Friendship

There's something special to be said for friendship.
I just got off the telephone with my dear friend from Memphis, TN. She has been such a special friend; a pure blessing in my life. We have such a "hoot" when we are together or just talking on the phone. We started a tradition quite a few years ago of calling one another on Christmas day and we have tried to keep in touch but life gets a little hectic and we sometimes get side tracked.
We met in 1990 when her and her parents were visiting PEI. They would come eat at the restaurant where I worked and one day I took her out for subs at subway then to the Yuk, Yuk comedians. (appropriately named YUK!) I was not saved but felt there was something different about her, she seemed so... Christian like. In 1991, she was married and asked me to be in her wedding. I went to Memphis for 8 days and enjoyed every minute of it. When I was saved in 1994, I called her up in my excitement to tell her I got saved thinking maybe this is why she seemed different, maybe she was saved too but, she wasn't too sure what to make of it because she wasn't. A few years later she called me to tell me she was saved!
Today, as we talked on the phone, we talked about how good God is, His protection on our life, His guidance, the impact He is having on our children's life etc. True friends.
I am so blessed to have her and the kind of friendship we have but I must say, I am truly blessed because she is not the only friendship God has enriched my life with.
On Monday, we went to my step mother in law's funeral. I miss her but I was not close enough to her to be devastated about it yet, when my son noticed my friend coming down the stairs of the church to join us for the meal after the funeral, I went to meet her and I began to cry. My heart was so blessed to see her. She has a busy life and many children to care for but my husband and I (and children) are important enough to her to make the time to come to a French funeral. (She's an Anglophone) We had other friends who came and that meant a lot too.
Another time, was when the "Rochester group" came in 2006 to help us pass door hangers on every house in Moncton. I was born and raised in Moncton. I could consider Moncton "my people" and that's why, to have a group of people who sacrificed their vacation time, pay, time with family even jobs to come witness and reach out to "my people" greatly touched me. I remember spending a week with them in the morning in VBS, then in the afternoon passing door hangers, watching them witness to anyone and everyone. The following Sunday was the last Sunday for most of them as a second group came for the next week. I sat in my seat crying like a baby. My husband had to get me Kleenex because I was crying so much. My heart was truly blessed with the godly love received by them. I remember as Bro. Gary introduced them one by one, I looked at each and one in particular saw me crying and he had a puzzled look on his face. I chuckle when I think of how crazy I must of seem but my heart was so overwhelmed by the love God transferred to me through them I could not hold it in.
There's something to be said about friendship but there is something sweet about close Christian friends. It's a friendship that has no end, no geographical boundaries, no reservations, no hesitance and only has love, acceptance, compassion, truth and sincerity.
I thank God for allowing me to be the recipient of true Christian friendships who bless and enrich my life. I do not deserve them but I greatly cherish them.