Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow.Don't walk behind me, I may not lead.
Just walk beside me and be my friend.-- Albert Camus
In the busyness of life--at least in my experience--it is easy for days to turn into weeks that turn into months VERY quickly. Of course, true friends are "friends forever" as Michael W. Smith sang so winsomely. But more surely than the fact that blog contacts require maintenance, one's face-to-face friendships need tending!
It takes time to be a friend. It takes planning, deliberate action, thoughtful gestures, and a willingness to nurture and be nurtured by others.
Yesterday we shared a drive, a meal, conversation and a short hike with another couple whose friendship we value. Last night I sat around the kitchen table with five women friends to pray and fellowship around the Word. Tomorrow morning I am meeting two of my blog friends for breakfast. Tomorrow afternoon I will chat in depth with a friend who has been on the go. We've not had a serious conversation for a long while!
I need my face-to-face friends. I don't want to get too busy or too lazy to keep my friendships friendly!
It takes time to be a friend. It takes planning, deliberate action, thoughtful gestures, and a willingness to nurture and be nurtured by others.
Yesterday we shared a drive, a meal, conversation and a short hike with another couple whose friendship we value. Last night I sat around the kitchen table with five women friends to pray and fellowship around the Word. Tomorrow morning I am meeting two of my blog friends for breakfast. Tomorrow afternoon I will chat in depth with a friend who has been on the go. We've not had a serious conversation for a long while!
I need my face-to-face friends. I don't want to get too busy or too lazy to keep my friendships friendly!
Ecclesiastes 4
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
10 If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
10 If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
Oh Rebecca, what poignant post! Thank you for sharing it with me (all of us) ;)
ReplyDeleteblessings dear friend,
lady m
Dear Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteWhat truth in those words. There is nothing for me to add. What a blessing to spend this weekend surrounded by friends, giving and receiving. May the Lord bless your time together that He may be glorified, and may each one of you walk away refreshed, encouraged and blessed.
Grace and peace unto you,
Mrs. Teapot
So very true, Rebecca! It's hard sometimes, between blog friendships, face-to-face friendships, email pals, pen-pals, and family relationships, you sometimes do have to spread yourself thin!
ReplyDeleteI cherish all my relationships and hope everyone knows that.
And thank you for being such a good friend to me!
So true.
ReplyDeleteSome friends need more tending than others also...I have a group of friends from grade school(that would be in the mid 50's)...8-12 of us get together once a month for a 3 hour breakfast at a local diner...It is a wonderful sharing experience...
ReplyDeleteTrue friendships are of great value. See you at breakfast!
ReplyDeleteThanks to all who befriend me in commenting! Wanda, I wondered when someone would raise the point that some friends need more tending than others....This came up in our Bible study just last week. I need to think this over a little more...Is this truly friendship? To HAVE to? Clearly friendships can wither for lack of input, but to STRAIN to be a friend doesn't seem right somehow.....
ReplyDeleteI really like this post and what you've shared! You are abundantly blessed in friendship!
ReplyDeleteI appreciated your comment on "friendships that need more tending". I have a friendship like this ~ and while I love this dear woman, I consider it more of ministry time to her than friendship time with her. Friendships should go both ways; blessing each other's lives - not a one way street. Now that doesn't mean that there won't be times when I need to give more - sickness, sadness, etc ~ but, in general, I agree that wouldn't should HAVE to or STRAIN to be a friend. Good word.
Hi Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteI didn't fall off the face of the earth friend but I did have to give the computer up for awhile to get to the business at hand. "Blessing my son and his new wife!!!!" Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions last month and you are so right, friendships require time and effort just hoping we can continue to be blogging buds.xoxoxoxo Meg