Your Real Friends…

When you grow older you realize who your real friends are….and treasure them for the days you share even when you’re not near. This weekend, getting ready to prepare for an 1200 mi roundtrip in 2.5 days I knew who to call. First there were the friends I emailed to ask for travelling mercies for us in their prayers. Their petitions apprently worked, for truly the angels prevented at least two wrecks this weekend when I was on the road alone. These friends prayed for wisdom for me, for safety on the road, for provision as I travelled and for rest when I arrived. I knew all day that they were with me in their prayer life, I could feel the peace that such prayers bring. ( I simply don’t have space enough to cover the friends who were so kind to pray with us for this last roadtrip)

Then there are the friends you don’t have to have an advanced appointment to stop in and love. In that 1252 miles I drove there were at least a dozen stops for a quick hug and hello. It is SO good to see friends in person and physically hug them and wish them well. I am so thankful for the internet and for telephones….for my chosen family are so well connected these days!

The next kind of friend is the one you can call and say “Where the heck am I” and she goes to her computer and talks you through a traffic laden city when you can’t focus on the signs anymore in the glaring sun. She talks you through the late night sleepies until you can find a place to stop despite the fact that you woke her up! She also meets you on the road with sandwiches, water bottles and the purse you forgot after showing it to her.

Every road trip brings new acquaintances for me….I’m friendly by nature and I simply love finding new folks to admire…such as Kary, who owns a wholesale upholstery factory with over 22000 bolts of fresh fabric, and who does work for Lazyboy and some of the most beautiful work on furniture I’ve ever seen….and who’s 88 year old mother works beside him….and a Son In Law who also is a minister cuts the material a little fat…because he says God likes generosity….new friends and assuredly ones I’ll treasure.

Then there are the strangers who for no other reason than kindness extend a hand to help, like the young marine who held the door for dear daughter and I unloading at midnight to a strange hotel in the dark…and who walked me back to the car to make sure it was locked tight. Who told me to tell my Dh hello and his address in Kuwait next time he deployed. Or the owner of the zebra that so thrilled my daughter when we passed it and stopped to look and invited us to feed it and visit for a spell…though we were complete strangers when we pulled up!

Of course there are the older friends who gently guide us and lead us from their experience…and help us grow as people..and share our faith in God our Father…

and beautiful girls who still give you a run for your money in energy and accomplishments though not a one of them is under 75! Just try to avoid their delightful company and they’ll show up on your doorstep at 8 for coffee ready or not!

and 91 one year old Sunday school teachers who share more wisdom from their lives than you think you’ll ever live, and yet is so childlike in his love for Christ, it simply makes you want to be him when you grow up! (Mr. Frances Weaver)

and friends who helped raise you, called brothers…who played the field in baseball when you batted, but rarely got to have me do the same…..brothers who are kind enough to overlook the many times they had to do more for me than I could do for them growing up…helping me grow and learn….and are still around when the count is down.