"Show-Me Friendly"

Trish is from Missouri (the "show-me" state) and I am from Texas (the "friendly" state). We have been friends for 12+ years. We met while working together at Kanakuk in the mid-90's and our friendship has weathered distance, missed meetings, misunderstandings, and just the changes in life. We see each other a couple of times a year, but I think we both know that if the other "whistled" we would each "come running" to help however we can.

These pictures are from her last visit to Waco...we were eating at McAlister's. As we walked in, she turned to me and said, "this place reminds me of EJ" who is a much loved mutual friend of ours. The strong pull of relational connections is both evident and Biblical. God did not create us to walk this journey alone. He created friends to share the joys and triumphs, to share memorable moments and funny times. There is the verse in Eccl. that states that "two are better than one for if one falls the other is there to help him up; and a cord of three strands is not quickly broken." There is also the beautiful picture of friendship between Jonathan and David in 1 Samuel.

Friends: what are your thoughts on friends? Do you have enough? Are they in there for the long haul or just come running in times of crisis? Do they lift you up or drag you down? Do they get in your face and have your back all at the same time? What kind of friends do you have?

We can learn alot about friendship from our dogs...
who are appropriately dubbed
"man's best friend."

Yes, Brady sleeps in funny positions. She has to stay out in the cold or heat all day long (doing her own thing) while I am at work...but every day - every single day...when I come home from work, I give a whistle and she comes running. She is happy to see me every time - without exception. We take walks together, we go swimming together, we nap and eat - she even watches TV with me. She is loving and protective. She is affectionate and always wants to be close. Dogs are great examples of a friend...they forgive and forget and act as if the injustices or misunderstandings never happened. Not one time has Brady ever brought back up some time that I forgot to feed her or that I didn't go for a walk with her. How I would like to be like her...except of course in the all-exposed sleeping position.