New Every Morning

So I've been mulling over a life lesson. Years ago when our son was in 4th grade we moved across the state leaving his two best friends behind. He had a tough start at his new school as he became pretty sick the week we moved in. Honestly he missed more school than he went to that first month in the depths of winter in Iowa. He had a bad respiratory infection but I believe it was greatly induced by his aching heart. His teacher was very kind and he met other kids quickly but he just wasn't his usual self. One of his old friends got to come to visit for his birthday about 2 months after we moved. That was a great weekend. Sometime after that when He was home from school, sick again I found him just sobbing.  I held him close and asked what hurt, with no response. After some time had passed, more questions and finally the sobbing slowed to just tears He told me he had met some new friends. He was so upset because he believed if he made new friends he would have to let go of the old friends. I assured him that that was not how friendship worked. While you may only be able to have a very few "best" friends, you can have lots of friends with love for all of them. They probably fit in different places in your life.

 Great lesson for life. I've thought of that scene often in the past few years of my life. Life moved us again 6 years ago from a place we had lived for 10 years. Great friends. Great ministry. Great memories. Life. But life goes on and new memories are made. Yesterday was our first son-in-law's birthday. Cancer took him from all of us way too soon. Honestly, I miss him and all of his quirky, sly looks. But just as in our son's life, we are blessed to have new friends AND a new son-in-law. We love them all - the old and the new.  Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness  Lamentations 3:23