"My story is important not because it is mine, God knows, but because if I tell it right, the chances are you will recognize that in many ways it is also yours. Maybe nothing is more important than that we keep track, you and I,of these stories of who we are and where we have come from and the people we have met along the way because it is precisely through these stories, in all their particularity,as I have long believed and often said, that God makes himself known to each of us most powerfully and personally." -Frederick Buechner



Thursday, February 23, 2012

Thinking about Friends

This morning I've got so many thoughts running through my mind and heart but top of the list is true friendship. Proverbs 17:17 says "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." "Loves at all times" what does that mean? That they are always "warm and fuzzy" telling you how wonderful you are? Not really, in fact the people in my life that tend to always say what I want to hear are usually the same ones that are talking behind my back. True friends "have your back." They tell you the truth because they love you.  I've read one definition of love as "seeing the need in your friend and meeting that need". The true need - not all there wishes. For most of us one of our biggest needs is the ability to be ourselves without worry of judgement. True friends can disagree and still totally love one another. In fact, if you totally agree on everything why do you need each other?

We had the opportunity to do some traveling over the past week. Some old friends allowed us to stay with them for a few nights. I LOVED it. We were able to have great visits over breakfast in our robes. Of course we just got caught up on family but we also asked each other about life lessons, exchanged book titles and prayer requests. I have no qualms that anything I said will be the "talk of the town". My friend will keep our conversations confidential. They are still our friends even though they have seen our "warts". While we have similar approaches and goals for doing life we encourage each other to do it our own way. We don't expect each other to think exactly like us.  I learn so much every time we are together.

What is your idea of true friendship? Who comes to mind in your life? Without names why don't you share the characteristics of that true friend(s) in your life in the comment section. Let's learn what being a true friend is together.

For more thoughts on true friendship visit my friend Cindy. http://cindybultema.blogspot.com/
She and her high school senior hockey player son have been learning about friends.

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