But you gotta have friends
I've been thinking a lot about friends recently, so I decided it was time to write.
Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. Ecc. 4:9-12
A friend is someone who knows me, likes me and trusts me. Someone who knows that I wasn't always as cool as I have become and still loves me. =) Someone who understands that sometimes I like things a certain way and will tolerate my idiosyncrasies. Someone who knows that somedays I just need to be quiet. And most importantly understands that at the end of the day, if I have to choose between my faith and them, I will choose my Jesus.
But who are my "friends"?
Living in another country makes friendship looks different than it ever has before. I have friends in different countries and try to be a good friend no matter where I am geographically, but it's hard.
As your friend, I can not promise to be physically present at all the big events in your life that I wish I could be there for. I will probably forget to call you on your birthday and if you get sick, I will probably not be able to bring you soup unless you are geographically where I am during the sickness. Same geographical restrictions apply for a "bad day"--if you are having a bad day, I probably will not be able to take you to get your favorite soda. And if you don't follow my facebook, blog, newsletter or whatsapp me on a regular basis you will probably never know what is going on in my life.
I'm pretty much a bad "friend" and the very least, it is hard to be my friend.
But here is the cool thing, I have people who understand the above mention friend "faux pas" and still love me. My friendships have changed over the last two years, but what is interesting is that some have gotten deeper than I ever thought possible. I actually feel closer to some people in America than ever before. Does distance truly make the heart fonder? But even my friendships who are geographically close are deeper because I am more aware that there is a 100% chance we will not be geographically close for very long.
My "friends" are people who I communicate with on a regular basis. They reach out to me and I reach out to them, it's mutual, but it is a mutual effort. And it does take effort, which is part of the sweetness of my friends. They take the time to tell me about their silly days and I do the same. They take the time to tell me things that they think might be a burden, they bless me by sharing those hard days and the good days with me, because I know they had to go out of their way. Whether we live 5 miles away or 8,000 miles away, we won't always get to share every detail or walk every step of the way, but we intentionally make time for each other.
So, as your friend, I agree to stalk you on facebook, "Like" all the pictures of your kids' birthday parties and comment when appropriate. I will send you a "Happy Birthday from Rwanda" message on your Facebook wall. I will Whatsapp you if I have your contact info and will send you pictures of my life and hope you will do the same. I will promise, when you email or message me about your bad/good day, to stop what I am doing and thank God for you, my friend. I will proudly hang the Christmas pictures or cards you send me (Jamie Boiles BP 6612 Kigali, Rwanda) and share about how know I know you and share our silly adventures to anyone who will listen. I will think of you often and I will pray for you when I think of you.
So in this time of being a really bad friend, I hope you will understand that I am on my greatest adventure with Jesus and there will be a time when we will get to all hang out together--my Rwanda friends, my US friends and everyone in between. And that day will be so sweet.
DISCLAIMER: Not all friends are pictured in the blog-apologies to those not pictured, but these are the ones that I look cute in.
Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. Ecc. 4:9-12
A friend is someone who knows me, likes me and trusts me. Someone who knows that I wasn't always as cool as I have become and still loves me. =) Someone who understands that sometimes I like things a certain way and will tolerate my idiosyncrasies. Someone who knows that somedays I just need to be quiet. And most importantly understands that at the end of the day, if I have to choose between my faith and them, I will choose my Jesus.But who are my "friends"?
Living in another country makes friendship looks different than it ever has before. I have friends in different countries and try to be a good friend no matter where I am geographically, but it's hard.
As your friend, I can not promise to be physically present at all the big events in your life that I wish I could be there for. I will probably forget to call you on your birthday and if you get sick, I will probably not be able to bring you soup unless you are geographically where I am during the sickness. Same geographical restrictions apply for a "bad day"--if you are having a bad day, I probably will not be able to take you to get your favorite soda. And if you don't follow my facebook, blog, newsletter or whatsapp me on a regular basis you will probably never know what is going on in my life.
I'm pretty much a bad "friend" and the very least, it is hard to be my friend.
But here is the cool thing, I have people who understand the above mention friend "faux pas" and still love me. My friendships have changed over the last two years, but what is interesting is that some have gotten deeper than I ever thought possible. I actually feel closer to some people in America than ever before. Does distance truly make the heart fonder? But even my friendships who are geographically close are deeper because I am more aware that there is a 100% chance we will not be geographically close for very long.My "friends" are people who I communicate with on a regular basis. They reach out to me and I reach out to them, it's mutual, but it is a mutual effort. And it does take effort, which is part of the sweetness of my friends. They take the time to tell me about their silly days and I do the same. They take the time to tell me things that they think might be a burden, they bless me by sharing those hard days and the good days with me, because I know they had to go out of their way. Whether we live 5 miles away or 8,000 miles away, we won't always get to share every detail or walk every step of the way, but we intentionally make time for each other.
So, as your friend, I agree to stalk you on facebook, "Like" all the pictures of your kids' birthday parties and comment when appropriate. I will send you a "Happy Birthday from Rwanda" message on your Facebook wall. I will Whatsapp you if I have your contact info and will send you pictures of my life and hope you will do the same. I will promise, when you email or message me about your bad/good day, to stop what I am doing and thank God for you, my friend. I will proudly hang the Christmas pictures or cards you send me (Jamie Boiles BP 6612 Kigali, Rwanda) and share about how know I know you and share our silly adventures to anyone who will listen. I will think of you often and I will pray for you when I think of you.So in this time of being a really bad friend, I hope you will understand that I am on my greatest adventure with Jesus and there will be a time when we will get to all hang out together--my Rwanda friends, my US friends and everyone in between. And that day will be so sweet.
DISCLAIMER: Not all friends are pictured in the blog-apologies to those not pictured, but these are the ones that I look cute in.
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