FAMILY & FRIENDS: Cherished Friends

A man of too many friends comes to ruin,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

Today our family is spending the day at the beach with long-term friends whom we have known prior to our marriage and whose children have grown up with ours from babyhood. We've spent vacations together and although we live in different states, we try to keep in touch via phone, email, Facebook...whatever means we can. There's something about picking up where you left off that is so comforting and warm. I don't know that the saying "distance makes the hearts grow fonder" is necessarily true but long-term memories certainly make dear ones even dearer. Our conversations always move inwards and are rarely superficial, even among the children. Someone gave me a card once that I have always remembered: The very name of a friend can warm the heart, as mine is warmed when I hear yours. I don't know who said that but I have those deep feelings about several special people who have blessed my life. I hope that you have someone in yours that "sticks closer than a brother". To have even a handful of them is one of God's greatest gifts to us.