Five Minute Friday: Friend

I've been craving participating in a five minute Friday again. It's been too, too long. It's an old weekly link-up that I have truly missed. I pray that life may be settling down enough that I am able to begin taking part in this again.

If you haven't heard about it, I encourage you to check out the home page. Every week there are hundreds of writers who dare to write without editing. To share our hearts on the given prompt. We'd love to have you join us.



I love today's prompt, as I woke up with this e very concept on my mind.

Today's prompt: FRIEND

GO

Friends often come and go. It's a rare gem to find one whom will last a life time. We never anticipate the ending of a friendship. Especially when they leave such a bitter taste in the mouth upon their exit.

We can be assured of this one thing, we have a Friend who will never leave us. He has promised that He will always be there. Always faithful, always ready to accept us, always willing to listen. Yet, so often, He's the one we forget about.

We all know what we want from a friend. Do we really know how to be a friend? That's almost just as simple. To be friends, we do life together. We allow another person to hunker down with us in life. In the good times. In the bad times.

As someone who has a hard time making friends, and keeping them, when I finally find a friend who I know I can count on, it's a joyous day. I can thank my Father above that He has given me a handful of them. I am blessed to call them not only friends, but sisters in Him.

STOP

 


Cousins make great friends.


Even furry ones.

New name, Same concept

A few years back, my husband and I began attending a new church. The first Easter we celebrated with our new body of believers, I heard Easter Sunday called by a different name.

Resurrection Sunday

The first year, I found it odd. Of course, I understood why it was referred to that way. I just wasn't sure about it. After all, Easter Sunday has always been called Easter Sunday. However, the more I reflect on it, the more I am beginning to prefer the new term.

Resurrection Sunday explains why we celebrate this day so much more than Easter Sunday ever could. For me, Easter means nothing more than a bunny and a bunch of candy if it isn't connected to the miracle of His resurrection.

The death of Christ would have been just like any other death had it not been for one last step. One that no other prophet, teacher, or religious leader has accomplished. None other died a death for His fallen people after living a blameless life. To take it further, none other have returned after 3 days to prove that He holds the power over sin, Hell, and death.

For those of us who have chosen to believe in the very statements written in the  paragraph above, maybe it's time we revamp our concept of Easter Sunday. This doesn't mean we have to abandon all the fun and games associated with the day, but perhaps, we book end our celebrations by focusing on, remembering, and celebrating the reason we have the freedom to do so.

It may mean changing our perspectives, our priorities, our activities. It doesn't necessarily mean that we avoid it all together. It may simply mean we make small changes to the fun and games. We replace some of the items in our baskets with faith-building fun. We place bible verses in the eggs we use for the hunt. We re-purpose the fun traditions to include the facts and history of why this day is so important to us.

In doing so, may we build families that look forward to "Easter Sunday" not for the fun and candy but because of the death and resurrection of Christ.

The song below has very significant meaning to me. It brings back amazing memories from my adolescence. I can not even count the number of times I walked into the apartment only to hear this song blazing, proclaiming this truth.

This song not only encompasses the events that happen from Good Friday through Resurrection Sunday, but I believe this is the same message the Father above is calling us to...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMHyGh0RgCA

Will you accept the call? Will you arise in this new life?

I plan to. I sure hope you will join me.

We've only just begun

They said we were too young. Honestly, many still say we're young. We marched on. Step by step. Hour by hour. Day by day. We pressed forward arms looped together. Head held high. Sure we can conquer anything.



 

There were a lot of set backs leading up to that day. A few as we approached the hours before we said "I do" as well. Even so, we pressed forward. We'd come so far in the 3.5 years leading up to this, we weren't bound to stop now.

Here we are, 5 years later. Together for 8.5 years total. Still going through the trenches day in and day out. We've had to climb out of major valleys. We've also seen some very sweet peaks.

You have been my best friend through it all. One of few who knows absolutely ALL of my quarks, yet you choose...daily...to stay by my side. We've laughed together. We've cried...or I've cried...together. We've fought. We've made up.

Arm in arm, we still press forward. Day in and day out. We know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that so long as we remain united, keep our focus on our Creator, and keep pressing on, we will make it through anything we'll face.

Happy Anniversary Kevin. I look forward to all that is in store for us in the months, years, and decades to come.