Tuesdays make me happy.

I find myself bubbling with joy in anticipation of Tuesdays.

(1) Bible Study meets on Tuesdays

It’s been ten years since my friend Gail asked me to go with her to the Tuesday night women’s Bible study at church.

I was hooked. And Tuesdays became a favorite day.

Because of those girls.

Yes, the studies, the sessions, even the homework, were all blessings and strengthened me, improved me, expanded my knowledge and faith.

But, moreso, it was about the girls. The lovelies. The friendships.

We began as a group of twelve, single and married, mothers of babies, mothers of school kids, mothers of grown-ups, grandmothers. Some were employed; some not. Some were raised in Christian homes and some in chaotic homes. We were a mix of quiet and loud, introverted and extroverted.

Week by week as we shared and prayed over all kinds of issues – health, marriage, children, jobs, parents, divorce, struggles, fears – the friendships developed.

Over the years of Bible studies every spring and fall, our group saw changes: some of the lovelies moved on to other groups (that’s okay, love ‘em anyway); some moved away (now we’re Facebook friends). What had been a dozen became a small cluster of seven or eight.

And then, about seven years ago, I invited the lovelies to meet at my house for the Tuesday studies instead of the church’s fellowship hall. (Well, truth be told, our group “maybe” became a bit noisy, “maybe” rebelled about the study selection, “maybe” because we were slow learners {or possibly lazy}, and “maybe” needed to meet every other Tuesday and not weekly.)

Every single time I meet with my Tuesday lovelies, I feel refreshed and restored. This is because we listen to one another’s needs, and we unite our hearts in studying God’s Word, and we pray together.

Every single time I feel happy and joyful and overflowing  with love. This is because we encourage one another, and we have (kinda non-judgmental) comments about clothing and hair styles (inside joke), and we laugh together. And I supply chocolate.

My heart is so full and thankful for the lovelies. For the friendships.

(2) Girls Night Out meets on Tuesdays

Since Bible Study was every other Tuesday, that freed up an open Tuesday for the monthly GNO with a small group of friends. A night dining in a fancy-pants (or not) restaurant. A night sharing the good and not-so-good stuff of our everyday lives. A night with desserts and wine.

My story and their stories, the everyday parts of them. The ordinary and extraordinary, the hard and the happy.

These girls. These friendships.

In every season, especially the hard ones, God was always been faithful to bring those into my life to love me well. And that I can love well in return.

I know my friends will fight for me, stand with me.

I don’t have to be brave alone.

Every single time I go dining with my Tuesday girls, I’m grateful that I have friends who I can be “me” with.

Every single time I’m overwhelmed that I have friends who I can be honest, fun, crazy, scared, open and messy with. I have friends who have allowed me to be both broken and together.

God has given them to me as gifts and I need to hold on to them the way I allow them to hold on to me.

Because I know this: the secret to being loved is to love. And the secret to having a friend is being a friend.

My heart is so full and thankful for these girls. For the friendships.

(3) NCIS airs on Tuesdays.

Then on those days I don’t see my lovelies or my girls’ group, there’s NCIS.

My heart is so full and thankful for Leroy Jethro Gibbs, for Anthony DiNozzo.

Need I say more?

*****

And that, my friends, is why I love Tuesdays.