When I was a kid in Girl Scouts we used to sing a song that went something like this: “Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.”
I liked that song, sang it often because the tune was easy for me to carry. But it’s only as I get older that I really appreciate how true the line is and how special beyond explanation are good friends.
Old or new, good friends should be cherished and appreciated. I recently regained touch with an old friend, a girl I grew up with, she lived down the street and we became fast friends in the third grade. Now in our fifties, and living in separate parts of the state, we got back in touch after our fathers died two weeks apart. It was as if the years and the distance disappeared. We remembered the old days, we remembered our dads and we cried and laughed together.
Now, way too soon after burying my dad, I’m taking care of my mom as cancer dictates her end. Friends from church, some new, some old, have been a support I couldn’t do with out. One very special friend has come to stay with us from time to time, she rubs my mother’s feet and takes care of the flowers and is often just there when there in nothing to do and no words are appropriate.
I could go on an on because the Lord has blessed me with many good and dear friends, people who hug, pray, and are just there when there is a need. Every good and perfect gift is from the Father above and I thank Him for my good and perfect friends.
Now, when I sing “Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold,” It’s not just because I like the tune it’s because I know from the bottom of my heart how true the words are and how very, very precious are each and everyone of my friends.
Janice, I’m so sorry about your mom and her cancer. God is so gracious to us and sends us the perfect people in our time of need. Thanking Him today for His provision of friendship!
I love that song, too,Janice…
I’m so sorry to hear your mother has cancer. Whatever the disease the uncertainty and fear is always there. I pray that God will remove any and all of those things from your life and replace them with hope and peace and laughter. The bible tells us that laughter is like a medicine and laughter can become contagious. The bible tells us that God sent his word to heal us. Imagine if everyone really understood that scripture honey and recieve it. Just mediate on it repeating over and over in your mind over again. We would have no more sickness. It took me almost 25 years to understand that Scripture and a man by the name of Kenneth E. Hagen came along on the radio and I stayed listening to him and he is still on on some stations and anyway my husband got his tapes all on faith and I will tell you if your mother does not get healed after listening to them and receiving what the Lord has for her then you just have to keep starting over and pray and tell the Lord you don’t get it and to help you and he will. Sometimes they never seem to get it and other times is its just time and the Lord is calling them home. We don’t understand so many things about the Lord honey. The word tells us to lean not to our own understanding but to acknowledge God in everything we do. All you can do is pray and be the best care giver you can be honey and today there are people living that have stage 4 lung cancer and the cancer has gone into remission. Now if that’s not hope then I don’t know what hope is. Please don’t lose sight of what the Lord has for you. And I will also pray for God’s will to be done in you and your mothers life. God bless and keep you as you go thru your trying times. You may feel free to email me anytime for prayer or / and encouragement or just to talk. To must until then remember to be looking up cause God is coming soon! God Bless you and your mother!