My friend L. is heading this way from Ohio next weekend. Can’t wait to see her again. I haven’t seen her since our cruise last summer.
She’s one of those people they write friendship poems about.
She’s the real thing.
I had no idea we’d be friends when we first met.
I totally judged her on the way she looked.
She was tall and beautiful.
She came to church with a neat husband and three beautiful (and beautifully dressed) children.
She had manicured nails and gorgeous red hair that was always perfectly styled.
She was nice but sort of quiet and reserved.
And somehow all of that added up to “she would never want to be friends with me.”
But then you know me…..not one to be defeated long…….always out to make a new friend.
So one day i did it.
I filled out one of the encouragement cards in the pew. (we used to keep those cards in the pew racks and you could write a note to someone to encourage them, let them know you were thinking of them, put it in the offering plate and the ushers would deliver to the intended recipient)
I missed putting it in the offering plate and after the service i looked around and it seemed that L. was gone. I went outside and saw her about to drive off.
I don’t know what possessed me but i actually RAN up to her car, waving that little blue card. She stopped and hesitantly rolled her window down.
I said, “i’m sorry to stop you, but i just wanted to give this to you.” She took it and thanked me.
She drove off and i began to think what a crazy nut i was.
That was the beginning of our friendship that has lasted 15 years.
When she found out she was leaving Valdosta she gave me a gift. It was a special “notetaking journal” to take notes on sermons and special messages. Anyway, i was flipping through the journal and she’d written a special note in the back that basically said the day i waved that blue card at her, changed her life. She had no idea someone would care that much and want to be her friend.
yeah, L…….it changed my life too!
