First Baptist Church of Herndon

Surprise Friend

Linda Soller | Mar 10, 2014

Friends are wonderful things and they come in all shapes and sizes and species. Don’t try to tell a cat or dog lover that their pet is not a friend. It is an argument you will lose. But today I’m thinking about people friends and what makes a person a friend. Only you know the criteria for a person becoming your friend. The way I define a friend and the way you define a friend may be entirely different.  So today I want to share a story of a surprise friend.

I have a Facebook page and use it regularly. When I first started I wasn’t crazy about having my photo on my page.  So for my “cover photo” I used a picture of one of the small alpine gardens from my deck. My sister said, “It’s great, but it would be better if you had a gnome.” I replied, “If you can find one small enough I’ll put it in the garden.” Never challenge my sister, but that is a topic for another time. Not long after, a small box arrived in the mail. Inside was a tiny gnome in a tropical shirt, with two Tiki statues, a pineapple and a surfboard. My sister knows I’m a Jimmy Buffet fan so she selected the tropical gnome from an Etsy shop called Wee Brigadoon. I immediately fell in love with the little guy and named him Jimmy B Gnome. He became my photo on Facebook, and a picture of him with his belongings sitting in my miniature garden became my cover page photo. He is a big hit. I have to admit I went right to the shop and got myself additional gnomes so that my photos could change with the seasons.

Recently I became a grandmother for the first time. My sister, who seldom forgets things, also a story for another time, sent me a mini baby gnome all in pink with her name printed on her bib. Well, naturally I had to change all the pictures. Then I thought; Jimmy B needs a home for his growing family. I went back to Wee Brigadoon and ordered a cottage. The shop owner and gnome artist, Debbie, emailed me regarding some of the details about my order. One email led to another and I told her about my gnomes and how I used them on Facebook. We became “friends” on Facebook. Debbie was excited to see her little people there on my page. When my order arrived there were several surprises. My cottage had a bird’s nest on the top, a first for Debbie. I love to watch the birds at my feeders, and wondered if she knew she had picked the perfect addition for my little cottage. The ultimate surprise was a special Jimmy B sporting a Parrot Head (a name for many Jimmy Buffet fans) hat with all the trimmings. Debbie admitted she is a fan too and so my story inspired her creation. I emailed her late on the night I opened my boxes to thank her for her thoughtfulness. I love my gnomes and their accessories, but what really touched me was how quickly Debbie and I were able to bond over our common interests. I consider Debbie a friend, not for what she did for me, but because we share common interests, and because I feel happiness when I think of our email conversations and shared inspirations. When I think of what she has done for me, a stranger, and when I read each little note she had included in my boxes, and when I look at my little gnomes I smile. To me one criterion for a friend is someone who makes me smile when I think of them. God puts people in our path everyday, and we have a choice of interacting with them or not. I encourage you to be open, and honest, and interact. You just never know when you’ll find a surprise friend.

Have a great week!  :o)    Linda