The Blessing of Friends

February 8, 2004

Journal Entry:

“Up & to church.  Sat with Buddy.  Great sermon on forgiveness.  Went to Bill’s Sunday School class.  Really enjoyed it.  Went to Panera for lunch.  One of the best parts of the day was when Pat & I went to Buddy’s and sat, talked, and drank coffee.  It was nice.  Back to Pat’s and all of the family went to Longhorn for Buddy’s birthday.  Fun.  Home, talked a little and to bed.  This has been a great experience and I’m going home with new insight, strength, and determination.”

Thoughts for Cheri:

“Sunday I enjoyed church.  I sat by Buddy and that was nice.  A bunch of us went to lunch.  Pat and I went to Buddy’s, sat, drank coffee, and talked.  It was nice being with my brother and sister like that.  We took him to a steak place for a belated birthday.  We really had a good time.”

“One of the best parts of the day was when Pat & I went to Buddy’s and sat, talked, and drank coffee.”  “It was nice being with my brother and sister like that.”  I am the youngest of three (as I like to remind my siblings of quite often!).  My brother is 6 years and sister 4 years older than me.  Because of this to be honest we were not that close growing up.  In fact, because our mother worked Pat was kind of a second mom to me.  She watched out for me, something I didn’t particularly appreciate in my teen years.  And as I explained in an earlier post, because of my ex we weren’t close as adults.  It’s just the way it was.

That’s why this time with them was so special to me.  This was the first time in forever that it was just the 3 of us sitting and talking as friends.  Memories of growing up were made sweeter as we shared them.  I’m thankful we’ve had other opportunities over the past 13 years to spend time together.  It’s just nice.  They’ve become not just my brother and sister but my friends.  Please don’t ever take your siblings for granted.  They can understand you like no one else can. 

“This has been a great experience and I’m going home with new insight, strength, and determination.”  To this day I don’t understand why God has blessed me such wonderful adventures.  This was just the second (after Praise Gathering) in a long list of experiences He’s given to me over these years that have helped me to grow in my faith.  This one stands out because I connected with family in a way I never had before and because I made so many new friendships that have lasted until today.  I’m extremely grateful for this gifts from my Father.

One theme that runs through each of these experiences is God using people, places, and events in the life of this rejected child to restore and revitalize me.  This weekend is an example of little touches and big touches that have made me feel accepted and loved in a way I hadn’t been for a long time.    These people made me feel like I mattered.  To this day they call me friend.  That’s so important in life. 

In all of this I am most thankful for my Best Friend.  He is the one who makes all of this possible in my life.  He is the one who lived, suffered, bled, died, and rose again to give me life.  He is the one who at this moment intercedes for me at the right hand of His Father.  And this one is King of kings, Lord of lords, and will one day return in victory to rule the world said:

Father,

Friendship.

It’s such a beautiful word.

Thank You for the one who is my Best Friend.

Thank You for those who call me friend.

Teach me to be a friend just as Jesus is.

In His Name,

Amen.