The Joy of Friends

As some of you know, Beckie and I left town for a few days this week to visit with friends in the northwest – Oregon, specifically. We lived in Salem, Oregon for about 3 years while I worked for a Christian drama company. I was the writer. While we were there, we discovered a church just a few blocks away. We were welcomed there in a way that made us feel appreciated, without making us feel like someone was trying to desperately “shoehorn” us into the place. It was just a friendly greeting that gave us directions that met our needs for a nursery, the worship service, and an adult education class. We went to a class that was for people our age and life situation… something a lot of churches used to have. In that class, we made friends with whom we have shared life experiences, even when we moved away, We have stayed in touch and we came here to create new experiences. Since we were here, I also contacted other friends from when we lived there (some 40 years ago). We picked up right where we left off. We went by to visit, had great conversations, and left with plans to better stay in touch. Maintaining friendships has always been a priority for me. Good friendships are a taste of eternity. They help us to recognize the presence of God, the power of God, and the impending fulfillment of the promise of God. They teach us, inherently, that life will continue. Some people are wary of making friendships when they feel that time is limited. But when we experience friendship as a window into eternity, the brevity of time is not a factor. Investment in learning another person is worth every minute. Living in touch and with each other now is the beginning of a joy that will last forever. Blessings, Geoff