Friends

One of the great blessings of itinerant ministry is the diverse group of wonderful friends scattered across the world.  While these friends are not seen every week, or even every year, the bond of friendship is strong.  After a long absence, we can pick up like we had just been together the previous day!  It is our great pleasure to be holding a meeting this week at our home church with evangelist Dwight and Amber Smith.  Both Paul and Dwight are preaching in the evenings, and our families are providing special music.  Amber, bless her heart, is doing children’s meetings.  We had a wonderful start to our meeting on Sunday.  One girl was saved in the morning service, and in the evening service, a family that Paul and I had met on visitation came at our invitation!


Over the years, since we first became friends, a lot of changes have come.  When we first met, we were all single college students.  Now we are married, and each have four children.  Our children also enjoy renewing their acquaintances with each other.  On Sunday afternoon, the pastor and his wife, who also have four boys, took all of us out to lunch.  It was crazy!  We had six adults and twelve kids among us!  Ten of those children were boys – my girls being the roses among all those thorns! :)  I take perverse pleasure in all the raised eyebrows and scared looks of  the waitresses when we make our entrance.  I am happy to say, that for the most part, the children are all well-behaved, and the wait staff breathes a sigh of relief when they realize that.  I am so glad that my children have the opportunity to make nice friends at a young age.  I hope that these friendships will stay strong and centered on the path of God’s will.