I'm hosting a party on Friday for one of the silliest reasons on the planet.

Once upon a time I would buy anything if it was on sale for at least 75% off.  With great enthusiasm I would justify rationalize explain to my husband "BUT-HONEY-LOOK-HOW-MUCH-MONEY-I-SAAAAVED!!!" while he would just shake his head and praise God that at least I wasn't a retail price binge shopper. 

I swear it was like a druggie getting a fix, the "high" directly proportional to the percentage off.  Once at the Hallmark store, I found decorative clay vases and urns for ONE CENT and flipped in-store cartwheels for HITTING THE MOTHER LODE while the employees–thrilled to get the blasted inventory OUT OF THEIR STORE AND INTO MY CAR and unconcerned it was probably some accounting glitch in their system (Why in the world would they sell ANYTHING for a single penny???)–assured me I wasn't doing anything "wrong" or peculiar by buying a dozen clay vessels.  

I got them home, put 'em in my "sale closet" smugly satisfied that Christmas shopping was done for a few people; though in mid-July I didn't even know who I'd give them to.  

That was inconsequential.

On another visit to the same Hallmark store, I hit the lottery again, this time with a 75% off jackpot. 

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I found a dozen soup and sandwich trays reminiscent of blue and white , marked down to $2.50!  Originally $10, I scooped up every one of them!  Imagining my future, I envisioned monthly get-togethers with my girlfriends just for the sake of using the darling plate-trays and soup mugs.  And,
s u r e, to enjoy my friends' company, too.

I've used them once in the decade-plus I've had them.  I'm sure that's a sin of some sort.

Soooo…when my beloved blog sistah, Amber, began encouraging others to , the wheels started turning in my head.  She reminded me that nurturing friendship requires intent; I realized it had been a long, long time since I hosted a gathering in my home for "no reason" other than the sake of investing in others' lives.  Sowing friendship; reaping tenfold the same.  

While I love The Matrix the blogosphere and my imaginary friends the wonderful writers I've met in personand the ones I've yet met but whose blogs I adore–I realize it's way too easy to invest in those friendships at the expense of the women who will pick up my kids from school when I'm in a pinch, bring me dinner when I need it, or hug me when I need the touch of kindred soul.  And much more important, how will I know when they need a kind word or touch or dinner when they're too sick to get out of bed if I'm not in on-going relationship with them?

So, yes, on one hand I'm hosting a party on Friday for one of the silliest reasons on the planet:  to use my soup tray-plates & mugs.  But on that other hand?  It's to share life with special friends…just because it's passed time.  For both :).

YOUR TURN:  How are you investing in the lives of your friends?  How have your friends surprised or blessed you lately? 

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