Care For Your Friends More

It's that point during Lent when I get to reflect upon what a bad friend I am- at least physically. I think about my friends everyday and I try to keep in touch with them electronically, but the realities of work, family and training make is difficult to spend actual time with them. When it comes to sending birthday cards on time I'm a total failure! But I am thinking of them, I'm praying for them, and I'm looking forward to a time when things are a bit less hectic and we can spend more actual time together.

Care for your friends more

There is much more to a good friendship than remembering birthdays...I hope...because if that's how these things are measured I'm pretty appalling. Well, it's not necessarily remembering that's the issue, it's doing something about it. I'm rubbish- especially where using the postal service is concerned. The procurement of stamps and visiting post boxes seem beyond me- so praise be for Moonpig, Getting Personal and other such companies who help me with this terrible affliction.
Despite my best efforts I had misplaced a couple of birthdays along the way so I took the opportunity to correct this today, sending a card for a missed birthday last week (sorry Al!) and finally remembering to give another friend a pressie from her February birthday (sorry Lorna!)
I'm doubt I'll ever get much better at this, but I do love you all despite my forgetfulness/lack of organisation.  Forgive me..?

Bring God's glory to the heart of man

Something that really hits me at this point between Christmas and new year, when many people are back in work for a few days, is the belief that Christmas is done with- all over for another year.
The joy of celebration should encourage us to keep on celebrating as long as we can! In the church there are so many times to be solemn, and so much 'ordinary time' that I love having this joyous time- yes 12 days from Christmas day to Epiphany- but also 40 days from Christmas to Candlemas, which is basically the first week in February. Lent will be here soon enough, abstinence will be on our minds, so eat, drink, feast, celebrate, make merry!! Enjoy Christmas to it's fullest!
I think the problem is- stop me if you've heard this one before- we celebrate too soon. Advent isn't Christmas. My Christmas celebrations kick off on Christmas eve, so I'm not sick of it by the 30th- I've only just started.
Many people find January a miserable slump following the festive period- no chance of that in our house- with 2 major birthdays before we hit twelfth night, then my daughter's birthday on the 11th Jan and mine on the 19th we have multiple opportunities to keep celebrating throughout the extended festive season. Even without these added celebrations, Jesus alone is worth the continued festivities.

Care For Your Friends more

Anyone who ever expects to receive a birthday card through the post from knows that I can sometimes...or all the time...be a little, well...after the fact. This isn't just limited to birthdays- I seem to be tardy with anything that requires the use of the postal service. I have no idea why.
Today's task was something I've already attempted to do for 2013- make a list of everyone's birthdays and remember to send cards. I've purchased a lovely birthday book from Paperchase (any excuse to purchase stationery items) and everyone's birthday has been noted- a couple of people may even be able to confirm receiving cards within a few days of their birthday (Sarah..?). Yay me!
I also today finally completed my phone a friend task (phones, along with the postal system, are my achilles heel) and was so happy that I did! I spoke to a friend who's been unwell for several months and it was lovely to speak to her.
I asked the kids to find out their best friend's birthdays- we'll see in the morning if they did.

1 Thessalonians 3:12
And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.