current realities and future dreams?  If not by lifting each other up in prayer?

As the Bible notes in Acts 2:42 - "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."

This is the faith, life and fellowship God has planned for us. To embrace our Christian friends and grow in Christ together. To welcome new believers, fence-sitters and those still walking in darkness, into our lives. To grow together in the love of our Father in Heaven who is beckoning to us with open arms.

This is the blessing we continue to receive as Girlfriends Breaking Bread.

May your friendships - old and new - bring you closer to God in this new year,

Miriam

Kitchen House Surprises and Delights

Last summer I heard the stirrings of a new restaurant in Richland. I heard the news from my hair dresser who works in a small strip mall in town. The Kitchen House would open soon a couple of doors down in the mall. I have to confess, in my mind that is not the location I expect to find a nice restaurant with great food. BOY WAS I WRONG!

Sarah had suggested the new restaurant as she had heard good reviews. Unfortunately, she was unable to join us as she cared for her husband who was recovering from a recent illness. The drive from the lake shore at night is dangerous with deer darting across roads so we all understand that Elizabeth will join us on occasion, but not as regularly. Anna made it to Florida and will enjoy the winter there with family.

Kitchen House advertises that it is locally focused and Italian inspired, serving up rustic American food that celebrates Michigan and the culture of breaking bread. The menu has a variety of appetizers followed by a number of bowl and main course options. The portions are generous to share with a friend. 

The Kitchen House won an area poll in search for Michigan’s best Mac and Cheese earning 24 percent of the votes with a mascarpone mac and cheese. Reservations are a must. The place is bustling with excitement of friends meeting to eat a meal and share life!

The night we met, Miriam and I shared the chicken and mushroom pasta penne bowl while Rebecca had a grilled Caesar salad bowl. The servings were very generous. Scrumptious only begins to describe the meal! Sharing a meal is a bonus to what really takes place at our gatherings. We share life and God is present and God is praised!

Matthew 18:20 New Living Translation (NLT)

20 For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”

Love and blessings,

Ruth

Breaking Bread at the New Aubree's

At our last meeting, "Girlfriends Breaking Bread" tried a new restaurant called Aubree's Pizza and Grill on Gull Road. This is the 9th and newest location for this group of restaurants that started out in Ypsilanti, Michigan in 1972. 

The restaurant was extremely busy and after a bit of a wait, we were seated and our experienced waitress started us off with some beverages and a tour of the menu pointing out her favorites.

After some deliberation, we place our orders. Among entrees chosen were Mac 'n Cheese, B.A.T. (Bacon, Avocado, Tomato sandwich), fish tacos, salads and pizza. The food was delivered pretty quickly, considering the newness and business of the restaurant, and looked and tasted great!

I really enjoyed my shaved brussels sprout and kale salad, which included quinoa, grape tomatoes and feta cheese, tossed in a light lemon-dill vinaigrette.

Our service started out fine, but as time went on our server was so busy and pretty overwhelmed. We all felt bad for her as some customers were not very happy and didn't mind letting her know!
 
 
After finishing our entrees, we celebrated Anna's birthday and caught up with her plans as she prepares to head to Florida for the winter. The cupcakes from D&W were yummy and adorned with these cute fall rings!



All the girls were able to make it to this dinner, even Elisabeth, who drove in from South Haven!

As usual, we all shared news of our families and had lots of laughs.

It was a great night of friendship. I can't wait until our next meeting. 

Happy fall!

Rebbecca

Out of the Wilderness

Much like the Israelite’s journey through the wilderness, I find myself in the wilderness these days.

In our never-ending quest for sanctification, God leads us through the wilderness on our way to our destination. I have some tough lessons to learn and I am learning a lot about myself. It’s not all bad though. I think that God takes us through the wilderness to protect us from what would be much worse if we went in the direction that we chose ourselves. I am finally learning to relinquish control, I am learning to recognize my many blessings and I am learning to find peace in the middle of chaos. Sometimes it is in the midst of the wilderness that we see and hear God the clearest. He uses our wilderness to draw us closer and sometimes takes us to a place where our only choice is to depend on him.

I think we all find ourselves in the wilderness from time to time. It is exhausting. But – we have a good God!! While on the journey through our personal wilderness, God never makes us go too far without finding an oasis – a moment of peace and rest. Time to refresh!!

A few weeks back He led me to a perfect oasis – dinner with my Christian sisters! What a perfect opportunity to be refreshed! We met in the tiny village of Augusta, close to where we all live, at a relatively new restaurant called Canal Street Café. As we each pulled into the parking lot that Wednesday evening, we all thought that the café would be as packed as the parking lot but were pleasantly surprised to see some empty tables when we walked in. 

The Canal Street Café claims ‘farm fresh’ and has a small but interesting menu with a nearly equal number of nightly specials. Atmosphere and service were good. We all enjoyed our meals and a few of us also enjoyed a glass of wine.

