Friends

2 Corinthians 5:7 (New International Version)
7 We live by faith, not by sight.

A smaller group than usual of friends gathered last night for cell group. Seven of us, including Tiffany-Amber and Victoria, sat down for dinner and little Ava Claire Jasmine slept on peacefully, near to the table in her car seat.

After dinner, Tiffany-Amber and Victoria went off to play, and Paul, having had a long day that started with the early morning Mayor's Prayer Breakfast, decided to take a break after dinner and rest. Brenda was away meeting with St. Johns Ambulance Brigade about she and Molson joining their therapy dog team--so that left Susan, Frances, Lori Lei and I, with little Ava, who woke up at last and made us all laugh at her chortles and chuckles and cooing sounds.

Instead of doing the Bible study, we sank into the comfortable softness of chairs and couch and chatted for a while before reading a chapter from a book for a change. It was given to me by my friend Angela, and is entitled, She Who Laughs, Lasts--compiled by Ann Spangler and published by Zondervan.

We passed the book around, each reading a paragraph or so out loud before passing it on. The story we read made us all laugh, as was intended.

Then we marveled at the fact that the baby we were all taking turns holding, was only just conceived at this time last year--a miracle that was against all the odds. And now here she is and such a perfect angel of a baby with pure white skin and a smile that needs hardly any encouragement to come out and a dimple in her right cheek, just like her mommy's. This will be a very special Mother's Day for Lori Lei.

Frances reflected on the responsibility of motherhood. Her husband, who has a very high pressure job, buying and selling at the Ontario Food Terminal, told her she didn't know what pressure was. She said, "I told him--pressure? I'm raising Charles Manson--or Billy Graham--and who it is depends on me!" That caused us to dissolve into more laughter.

At just gone ten, they all stepped out into a warm night that felt like springtime. Laughter and the slam of car doors broke the quietness, as goodbyes were called out. I closed the door behind them and thanked God for dear friends and the simple joy of sharing a table and laughter together.