A Friend Loveth at All Times

Have you been ponderizing?  This is the scripture I've been thinking about this week, and wow, did I have opportunities to think about it.  A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

I thought about it Monday, when Cassie brought me her van to use for a week while TJ worked on ours.  

I thought about it Tuesday, when I just couldn't stop crying, and I called in some prayers from Georgia.

I thought about it Wednesday, when I counted up the friends and neighbors who've come and spent time under our van with TJ this week, struggling to get the old beast running again.  Dave, Chuck, Dennis, Shane and others all showed up at least once throughout the week.  They loaned us vehicles. They got us parts for cheap and helped us put them on.  Sometimes Chuck was knocking on my door asking when TJ would be home from work so he could help.

I thought about it Thursday, when Rachel gave me a ride to choir.

I thought about it Friday, when Kimberly told me that she wants to give me her old car.  She's been praying to know whom the Lord would have her pass it on to, since she doesn't need it anymore, and she wants us to have it.

I thought about it Saturday, when TJ's parents, visiting for a few days to look at real estate in the area, did so much housework that I kept hoping they wouldn't find a place and have to move in with us.

And I thought about it today, when John's jokes about our horrible primary program practice made me laugh enough that I decided not to cry.  Just kidding, it was no more horrible than any other year. And in a week it'll all be over.  But commiserating with fellow Primary workers makes it a little less like torture.

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.   

Sometimes the world seems so full of kindness that I can't even wrap my heart around it.  It's as if I can't even feel the full measure of gratitude because I know in my heart that I don't have that much kindness to give--and a part of me refuses to acknowledge how very deeply I stand in the debt of others.

A friend loveth when he sees you stuck under a 2001 Toyota Sienna.  And a brother will pray for you even if you're not willing to go into all the gory details.  

Lord, please grow my heart to absorb all this kindness, and please give me the greatness of heart to be willing to pay it forward in thine own good time.