The Unexpected

I have the greatest friends in all the land. I love my friends!

One in particular sent me the greatest gift ever. I walked up to my doorstep last night after work and saw this box sitting there. We noticed it was Fresh Cuts - flowers. Both my husband and I thought for sure it was for his parents (we live in the lower level of their house). After the funeral last week, it just made sense.

Until we noticed the name on the package said "Kelli Burrier!"

After pestering my husband and realizing no, he really didn't send these flowers to me, my mind was racing! Who would have done such a wonderful thing???

We opened the flowers to find the most beautiful, elegant looking bouquet inside. Eventually we realized there was a note attached to the packing slip! They were sent from my good friend Jo in Japan!!!!

And you want to know the reason she had for sending these? To simply say how much she valued my friendship.

WHO DOES THAT?

Even my husband was like "Wow, she's making me look bad!" :) He meant it in a good way, because the gesture was so sweet and unexpected.

So Jo - I wanted to share your gift with the rest of my blog family. You blessed me indeed, my friend. Our friendship is unlike anything else. Who knew that we'd spend more time talking and relating and helping each other through life when we were NOT together! We really have only spent 10 weeks of our lives and various miscellaneous weekends in the same city. The rest of our friendship has been long-distance, and yet you bless me greatly and deeply. I want to say THANK YOU friend, for making me feel so very special.

In closing, I am most confident that no distance is too great to further a friendship. I am touched by the depth of understanding, grace, mercy, beauty, and honesty you display in our conversations and everyday life. Thanks for faithfully staying in touch with me. Thank you for staying up late into the night so that we can chat online when I get to work in the morning. Thank you for obeying the Lord and going to Japan, even if it feels uncomfortable, foreign, lonely, and overwhelming at times. Thank you for walking in obedience and walking in FAITH - stepping out of a "comfortable" circumstance and out into the deep waters where you can not see what is ahead of you. How great your reward will be for not choosing the "good" in your life but instead trusting God's "best" that is yet to come. The promises of God are great, my friend.

I am trusting the Lord for big things in your life, for BIG things. For things our hearts longed for at SMR 04 when we talked to Drew. For things we're scared to ask for. For the everyday miracles and for the miracles of salvation. God is MIGHTY to save. Thanks for giving your life to something greater than the American dream.

Love you. Thank you. You are a blessing in my life.