Friendship

Lately I've been thinking a lot about this business of friendship.  I love how God brings friends to us just when we need them the most. Sometimes we remain friends forever, and other times the friendship is just for a season. But what qualities should we look for in a friend?

Often we put too much pressure on our friends, which is so unfair and can leave us feeling disappointed. So how do we avoid being disappointed in our friends? I think the answer is to keep God at the center of every friendship. Everyone knows what a friend is, but maybe we should talk about what a friend is not.

1. A friend is not someone who is always there for you. I mean think about it. I don't know about you, but I am a needy girl. It's not fair for me to expect my friends to always be there. Always is a very big word. The only person I know who is ALWAYS there for us is God.

2. A friend is not someone who always supports what we do. We're all human,  and sometimes we really mess things up.  I would much rather have a truthful friend, who calls me out when I'm wrong, than one who is always justifying my actions.  I want a friend who holds me accountable and pushes me to be more like Jesus.

3. A friend is not someone who always says, "Everything is going to be fine."  Life is hard, and it brings all kinds of struggles. Some situations are just not "fine." A true friend directs our attention back to God, encouraging us to lean on Him instead of getting through struggles leaning solely on our friends.

So as you travel this path of life, be sure to thank God for the friends He has placed in your life. But also remember to put your hope in God, not in your friends.   Isaiah 40:31 says, "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Fa-la-la Choir Crashers

First thing this morning,  while running around Christmas shopping,  we saw some Christmas carolers outside of a busy shopping center.  As we dashed in and out of stores, we kept commenting on how fun it was for them to be spreading Christmas cheer!

As we prepared to move on, I had the sudden urge to join the carolers.  Kathryn,  however, was not quite as eager. I think her words went something like this. "Mom, you cannot just join a choir of random strangers and start singing with them. Who does that?" After 16 years of living with me,  she's gotten pretty used to my shenanigans.  So after some major convincing, we finally got out of the car, joined the choir, and started singing.  Everyone was very welcoming,  and the choir director's face was priceless when he discovered the newbies singing Silent Night with his regulars!

I don't know if we spread Christmas cheer to anyone else, but we sure did have an amazing time. It was a fun adventure, and I'll always be thankful we took a risk and joined the choir, even if it was only for one song. 

Here's the lesson I learned today.  Life is an adventure, so don't drive away! Be crazy and join a choir. Who knows, maybe they were a choir of angels. Merry Christmas,  everyone!