Welcome my friend! Come on in for a lovely Devonshire Tea.
For today is a special celebration!
I have baked homemade scones, have a pot of strawberry conserve & whipped the cream into snowy peaks for us.
Take a seat & I’ll pour you a cup of tea or coffee, your choice, as I have both.
Please help yourself to the warm scones, strawberry conserve & dollop cream.
Celebrating a Joyous Friendship
You may be wondering what we are celebrating today!
Well this is a special tribute to one of my dearest friends, Joy.
Our friendship spanned forty years & I’d like to share a little bit about our friendship with you today as she recently passed into glory.
Her favourite tea time was Devonshire Tea, so let us enjoy these treats as we sit together!
When it all began
Our friendship began when I was pregnant with my third child.
My young family & I were new to the church where Joy & her young family were attending, as we had just arrived back from an overseas posting.
I can remember the morning I met Joy vividly, it was morning tea time after service, when she walked up to me & said;
“Jennifer, you’re like a breath of fresh air in this place!!
Those words have always meant a great deal to me because it was a few days just before I lost the child I was carrying, my daughter Candy, to stillbirth.
But those words actually described Joy herself as she always brought,
sunshine & joy into any situation!
Our friendship grew from that point.
We had one of those friendships where you just appreciated & loved each other for who the other was!
A friendship that if we didn’t see each other for awhile, as we eventually lived in different parts of the state, we just picked up where we’d left off when we did get together.
And over the years we went through all the ups & downs that life brings, giving each other much needed support, as we could within our own life & family challenges.
True friendships are where we can be honest with each other
True friendships are where we can be honest with each other!
Although, we may not necessarily like what our friend has to say or even see things from their perspective.
We can learn to love & appreciate their candidacy & concern for us none the less.
Tenacity for Life
Joy was the most tenacious person I have ever known!
She faced every challenge that presented itself to her with a dogged determination to live her life to the full, despite the challenge she faced.
And this could be seen in her last mammoth challenge which was Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
Where she continued to operate her B & B until she couldn’t any longer & her Florist business to the end.
Friend’s for Life

One year Joy gave me a fridge magnet with a poem on it that was titled Friends for Life.
It stated that those who have shared & laughed with each other as much as we had over the years were definitely friends for life.
And that was Joy & I, we often saw the funnier side of things & had a good ol’ laugh together.
Life changes often without warning
While I knew my dear friend’s health was declining due to MND.
I wasn’t prepared for her to go to glory when she did. So her passing came as a bit of a shock to me.
As we had been in constant contact by texting (as her speech had left her) especially about her recent Heartwrenching news.
Time
I do know that we all have a time when our life will come to it’s end on this planet.
As we’re told in the following scripture,
‘There’s an appointed time for everything… for every event under heaven;
A time to give birth & a time to die.’
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2 Refer II
So we need to be prepared for when our time does come & where we will spend our eternal existence.
Because there is life after death, I know, I’ve been there! As shared HERE
Are you ready dear friend?
No?
Then you may want to go to Prayer now.
Until next time,
Jennifer
You’re most welcome to join me in The Reading Nook
© 2021 Jennifer M. Ross, teawithjennifer.blog, Second Photo by Jennifer, All Rights Reserved. First photo on pexels.com
This was such a sweet tribute for a dear friend. Your words describe the beautiful bond you both had.
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Thank you Manu 🤗
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What a beautiful tribute for a treasured friend.
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Thank you 😊
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Jennifer, this a beautiful tribute to a lovely friendship. I have lost four really great friends. It is hard when you have so many wonderful memories and life experiences with them. Hugs ♥️
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Thank you Pam. That is very hard to lose so many dear friends, my heart goes out to you my sweet friend ❤️
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This is beautiful, Jennifer, and speaks so well of what deep friendship is. I am at an age where I have had several friends older than I go home to glory and some my own age. I vividly recall my 91 year old friend and the last visit I had in her assisted living bedroom. I asked her what the Lord had been saying to her and she looked out the window and smiled and said, “That I won’t be disappointed.” Your own death experience confirms that hundreds of times over. Blessings of comfort and peace be yours.
In Him,
Pam
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Thank you Pam. What a beautiful promise the Lord gave your friend & yes it’s very real. 🤗
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She had a great heart full of love. Glad you both had great times and memories to cherish. ❤️
Comfort is yours in this time. 🙏🏻
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Thank you Herry! Yes, such wonderful memories to cherish indeed 💖
Bless you my friend 🤗
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Amen and you too. 🤗🤗
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I have a few friends who have come through the trenches of motherhood with me. It’s a precious thing!
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It is a precious thing Michele ❤️
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Friends you just pick up back where you left off are the best. Especially if they are laughing friends. So sorry for your loss. You have described your friend so well. May you be comforted by all your sweet memories of her. And may you find another friend so full of joy.
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Thank you Theresa. 😊
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Jennifer, I am so sorry for the loss of this dear friend; yet we know no one we commit into the hands of Jesus is lost to us forever, for you shall embrace again another day, and oh the laughter then…
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Absolutely Donna! 😊
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I’m sorry for the loss of your friend. It sounds like a beautiful friendship. I love when there are people we can always feel comfortable with even if we haven’t seen them for a long time.
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Thank you Lesley, she was a beautiful friend. 💝
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Jennifer, friends like Joy are such a gift. I’m glad God gave you to each other to walk life’s ups and downs together. From the photo, she looked like she brought a lot of life (and maybe some occasional snark?) to your interactions. 🙂 I am truly sorry for your loss of her.
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Thank you Jeanne, she was definitely a beautiful friend 😊 I’m not familiar with the term ‘snark’?
But if you mean she would call it like she saw it, then yes! Lol!
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Jennifer, I am so sorry for the loss of your friend. This sounded like a beautiful and precious friendship in which the memories will live on. What a gift your friend possessed to make you feel comfortable and included from the start. Beautiful and honoring tribute.
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Thank you Joanne! 😊
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..YUMMY!
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I’m so sorry for your loss, Jennifer! Friends are the honey of life—they help stick us together and add sweetness. Thank you for sharing this beautiful tribute to Joy.
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Thank you Anita. I love that analogy! 😊
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