What Is a Friend?

My son Luke addressed the topic of friends on his blog www.thelwproject.blogspot.com . It go me thinking and I posted the following response. I hope you will read his blog and give friendships some thought. Who are your friends? How long will they be there?

This is a deep thought. I do not know of a place where the Bible speaks of seasonal friendships. Jonathan was a great example of a friend to David (1 Sam 18:1-4). He was committed to David to the point of death. He was there no matter what. A friend loves at all time (Prov 17:7). Space and time do not separate friends. Now, I do believe we might have a messed up definition of a friend that gives way to seasonal friendships. There are those "friends" who are conditional friends and there are those "friends" who are unconditional friends. Conditional friends leave you when the conditions are broken. Unconditional friends are still there when you make mistakes, do wrong, go against them, hurt them, etc. Now, this explains why we have so few lifelong friends. Lifelong friends requires forgiveness. How many times do true friends forgive? 70 times 7! So with all that being said, I believe you have people come into your life for a season and you have lifetime friends. That statement is based on a strong definition of friend. It could be that the seasonal friends are really acquaintances. I am a friend of God and He will always be my friend.

It's My Birthday

Well, today is my birthday. I have had many people wish me a happy birthday today and I plan to make this day happy. I have been asked do I feel older – NO. How old are you – 47. One responded to that number with – WOW! I do not feel 47, ever how that is supposed to feel. I see people my age and I think they look old. My 47 years has been an adventure. I grew up in a family that had then had not. A family that was happy then divorced. A church centered family to a country club centered. A home with no alcohol to one that had a cabinet full. Drank my first beer at home and saw my first girly magazine at home. Was a bad teenager. Always seeking to fit in. Met my wife, had three wonderful children, built a home, youth ministered, pastored, started a church, went to college, seminary, seminary again, spent money, saved little. Been to South America, Central America, Mexico, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, Houston, somewhere in Mississippi, New Orleans, Disney, the beach, Washington D.C., and many more places. My favorite is NYC. Would love to go to Hawaii with my wife (if someone wants to give that as a 47^th b’day present it would be nice). I have enjoyed this 47 years. I feel young. My mind still dreams. I look forward to more great adventures. There are times when life seemed hard but it really was not. There have been times when it seemed easy but it really was not. Many of the things I thought I hated I really liked. But sometime today 47 years will have been spent by Daniel Ferrell Williams. Where has it gone? More places than I ever thought it would. It has been spent with great returns. I have the greatest family, friends and memories. If you have been part of it, thanks. If not, maybe we can make that happen in the next 47. That would be 94. That has a good ring to it. How old are you? 94? No, but I am halfway there. Enjoying the ride. Working on the dash (1963 – ). Age is nothing but a number. I will LOVE and LAUGH and LIVE.