Spiritual Thoughts

  Friday Tale ~ Emergency Friendship System Test A Friend.... (A)ccepts you as you are (B)elieves in "you" (C)alls you just to say "HI" (D)oesn't give up ! ! on you (E)nvisions the whole of you (even the unfinished parts) (F)orgives your mistakes (G)ives unconditionally H)elps you (I)nvites you over (J)ust "be" with you (K)eeps you close at heart (L)oves you for who you are (M)akes a difference in your life (N)ever Judges to condemn (O)ffer support (P)icks you up (Q)uiets your fears (R)aises your spirits (S)ays nice things about you (T)ells you the truth when you need to hear it (U)nderstands you (V)alues you (W)alks beside you (X)-plains thing you don't understand (Y)ells when you won't listen and (Z)aps you back to reality. ~ Unknown  G reater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.  ~ John 15:13

  E veryone has a gift for something, especially if it is the gift of being a good friend. ~ Marian Anderson A  friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. ~ Proverbs 17:17; John 15:13

  Friday Tale ~ Matthew 5:44 in Action J ack tossed the papers on my desk -- his eyebrows knit into a straight line as he glared at me. "What's wrong?" I asked.   He jabbed a finger at the proposal. "Next time you want to change anything, ask me first," he said, turning on his heels and leaving me stewing in anger. How dare he treat me like that, I thought. I had changed one long sentence, and corrected grammar -- something I thought I was paid to do.   It's not that I hadn't been warned. The other women, who had served in my place before me, called him names I couldn't repeat. One co-worker took me aside the first day. "He's personally responsible for two different secretaries leaving the firm," she whispered.   As the weeks went by, I grew to despise Jack. It was against everything I believed in -- turn the other cheek and love your enemies. But Jack quickly slapped a verbal insult on any cheek turned his way. I prayed about it, but t...

  P lant a seed of friendship; reap a bouquet of happiness. ~ Lois L. Kaufman A  friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity. The sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel. ~ Proverbs 17:17 and 27:9

Friday Tale - Say Something Nice   One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name.    Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down.    It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers.    That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about that individual.    On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. "Really?" she heard whispered. "I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!" and, "I didn't k...

  "F riendship," said Christopher Robin, "is a very comforting thing to have." ~ A. A. Milne   A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. ~ Proverbs 17:17

  I n the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things, the heart finds its morning and is refreshed. ~ Khalil Gibran   A friend loves at all times. ~ Proverbs 17:17

  P rotect your spirit from  contamination.  Limit your time  with negative people. ~ Thelma Davis   D o not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts g ood morals." ~ 1 Corinthians 15:33

F riendship is precious, not only in the shade, BUT in the sunshine of life. ~ Thomas Jefferson D ear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. ~ 3 John 1:2

  A true friend is the greatest  of all blessings. ~ Francois de la Roucefoucald   G reater love has no one that this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. ~ John 15:13-14

  Friday Tale - Almost Deleted   N ot too long ago my husband and one of his best friends had an argument. After telling me what had happened, my husband told me to delete his friend's name from the cell phone speed dial.   I hesitated and told him he was just angry and not to act too quickly. He insisted he would attempt to do it himself if I didn't, so I did. That is when I had my “moment”.   I told him, “It's easy to delete his name from the phone, but be careful about deleting him from your life. Friends are blessings from God and even though sometimes they disappoint us, we should realize they are just human.”   From nowhere I said, “What if God deleted our names from the Book of Life every time we let Him down? I wouldn't have a chance because I know I fail to live up to His expectations every day.”   Nothing else was said but I thought about it for a very long time. We so often let anger cause us to banish peo...

A true friend is the greatest of all blessings. ~ Francois De La Rochefoucauld F aithful are the wounds of a friend.  ~ Proverbs 27:6

B e grateful for the doors of opportunity -     and for friends who oil the hinges.  -Dayspring Devotions So then, as we have opportunity,   let us do good to everyone, and especially    to those who are of the household of faith. -Galatians 6:10