Friends

Isnt it great to have really good friends!? People who encourage just when you need it. Or who correct and hold you accountable. Or, my favorite, tell you that they love you. When God places those people in your life, it is a blessing like none other.
Sometimes those friends come from unusual beginnings. For example, some of the most encouraging and best friends I have are former students. Kids I have seen grow up from 6-7 year old snot-nosed heathens to the Godly young men and women they are now. Youth ministers have a peculiar circumstance to deal with in this area. About the time we get to see a kid mature, we have to send them off to the world. But all hope (or communication)is not lost.
One of those good friends/former students sent me an email with some C. S. Lewis quotes in it and I thought I would share both my happiness in the friendship and the wonderful encouragement of the quotes themselves. So here goes:"'[Law said], 'If you have not chosen the Kingdom of God, it will make in the end no difference what you have chosen instead.' Those are hard words to take. Will it really make no difference whether it was women or patriotism, cocaine or art, whisky or a seat in the Cabinet, money or science? Well, surely no difference that matters. We shall have missed the end for which we were formed and rejected the only thing that satisfies."
The end for which we were formed. Wow, what an idea. That we were formed for the perfect relationship with God Almighty only salvation can bring. Everything else is dis-satisfaction.
The relationships He allows in our lives can and should mirror that perfect one with Him. That is a topic and idea I am exploring with great joy!
I seem to have rambled quite a bit on this one, i'll try to keep it together better on the next.