Good News and Friendship that Last a Lifetime
It is always a relief to get good news. This Wednesday Deb and I walked into the surgeon’s office 22 months after she found lung cancer and removed the upper right lobe of my lung. Thankfully she told us today there are no signs of cancer at this time. Unfortunately because of my sarcoidosis, which is the other condition that causes cysts to form in my lungs and lymph system, they can’t say with certainty what is going on. I again get the privilege of living month by month with no assurance of my long-term health. But I’m reminded that is the way I’m supposed to live anyhow because none of us knows when the Lord may call us home.
When I was younger I never thought about life being uncertain or brief. Even as a pastor who visited people in the hospital on a regular basis and conducted funerals the end of my life was something far off in the distant future. I had survived a near fatal auto accident when I was young plus several near fatal rock climbing incidents and I had a sense of invincibility. I was athletic, and full of energy and optimism. I hope I used that time and those blessings wisely because I now know they don’t last forever. Throughout my years I built a number of close friendships that have stood the test of time. I have found those friendships to be more and more precious to me.
With the blessing of growing older I have a better appreciation of life’s uncertainty and how right God was when he said our lives are like a mist or a fog that is here today and gone tomorrow. Both my parents have died, as have some of my best friends. As the TV commercial says, life comes at you fast. I’m glad I have good friends that I built great relationships with when times were good so we can walk together through the difficult times when they come; and they will.
Periodically I call or write these friends just to touch base. Christmas is often a time we get caught up with many life long friends through emails or Christmas letters. While we usually start with some interesting recent events we quickly move to what matters most to us; our families, including our children and now grandchildren, our faith, and our friendship. These friendships are a constant source of joy and blessing to me. These friends and my precious church family were the ones who rallied around me when I went through my health crisis.
For those of us who like to move at the speed of light and rush through our days my encouragement is to slow down enough to nurture those long-term friendships, for one day that opportunity will be gone. Reconnect with some old friends and let them know their friendship matters to you. “A real friend sticks closer than a brother “ (Proverbs 18:24).
If you think about it I bet you can come up with a list of names of friends that would love to reconnect with you through phone, email, or even Skype. As the old saying goes, the measure of one’s life is not found in one’s wealth, but in your relationships with friends, family, and God. Use this Christmas to invest in something far greater than gold; invest in precious friends and be a blessing to someone. One day, it may be too late and you will regret the lost opportunity.
