That one friend

Every day, when I pray for my kids, I ask for a lot of things -  health, happiness, good choices, dedication, a good husband, hard work, pure thoughts. But, one of the most important things I pray for is that they are surrounded by wholesome people who enrich their lives. People that they can trust. People who will listen to them and have their backs and be honest and loyal. It's very hard to get that when you're a teenager. You may think you have it, but then you end up with that girl who drops you for every new boy that looks her way or talks about you behind your back. 

I realized that even more yesterday when I got an unexpected gift from a friend. Now, this lady is a true gem. She's one of those people who has a lot on her plate, but still manages to pile on more. She rarely says no and puts everyone before herself. She knows how to have a good time and takes care of herself, but when there is work to be done, she picks up a shovel and starts digging. Yesterday, she went out of her way to drop off Valentine's Day gifts to my family. Not something she grabbed at the drug store - a handmade card and a gift that took time to put together. And good chocolate - not some crappy stuff you get for $1.99 a bag. I may or may not know this because I may or may not have eaten a piece of Dove chocolate for breakfast.

We are blessed to have this woman and her family in our lives. Their Acts of Service (if you haven't read The Five Love Languages, do yourself a favor and read it!) show us their love and friendship. I would much rather have a friend who brings a ladder over to my house to rescue my cat from the roof (yes, she did that) than someone who says "love ya" in a text and can't even remember my kids' names. And I'm sure I don't tell her enough how much she means to me (since I'm an Acts of Service love language person myself) but know that I should because I want my kids to know that this is the kind of friend they want in their lives.

They want the kind of friend who tells them when they are doing something stupid rather than taking a video of that stupidity and posting it on social media. They want a friend who asks them if they want to study together rather than boasting about their 98 average in your hardest class. They want a friend who makes them laugh until their sides hurt rather than one who makes them cry until their heart hurts. They want a friend who will pick them up and never push them down.

So, that is my prayer for my kids and for yours. That they surround themselves with those good people every day of their lives.