THE VALUE OF FRIENDS

THE VALUE OF FRIENDS

This weekend I have overwhelming gratitude for my friends. Several times I have literally stopped what I was doing and offered thanks to the Father for giving me people to walk beside me on my journey! No matter what degree of suffering, I can always count on friends to come alongside me!  And that is PRICELESS!

Michael and I have been going through a tough “season” this summer. He rarely ever gets sick, has had only one minor outpatient (knee) surgery in his life, and has never spent one night in a hospital.  So having a back injury that he cannot just “bounce back” from has left him debilitated and confused. It is going on 4 months now since he fell and we have been to many doctors and had many tests run. We are possibly now honing in on something that can be fixed surgically and hoping with that and a few weeks of therapy, he can be back in the greenhouse and in the military park giving tours as he loves to do.

I have been right by his side as nurse and cheerleader, and have been picking up the slack with the pool upkeep, and watering flowers in the Mississippi heat, along with my housework and duties.  At the risk of sounding whiny, I have gotten tired a time or two (my fibromyalgia only lets me go so far without a time-out). The stress of not knowing Michael’s prognosis (in fact, we haven’t really gotten a definite diagnosis of what is causing him so much pain) causes us both to be so exhausted physically and mentally at the end of the day. 

But then friends step in...

In the past few weeks, we have both gotten so many calls, texts and messages from caring friends and I’m just overwhelmed by all the love we have both received.  I have one friend who showed up at the diagnostic clinic at “just the right time.”  Last week, Michael was having a little panic attack in the MRI machine (this was MRI #4 in a week’s time), and had to take a rest period.  As we sat in the waiting room taking deep breaths and wanting this all to be over already, an angel in white (she was wearing a cute summer white outfit) walked in the door. Our precious friend was “in the area” and thought she would drop by. She will never know how much we needed the strength of her hugs and encouragement that day.

Another friend brought us food this weekend – home-cooked and delicious food. Yes, I can cook; I love to cook. But she has sensed my exhaustion in the past few days and knew I could use a break… So thoughtful! She also brought us the book “Streams in the Desert,” and even the first page I read today was encouraging – about the rains that fall on us bring us beauty in the flowers and rainbows that appear after the rains have passed. 

My sisters, my friends, have been with me every day for support, a shoulder to cry on, and "shopping therapy." They are my constant prayer partners. Don’t know what I would do without my fantastic sisters.

Another echo of God’s love was shown by a dear friend bringing me a writing about girlfriends and how we need true-blue girlfriends to bless our lives. Those that share your joys AND your sorrows.  That listen and give Godly advice.  And pray with you. 

As we all go through our own stuff – illnesses, deaths of loved ones, crises and struggles, may we always be aware of the people around us that God has placed in our lives to show us His love. It is so easy to get bogged down in the sorrow and pain of our night season that we don’t see the bright stars shining around us.

Fred Rogers said that his mother told him, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping."

I’m just so thankful today…

Rebecca (Becki) Logue

Author, Writer, Blogger

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