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The Other Half The Other Half
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GOD GIFT OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS Earlier this year we moved house. During the clearing out many things came to light which had been ignored for a long time, and one thing I found was my old autograph album. I'm sure most of you had one in your youth, although they do not seem to be so popular these days. I looked at the names in my "walls of friendships" and reread various verses which had been inscribed so many years ago. Do you remember these? Just wealth enough to give and spare, Just health enough to banish care, Just friends enough sincere and true, What more want I? What more want you? and Remember well and bear in mind, I can recall quite vividly most of the people whose names appeared in the book, but, sadly, I've lost touch with most of them. I think that's because I took most of my friends for granted. In fact I took most relationships for granted as I was growing up. I was fortunate in being part of a very strong and loving family -1 had a lot of friends and I even loved school! I didn't have to think a lot about life -1 just got on and lived it. Even after University when I married Charles, I took that as a natural progression of life. Yes, I think I took Charles for granted too. In fact I was quite self-sufficient and organised my life so that Iwas happy! We produced two children who were the sort that slept, smiled and looked OK. We lived in a "nice" area near London, and our social life was full and interesting. And then in 1974 I met some new friends who had a different priority in life. They seemed to think that God had a plan for their lives and that fulfilling that was the way to be perfectly happy. This was quite a challenge to me as I did not believe God existed - I mean, my life was pretty good and organised - but after a few weeks they introduced me to Jesus and that friendship has changed my life. I realised that my family and friends were not a haphazard quirk of fate but gifts from a loving God. Looking back over my life I could see how my relationships with different people had formed my character, how they had influenced my thoughts and shaped my attitude to life. Above all, I could see that even although I had sometimes made wrong decisions, there had always been someone around who would help me rescue the situation. I too could see that God does have a plan for my life and that if I follow it the resulting happiness is much better than anything I can manufacture for myself. My friends and family became so much more important to me. I even found that the love I had for my family increased amazingly - particularly for Charles. Somehow I began to appreciate all that I had been given, everyone seemed to be more loveable. Of course - they didn't change but I did! When our next two sons were born, we really did see them as gifts from God - just as well as they did not sleep all the time; but they looked OK! And now we have started on the next generation as grandchildren arrive - each one another miracle of life, another gift from God. I meet people who have not been as fortunate with their families in their childhoods as I have been. Some of them have discovered that descriptions of God in the Bible are true. In Psalm 68 it says "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families ..." Many of them have felt loved for the first time through their Christian brothers and sisters. They have leamt that God longs for us to know Him so that He can help us through the bad times. We have all leamt that we are part of a very large family - the best there is! - that we are individually important to our heavenly father and that He has plans for us. But I haven't forgotten what was written in my autograph book. "Don't change the old one for the new". My "old" friends will always have a very special place in my heart. Sometimes we do not see each other for a long time, but as soon as we start talking, it's as if we have never been apart. They think I've changed - apparently I'm quieter now! It's wonderful to spend time together - I never take that for granted these days - but our friendships are not dependent on being together, they continue because they will always be part of my life. A gift should be enjoyed or it can be put away and forgotten. It can challenge us, surprise us, fulfil a need or change our lives. A good gift brings joy with it. I hope that just as I think of my friends and family as gifts from God, they would think of me in the same way. How can I be sure that I am a welcome gift, that I will
bring joy to those around me? I'll have to spend some time on that challenge
- at least I'm thinking about it, and with God's help I'll sort it out. © Sue Whitehead
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