Originally, I was going to write about contentment. Ah! It is something I struggle with regularly, but as I thought for a while, I realized what I wanted, no, needed to write about was friendship.

You see, tonight I had the hit show “Friends” playing in the background while I was doing my meal prep for the week. I kind of zoned out as I sliced and diced, but suddenly, I heard a line that jumped out at me. I felt like God highlighted something to me through the oh-so-wise Phoebe Buffet. It was the Christmas episode where Joey and Chandler both put off Christmas shopping until the last minute, and then couldn’t shop the day before Christmas because they were helping Phoebe with a personal crisis.

After the drama had concluded, it showed all the friends in the loft (my dream apartment) exchanging their gifts. That’s when it happened. Phoebe opened her gift from Joey and Chandler and shouted,

“Seat covers?! Awww guys… is this what you were doing when I was pumping the gas?!”

If you lived under a rock in the 90’s, then yes, she was referring to paper toilet seat covers. Her response was both ridiculous… and incredibly sweet. It wasn’t the gift she loved, it was who it came from. Her two friends spent the whole day and night helping her, and her innocent and simple response to their last minute “gift” was thankfulness and excitement.

The episode reminded me of when a few weeks ago, a sweet and thoughtful friend, sent flowers to me on a day she knew would be very difficult. I came home from a frustrating day, in the midst of heartbreak, to find beautiful flowers delivered on my doorstep. There was a note of kindness and a Bible verse attached that gave hope and reminded me that God loves and cares for me. Don’t get me wrong, the flowers were great, and unbeknownst to her, they were my favorite color, but it was the note and the gesture that brought me to thankful tears.

Small gestures or words of kindness from a friend can quickly change a heart from despair to thankfulness. It really doesn’t take much does it? A card in the mail, someone tagging you in an Instagram post because it made them think of you, going out for wine and cheese, babysitting, all things that are not big actions in the grand scheme of life, but isn’t it true these small tokens of friendship can mean so much to a tired heart? And isn’t it true that kinds words can refresh a weary soul?

I am so thankful for friends that invest in my life. I don’t want to live a life full of discontentment, something I battle daily.  I desire to live with thankfulness for what I have. And the friendships God has let me cultivate throughout the years are lifesaving, and life giving. So today I’m thanking God for friendships, and just living this thing…