Friendship

Both sermons at church today centered around friendship. (I go to one of those 'strange' churches that still has Sunday night church.) Tonight's specifically challenged me to be more thankful for the incredible friends that God has blessed me with during my life. The text was Philippians 1:1-8 and the three points were:

1. Appreciate your friends' devotion
2. Appreciate your friends' distinction
3. Appreciate your friends' determination

As I have thought about these points, I have decided to make a list about friendship. The inspiration of this list goes back to my childhood. We had a set of sheets (I don't think they are still around, but anything is possible) that had the Peanuts characters all over them. They then had all these statements that began with "Happiness is..."

Friendship is...

1. Taking you to and picking you up from the airport.
2. A random phone call, card, or e-mail just to tell another person that you care.
3. Asking someone if they need anything from Wal-Mart and then buying it for them.
4. Dropping everything because you know they need a shoulder to cry on.
5. A Papa John's pizza, paper towels, and a rented movie.
6. Laughing so hard that you cry or think you might wet your pants.
7. Sharing a look that speaks louder than words ever could.
8. Putting together an entertainment center and then going back to Target to talk the manager into giving you a refund because it went on sale the day after you bought it.
9. Taking you the doctor when you are too sick to drive.
10. Able to overlook differences and embrace similarities.
11. Proof reading your papers in college and seminary.
12. Late night conversations or e-mails.
13. Sending a book in the mail so that they don't have to go buy it.
14. Standing in the rain to get Tony Dungy's signature.
15. A gift.

I could go on and on, but will refrain. So, to all my friends, near and far, thank you. I know I don't tell you each enough, but I love you and appreciate all that you do.