Sundays sermon was about Friendship. Preacher asked if we had alot of friends or a few. Overall , it was about how in order to have friends we need to be friends.Don't look FOR friends but look to BE a friend and you will have lots of good friends without looking for them.. He gave 4 features of friendship--- 1.Availability, 2.Dependability, 3.Vulnerablility, 4.Responsibility. He also said there are 3 leves of friendship, the ABC's of Friendship. A-Acquaintance, B-Brotherly, C-Close. Here are his 8 ways to enter the level C of relationships--- 1.Be real, 2.Be realistic, 3.Be affirmative, 4.Be available, 5.Be balanced, 6. Be growing, 7.Be greatful, and 8. Be a friend of Gods. He closed with this. "there is tremendous relief in knowing that His love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now can disillusion Him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself,and quench His determination to bless me. There is , certainly, great cause for humility in the thought that He sees all the twisted things about me that my fellow men do not see... and that He sees more corruption in me than that which I see in myself...he wants me as His friend, and desires to be my friend, and had given His Son to die for me in order to realize this purpose."-(J.I.Packer--"Knowing God"). So my thought for the day is --Are you a friend??God Bless

-- Micheale from SE Kansas (mbfrye@totelcsi.net), April 15, 2002

Answers

I have three friends. Jesus. Heather. Johnny. I also have acquaintances. I can always rely on my friends. My acquaintence are people I have things in common with but are not always reliable. I always try to give my best to my friends.

-- Melinda (speciallady104@hotmail.com), April 15, 2002.

I am kinda a private person at home, I have one very dear friend down the road, same age, and same interest. We walk together, and I would never in a million years ever say or do something to hurt her. But I got another neighbor that will have nothing to do with anybody. It is very disconcerning. I wave and she does not wave back. Been here for 15 years and I think we have said maybe 10 words to each other. I like my space. So don"t really reach out for a lot of friends, I like to paint, and read and garden, I was a only child and I quess that has something to do with it. And also most work outside of the home so there's not much time to get aquanted.

-- Irene texas (tkorsborn@cs.com), April 15, 2002.

Friend help you move. Real friend help you move bodies!!!!

-- Gary in Ohio (gws@columbus.rr.com), April 15, 2002.

I haven't made many acquanitances here local since I moved out here. Got to the point where it took more away from my life than gave to me to be involved with a bunch of people. I've just mostly kept to my kids and a select few out here.

I have about half a dozen friends I've known since I was a kid in school, we stay in touch alot, always have no matter where we're at. They're scattered all over the US now. Sometimes we go a few years without seeing each other in person but we all know we can count on each other, even if it's a phone call at 3am. 2 of them are long haul truck drivers so they get to do lots of visiting and catch me up on everything when they stop by. I value my friendships alot since it's the closest thing to family I have. I'd go out of my way to the utmost degree if they needed. I think that's the main thing that makes a person a true friend.

-- Dave (multiplierx9@hotmail.com), April 15, 2002.

Gary-What kind of bodies? Ooohhh this sound ominous.......

-- Kelly (homearts2002@yahoo.com), April 16, 2002.