Sunday, March 8, 2015

Day 12: friends

"A friend loveth at all times" Proverbs 17:17a

Today I am thankful for friends. I used to always want a Best Friend. I've never really had that One Friend. But sometimes I look up and realize...that I have many friends. I may not have the Friend with whom I do everything...but I have more than just one friend. Sometimes, I get so caught up in the quest for the Friend, or even in despair at the non-existence of the Friend, that I miss the ones who really care. 

Friendships are funny things. They come in different shapes. My working definition of friendship (which is kind of an amalgamation--I don't remember the names of the authors whose works I got these ideas from) is "a commitment to hoping and working for the good of another person, even if it comes at a cost to yourself." Strangely, or perhaps not so strangely, this is also my working definition of loveSo although one friendship may look different from another, there are some similarities. 

So what is a friend? 
A friend is someone you hang out with...
Someone you can laugh with (not at, unless they are laughing too, which qualifies as with)...
Someone you can be goofy around...
Someone who doesn't think you are weird (or if they do, they appreciate it)...
On a more serious note:
A friend is someone who doesn't mind talking about important things...
Someone who tries to build you up (even if they have to say things you may not want to hear in order to do it)...
Someone who held you grow closer to the LORD...
Someone who gives advice out of the Bible (sometimes when you don't ask for it)

And so today I am thankful for you, friends. Each and every one of you. 

What does friendship mean to you? 
What about being a friend? 
What are you thankful for today?

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