FRIENDS.....

 It says, "Walk by faith, not by sight."

My thoughts are full this week with the word.... FRIEND.  I looked for a special scripture to go along with this post ..... and found some profound thoughts on friends in Proverbs and Job! Some were possibly a little confusing and slightly humorous ..... but I finally chose two because of what is on my heart about friends.  One, I thought a little funny...."A man with too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."... Proverbs 18:24 and the other is John 15:13.14 ...."Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you."  I don't know......,  there were many thoughts .... but one thing for sure, it is important to have a friend or two or three, especially a friend who sticks with you through thick and thin and one who cries with you and their heart may groan for you ..... knowing the circumstances of your pain ..... or sin that you are in.  I had a precious little friend come this last week to seek my time to help her think about her loved friend/sis .... and we ended up in long prayer for her friend who could be destroying her young life with wrong choices.  Her heart was heavy with sadness and you could feel it.  It was a priviledge to have those hours with her.  She is a real friend, appreciated or not ....taking a chance to try and do something to save her friend, even if it makes her friend mad ..... so instead she opted to come over and us just pray and pray .... asking God to take the reins and bring LIGHT into the situation.  And by her side was her young husband quietly supporting her ..... as their children played around us.  It was so dear ..... and for some reason it made me miss my Mother..... and my daughter.  I am posting some of the latest art ..... done lately,  a few with "FRIENDS" in mind ..... I hope you enjoy them!!  Sometimes friends come in a lifetime from the most unexpected places ....  I have two internet blogging friends that I cherish and we pour out to one another over the internet ....they both say it is healing to have someone to share with.  I have noticed that some people on face book have over a thousand friends.... I wonder about that and if they may indeed be lonely.   I understand when you have a business or large workplace you may indeed have that many friends!!  It is great!  But I see teens who seem to be desperately adding to their numbers ...friends.... who they don't even know!  Are we ignoring them too much?  Do they have someone who they trust that they can pour out to?  Do I?  Do you?  I know there is one friend you can trust that you can count on everyday, and of course He is not on the internet, or face book, or You tube, or blogging...... but HE is in tune to YOU if you ask Him..... talk to Him and see if He doesn't stir His love up in you..... He will, if you want.  And He will stir in us ... for you too .... and we will pray for those He puts in our hearts.  What a friend He is!!   I don't know if I am a good friend .... but I DO KNOW that God has put special people in my life that have become real friends ..... I just hope I can or have been the same for others ..... as I am not extremely social. AT THIS POINT ... I usually read this to Dick who is honest with me about it's content ...... and so.... We are sitting here, my hubby (and my friend!) and I discussing .... how many friends I have!!!  And he asked, "What do you consider a good friend?"   "Unconditional love .... I like it, but do I give it?"