A close friendship is a treasure. When life gets rough, a true friend is there to give support and encouragement. When we just need to vent, a true friend listens to us ramble. When we have food in our teeth, a true friend lets us know.

Such a close friendship is hard to find. I grew up moving around about every two to three years. I didn’t cultivate deep friendships to lessen the heartache when we moved next. But when I met Sue in my freshman year of college, everything changed. We never lost touch and we continued to grow closer even though physical distance separated us. That was twenty-three years ago.

When I have something weighing heavy on my heart, I can tell Sue and know that she will be praying for me. When she asks how I’m doing, I know she genuinely wants to know the answer … and waits to hear it. When I need a good laugh, being around Sue is a sure-way to get my laughter fill. And when I need to see the bright side of a difficult situation, she offers great truthful insight. Her friendship is priceless to me.

Difficulty abounds in our world today — the struggling economy, uncertainty surrounding so many, marital difficulties, and the threat of job loss. Daily, sadness and fear are flourishing. Too often in the midst of such challenges, we choose isolation instead of friendship.

It reminds me of what I cling to and what my necessary anchors are. I think of what truly matters.

My relationship with God is my ultimate form of peace, security, and guidance. The love and support I receive through my relationship with my husband and daughter blesses me daily. And my friendship with Sue reminds me that a true friendship goes deeper than a situation, miles, or even a season of life. Each looks differently, but all serve a very important purpose.

Take time today to remember what truly matters.

Friendship isn’t a big thing — it’s a million little things.  ~Author Unknown

Laughter. There is no replacement for a great laugh. You can’t conjure it up. You can’t fake it and it can’t be forced. I’ve found myself saying before, “That is too funny!” only I’m not laughing. It was a statement. How funny can it be then?

The experts say laughter is beneficial to our overall health, a great stress management reliever, and even a body and heart workout. Sounds good to me. But not every day do I feel like laughing. Sometimes life is overwhelming and I’m just trying to get through the day. Ever felt like that?

Jerry B. Jenkins said in a writer’s conference one year that our life is 5% of what life throws our way and 95% of how we respond to it. That stuck with me.

In the midst of stress, I can choose to think of the positive side. In the midst of difficulty, I can choose to look for the lesson to be learned. In the midst of the mundane, there is still a funny side. It’s all about perspective.

Our daughter has this thing she does daily, “Here is my random word of the day.” She says. Then she blurts her random word.

It cracks me up. We never know what it will be, what she’ll say, because of course it’s … random. But it’s funny to see what floats into her mind in that instant.

We have a quirky dog that acts like a trained seal when it comes to balloons. When I need a good laugh, I blow up a balloon and play volley-balloon with the dog. Never have I seen a dog so careful to not pop a balloon and still keep it up in the air. It’s funny!

My second trip to the dentist due to facial swelling isn’t funny, but how I look in the mirror right now with a half swollen face … is.

Choose to find laughter and humor in today’s events. In addition to gaining a new perspective, you’ll get a bonus workout without leaving your chair. What a value!

There are a couple things that come to mind with Thanksgiving approaching next week … time with family and After-Thanksgiving Day sales. I love to spend time with family and some years it is a time that I get to see family that lives out of town. I’m also one of those millions of shoppers that wake up insanely early to stand out in the cold to be one of the first couple hundred customers.

A few years back, being one of the first to stand in the cold meant gaining a prize. I planned the store priority based off of the prize given for being one of the first customers. My sister and I would split up and “Divide and Conquer” as she referred to it. However lately, store freebies are becoming a rarity and instead the store priority is based off of the best deals. (The bargain shopper in me is a sucker for a great deal!)

I’ve gotten a little smarter over the years. Now Wal-Mart is often my first stop. As a 24-hour store, the waiting happens indoors … not out. If you’ve ever been to Wal-Mart for their After-Thanksgiving Day sale, it’s an experience.

Palettes of products are stacked in the aisles tightly wrapped in cellophane. Shoppers try to peer through the wrapping to see if the palette contains their prize item, while employees stand guard restraining eager shoppers. Last year while waiting, I gently lifted up a corner of the wrapping to make sure I was waiting in front of the right palette.

“Stop picking!” the not-so-happy employee yelled. (“Picking” was serious business I discovered.)

Crowds gather, shopping carts clutter the aisles, and everyone waits as shoppers review their lists and plan their next destination. Then the moment finally arrives. Employees push through the crowd, tear the wrapping, and the coveted products are unveiled.

Chaos begins.

Hands and arms dive in to grab products. Items are thrown to friends and family further back in the crowd like a football. Irritated shoppers, unable to push through the masses, spout their frustration as shopping carts clang together. Shoppers fight for the last item left on the palette. Outdoors, the parking lot scene isn’t much different. Yes, that’s what they call Black Friday in the retail industry. A day their books leave the red zone, and reach the black instead.

By the time the sun rises, I’ve finished my shopping and head home with Christmas presents hidden in the trunk. Apart from getting fantastic deals for Christmas presents, I would not choose to shop on that day. It’s seems to be the exact opposite attitude of what Thanksgiving is all about — giving thanks for the abundance we have.

In all the years of shopping on that early morning, I cannot think of any time I’ve heard thankfulness uttered in all the shouting. Smiles and happiness is sparingly found. What is it about that day that brings out the worst in people?

It’s just stuff. Stuff we think we need, but it often leaves us always wanting more. Jim Carrey’s character in How the Grinch Stole Christmas says it best:

“That’s what it’s always been about! Gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts! Do you know what happens to your gifts? They all come to me in your garbage. Do you see what I’m saying here? IN YOUR GARBAGE! “I want golf clubs!” “I want diamonds!”

We can so easily get caught up in all the things we think we need, yet we miss the abundance of what we have. Kids exemplify this loud and clear. As parents we can’t help but shed light on their ungratefulness. Yet, aren’t we guilty too?

How many times are we disappointed because we don’t have something we’d really like to have? How many times do we find ourselves needing to upgrade our home furnishings because someone we know just got all new things? Do we buy a larger TV because there is now a bigger one available than what we presently have? Do we think we need a new car because everyone else seems to have a nicer one?

At times, I’m guilty. It is then I feel discontent. It is then I struggle with the unfairness of life. It is then I am dissatisfied and left empty. It’s a black day for me, but for the opposite reason … it’s not pretty.

This Thanksgiving, I hope Black Friday doesn’t overshadow our thoughts and focus away from the reason for celebrating Thanksgiving. We have been given much. But gratefulness isn’t a one day event, but an attitude we should live by.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy