Ode to Friendship

It's been one of those weeks, have you ever had one? From conflict resolution to ensuring our bills get out on time; from finishing up our taxes to mowing the lawn before the next down-pour...yea, it's been one of those weeks!  For the most part, though, it all has been manageable, just the normal stuff -- until I received two heart wrenching messages...one on Facebook, the other via text. 

My facebook private message informed me one of our old pals from the church we were blessed to serve down south was deathly ill, fighting Wegener's Granulomatosis disease.  Thankfully, this one in ten in ten million patient nicknamed Mac is going to make a long, arduous recovery.  So great to hear his voice and pray with he and his wife Pam on the phone -- technology: in my car on the strand in Morro Bay, Mac & Pam in intensive care at Loma Linda VA...talking like we were right next to each other!  Some highlights from Mac:

• Mac's a plumber by trade, an avid golfer by hobby.  Mac loves talk golf and most important, play a round or two every weekend.
• Mac and his family came to our church with an open mind to learn the truths of scripture; often, they would sit in the crowd and listen to a bald guy share about Jesus with that inquisitive, teach me look.
• Mac was a second to none servant.  Don't tell him this part, but when we built our church on Wolf Store Road, Mac literally did all the plumbing as a gift...lots and lots of money was saved.  I asked Mac if I could take him on a round of golf to say thanks, he said, "...nope, this is my gift to the Lord!"  pretty cool!

The other message, by text, informed me to, "...please pray, John isn't doing well!"  I immediately talked with Cindy, John's wife (again on the phone), and she informed me John was fading.  You see, John first became ill when we were buddies, some 20 years ago.  John came down with a Brain Tumor in 1992, a mass of blood vessels that literally threatened his life at any moment.  Additionally, John was diagnosed with Cirrhosis of the Liver resulting from Hepatitis C.  Just recently, John's legs and belly began to swell to the size of a nine month pregnant woman...needless to say, the past 19 or so years have been difficult for John, Cindy, their children and extended family.  Some highlights from John's life:

• John and I had breakfast and coffee every Thursday for over 5 years in Temecula.  We met at Richies Diner and discussed family, friends, theology and yes, his darned Yankees (John's an implant from Queens, New York!)...
• John and I served together loving, equipping, challenging and encouraging teens.  One on occasion, John (though a typical New Yorker face to face, was rather shy in front of a crowd...) shared in front of over 300 teens his passion to love God in spite of his illnesses...
• John and I would hang out at his house, make fun of life and goof off, you know, guy stuff - the kinds of things our wives thought was, oh so childish and immature...
• On one occasion, John and I were at youth night & were informed that one of our teens had just committed suicide.  We immediately left and went out to help the family in crisis.  Upon arrival, John literally jogged over to Jason's parents and hugged, cried, touched & consoled them for what seemed like hours (...ever see a compassionate friend love on the downcast?  It's a sight to behold...); I was so touched with his loving like Jesus that to this day, some 14 years later, I can still vividly see that picture in my mind!

• John gave me a devotional years ago from one of my heroes of the faith: Charles H. Spurgeon.  On the inside cover, John wrote one the most precious notes I've ever received from a friend; a note that I will read, re-read and internalize for a long, long time.  Thanks John!

Well, the purpose of this blurb, if you will, is to highlight some of the great things I've experienced with my old buddies in hopes of igniting a passion in all of us to value and cherish life & friendship.  In Mac's case, his time on earth looks promising; for John, his entrance into heaven may be days away. 

Point: invest your life into your friends, time is that precious commodity that simply passes us by unless we're intentional and proactive in the management thereof.  Last, from Chuck Misler, "...don't allow the urgent to preempt the important!"