good friends

We spent the evening with some new friends. They are the pastors of the Foursquare Church in Columbus, NE. We met them a few weeks ago at a pastors’ meeting here in Lincoln. We got along well together almost immediately. They are Nebraskans by birth and all and are acquainted with the church here and its history.

They are also quite nice people who also seem to like us. She even commented favorably on my blog, which stands her in high stead amongst the angels.

They came early and brought us some furniture we needed. Not only nice people, but bearing gifts, one of which is a very comfortable recliner for Ella. She needed it as she gets so tired during the day. One of the side effects of her MS is the fatigue that overcomes her at times. The recliner will be great for her.

As we talked, we discussed just about everything, from faith to God’s blessings to our children to coffee (always one of my favorites). An almost instant rapport.

I had the opportunity and privilege of fixing supper. Chicken, pork and sausage in a Cajun cream sauce over brown rice. We had a roast beef and pepper jack cheese antipasto plate to start with and ice cream and Texas Ranger bars for dessert. All in all, a good dinner.

We talked, all total, for over six hours. Straight. It amazes me that we could have that much conversation to engage in with people who were total strangers less than a month ago.

But it was great. And I am glad we got to meet them and talk to them. I look forward to the next time. It isn’t often you find people you get along with that easily. Especially those who have such encouragement in what they say.

God bless the Holts. May he pour out his blessings on them and their children and their church.

daily java

Daily Java: If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it;
if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him.
But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend,
with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God.
(Psalm 55:12-14)

There is a real pain in the betrayal of a friend.

You have hung around together, ate together, associated as only friends do. And then he turns on you for some reason.

It may be something said that comes between  you, it may be that he wasn’t that good a friend in the first place, or he finds a better friendship, or something.

Sometimes it is just because he is not the person you thought he was, and the friendship was really only one-sided and you didn’t  know it.

Whatever it is, it hurts.

There have been several times in my life that this has happened. And each time leaves a scar. It also leaves a reluctance to get involved with people, because you just don’t know who will do it again.

In one case, I remember Ella and me confiding in a new friend that sometimes we don’t know who to be friends with because of this, and a month later, he had turned on us for some reason.

Maybe it is me. I don’t know. But it seems that people come out of the woodwork to be friends and then do something horrendous to our family.

It could be that I am an idiot. The idea has crossed my mind.

It also breeds an anger that can go deep if you let it.

I do not know why this is, why friends will betray – but it is true.

And it is surely sad. Makes you want to not have friends.