One statement means even more than the rest. I will include it here with the names of our children omitted.
"I'm in complete agreement about the quality of your friends. That’s a big theme of your son's wedding weekend for me. I saw your family through the eyes of your friends, and your son's friends. It’s a great view. Discovering your daughter was important too. And of course there’s more, but he press of the day/week is upon me."
These words come from a brother-in-law that I would guess we have not hosted for fourteen years. Over that time a lot has changed. My husband and I have let ourselves be transformed by Love. This activity has fostered greater life in all of our relationships, friends included. This man, our brother, has also changed tremendously and in very positive ways.
I am grateful for God's sweet fullness in our lives and for the gift of this specific perspective, the sight of our family through the eyes of our friends.