A Tennessee Thanksgiving

Last Saturday night, this happened:

Eighteen dear friends from the Volunteer State gathered on Montrose to celebrate an early Thanksgiving feast - from Knoxville to Memphis, from old friends to new significant others, all bringing gifts of great joy for our potluck Thanksgiving feast. We indulged in such delicious dishes as corn casserole, famous sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, cheesy cornbread, cranberry delight, pumpkin dip, a variety of pies, and a mouth-wateringly tasty brined turkey.

I value these friends from the bottom of my heart. I cherish the Nashville ones that I have the privilege of seeing weekly. I eagerly await weekend reunions of the ones who live in the far corners of the state. Most of all, I treasure the times we get to spend en masse and the conversations that ensue. Before diving into dinner, we snuggled into the living room and shared things that have been easy to be thankful for...and things that have been hard. What a great way to hear about the ways God has been moving in each others' lives throughout the past year.

We were reminded of the common saying that you can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends. In reality, we were set in each others' lives at a particular time for a particular reason. We didn't choose to go to Vanderbilt so we could be friends with these people. We didn't choose our hallmates, sorority sisters, roadtrip buddies, or spouses. God set us here in this season for specific reasons...what a reminder of how He controls our steps and will continue to set us in right places in the future.

Bless my soul...these friends most certainly have.