Welcome to my New Blog

Well..... It's time to launch out on my own and try this solo. I really enjoy exchanging conversation with my friends and making new friends. This is a great way for busy people to stay connected with others.

Today, I would like to talk about friends. I take my friendships seriously. My friends mean allot to me and I put much time effort and resources into them, including a small piece of my heart. Each of my friends has a special place in my heart. When I lose a friend, it hurts. I don't like getting hurt. It is not a nice feeling, so I try to avoid it like the plague. Sometimes, that is not in our control and it just happens. It is sad when it does.

There are different levels of friendship, just as there are different types of love. My closest friend is Jesus. He is closer than a brother. He is a constant presence. He will never leave me or forsake me. I believe that. My next closest friend is my wife Ruth. We share everything, except for those things that have been entrusted to us by others to keep in confidance to ourselves. We respect each others boundaries. She will always be my best supporter and me hers. As we say to each other " I've got your back babe".
Then I have different circles of friends that I have relationship with and within those circles are people at different levels of intimacy. I have a circle of friends in my biological family, church, and at work. Strangely enough I feel the closest to my church friends which I consider my extended family. We even refer to each other as " brother and sister" on occasion. That to me is more than just a name. We have that spiritual connection to Christ and the love I feel for my brothers and sisters is real and heartfelt. Just like my real sisters, although we share a heritage and an experience that is special and unique. There are times when blood is thicker than water. There is some truth to that. Jesus said in Mathew 10:37, " Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me". My dad also goes to my church so he has a double dose of friendship.

I think a friendship has to be a two way relationship that involves effort by both parties and a give and take on both parts. Just like a marriage, it takes work to keep it alive. If only one person is doing all the giving and nothing is coming back emotionally or otherwise, then that is not a friendship in my opinion. It may be a ministry, it may be calling, it may be a human vacuum, or just a big pain in the butt, but it is not a friendship. In any relationship there is an element if risk, because you are making yourself vulnerable to another person to some degree. I guess our level of basic trust determines how far and how quickly this process goes. I'm willing to take the risk, because the benefits far outweigh the risk to me. Friends make our life richer and much easier and much more enjoyable to share life rather than try to go it alone. No matter what happens or how badly others hurt me, I'll always have Jesus my friend who loves me..... and Ruth and they've " got my back".

So.. I'm looking for friends to talk to, current ones, old ones and I want to make some new ones!
Come, let us reason together says the Lord.
John 15:13, " Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
I want to do that for you! How about you?
I would just ask one thing, if you are going to leave our friendship, please say goodbye before you go so we can bless each other and let me share a lesson I learned recently; watch your words! IT may be the last ones you say to a person. Make sure they are words of encouragement and blessing or you may have some regrets!
Have a great week my friends and be blessed!