Elisabeth has recently relocated to South Haven and couldn’t make it in to Augusta for dinner with us. We missed her but we know that she loves her new digs and promises to continue to join us now and then. Miriam, Ruth, Anna and I were joined by Rebbecca, a mutual friend that we have known for a long time. She slid into her chair, beamed with a big smile and instantly fit into the group. We look forward to spending more time with her. What a blessing!

The conversation was much like the others we’ve had – never anything earth-shaking but always heart-warming. It was a pleasant rest along the road through my wilderness. Thank you, girlfriends! I am refreshed, renewed and ready to continue my journey.

Pricilla Shirer in her study entitled ‘One in a Million’ says this: ‘We must synchronize our primary purposes with God’s. No matter how well-prepared we think we are, we must realize that we can neither accomplish abundant life with God nor overcome the Enemy’s advances without the Lord’s help. While we often want the easiest and least challenging route to abundant life in Christ, we must acknowledge that God wants to take us on the path that fosters a deeper relationship with Him. He wants us to lay aside our determination to do life our way and follow Him. Only when we do this can we truly become ready to face what lies ahead.’

Let’s prepare for what lies ahead, Ladies! 

Blessings until next time,

Sarah

An Eventful Couple of Years!

Hello, loyal blog readers. Elisabeth here, reporting in on what has been quite an eventful couple of years! 

First, my husband and I bought a condo in South Haven, which is situated right along the beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline, about one hour west of Richland. Soon after, I retired from a lifelong career with a Kalamazoo company and within a few months, we sold our home near Richland and moved to South Haven full time. Whew!

You may have noticed that I've missed the last few Girlfriend's dinners and now you know why!

I'm happy to report that after all these changes, my husband and I are doing great and loving the peaceful atmosphere along the lake shore and the slower pace of life.  

Everyone is happy here, and people actually talk to each other face to face, or greet each other on the street - even complete strangers!  It's so refreshing.  

I've met some wonderful, funny, intriguing ladies in South Haven through a golf league at a local course. They have been an organized league for over 50 years, if you can imagine that!  Within the league there is a great diversity of age, socioeconomic background, locals, seasonals, and all levels of golf expertise.  They have readily accepted me into their club, and now I actually see some around town and I'm really enjoying getting to know them better.  

I've been delegated the official golf league photographer and I'm having fun with that.  Additionally, I'm officially launching my photography business in the next month and working on my portfolio. (That's one of my shots above.) I love the creativity and being able to capture special moments on film.  

Hubby is thinking about working part time this winter/spring at the local Menard's a few hours a week to get to know some of the local guys and earn a little extra fun money! Not sure what the winter will bring for us, but we are keeping our options open and may travel south, hoping to find some warm weather, at least for a few weeks.

Although dinners in Richland will be difficult to make this winter as the days get shorter and the deer more active, I do miss my Christian girlfriends. I'm hoping to schedule some lunch or coffee times with these dear ladies who have supported me through all my BIG life changes!

I am blessed!

Elisabeth

Talking Trio

On a beautiful evening, a bit too warm to sit outside, Miriam, Sarah and I met at the Mission Pointe restaurant for our once monthly girl’s night out. We were small in numbers, but mighty in support of each other while discussing our latest updates on parents, work issues, and family trials. It seemed as though each of us had experienced a trying week and it is always so refreshing to know great Christian friends are there for you praying for you daily.

Mission Pointe is a nice setting and we were directed to an inside table near the fireplace. It becomes excitedly loud as the evening progresses and seating is reaching capacity. We chatted over chips and house made garlic dip while deciding on our meals. Miriam and I ordered Tilapia in a Mediterranean sauce while Sarah chose the Chicken Cobb salad.

The food is fairly tasty, although we all remarked that it was never outstanding and we were not overwhelmed with praise for the chef’s mediocre presentation. 

Miriam is soon to be going on a journey of a lifetime in Europe and we excitedly listened to her plans. Sarah updated us on the condition of her family members injured in a horrible auto accident; we are continuing to lift them up in prayer. We all remarked how we missed seeing Elizabeth regularly, but we are thrilled for her in her new adventure in her life! Ruth is traveling and doing some family visits this week and we all certainly know how precious time is with Grandchildren. We miss the other half of our group as always when they are not with us.

Miriam had kindly brought yummy cupcakes to celebrate Sarah’s birthday, and we devoured them as desert. Of course they were chocolate! It was great to celebrate with Sarah her special day- even our server got into the action, and we offered her a cupcake for later.

We decided upon the next date and location for our meeting and really look forward to having the group together again. It is our prayer that everyone enjoys the remaining few weeks of sunshine and warm summer days as cooler fall ones are around the corner.

Blessings to all until we meet again,

Anna