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Friends...how many of us have them

The meaning of friend is a person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause; one who supports, sympathizes with, and is trustworthy. 

Over the past few weeks I have really been thinking about my friendships and the types of friends that I have now and the type of friend that I am to others. After mom passed I am literally the only person living in the Washington D.C. area.  I have no family other than my husband and children.  So over the years I've created a small network of friends who I now call my family.  But this extremely exclusive network has come with a cost. 

When I think back to my college years there were so many friendships that I didn't nurture.  Instead I got lazy and I didn't put the time and effort into them.  And now I hardly talk to many people who once had been very close and dear to me.  In the past I would use the excuse that I had Maya as a way to make myself feel better but I think that I just got lazy.  In any relationship you have to put in the work or it will die.  When people invite you to things and you can always find a reason why you can't make it then eventually they will stop inviting you, and then they will stop calling you and then you will be nothing but a memory of the past. 

A memory of the past...I'm still here.  I no longer want to be a memory of the past.  I refuse to neglect any more of my friendships ever again.  The people that I have around me now or far too valuable in my life and in my growth process to loose, so today I promise to be a better friend, a trustworthy supporter of those I claim to care about and love. 

Even deeper is the thought that what if Jesus was the type of friend to me as I've been to some of you? Wow! I couldn't imagine.  What if when I called He didn't answer, or He never responded to my text?  What would my life be like if He never had time to visit me or listen to me when I'm in need? I am so thankful that He is never left me and is always there for me.  What a friend we all have in Jesus.  I am not claiming that I'm going to be as good a friend as He, but I am going to strive to be better than I've ever been before. Thank you Lord for always being my friend from 1981 until now! 

Take this moment to think about what kind of friend are you?

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