Life-long friends............

Sunday night I had a really neat conversation with an elderly lady (and yes, I mean elderly - like I'm guessing 80 or so).  She introduced herself, said she lives in LaGrange,  and then asked me where I was from.  When I said Warrenville, her eyes lit up and you could just see the excitement on her face.  She proceeded to tell me this story.  When she was a very young girl or 8 or 9 years old, her best friend moved out of the "city" (Chicago) to Warrenville.  She was allowed to travel to visit this friend, from Chicago out to Warrenville on the "train". (Sidebar-  I know that she was talking about the Electric Train that had a stop in Warrenville.  This train line has been gone for many, many years and what remains is a wonderful walking/jogging trail called the "Prairie Path".  This runs right through Warrenville).  She would take this long ride, of about 1.5 hours.  When she got to Warrenville, she would get off the train "downtown" (now this is a real stretch - there is no downtown in Warrenville.  At most there was a drugstore, a hardware store and not much else).  She knew that she had to walk by the "wonderful convent" for the nuns to get to her friends house.  She was amazed that I knew exactly what she was talking about.  Her friend lived about a mile down that road.  When I told her that was very near to my house, she was so excited.  Her eyes got sad, when she told me that her friend now lived very far away in Northern Wisconsin and they don't see each other often.

 I couldn't help but think of my mom and her special friend Edna.  They actually met each other at church in the early 1920's.  They were best friends and spent most Sunday's together.  Some of the most wonderful stories that my mom told were about her and Edna.  Edna's dad owned a truck - quite a big deal in the 1920's.  They would be able to ride in that truck out to Itasca Park and pick berries.  They roller skated, ice skated and played outside year around.  In northern Minnesota.  And they walked everywhere.  My mom could still name many of the kids in the picture above even when she was over 90 years old.  I remember very well, my mom's excitement when we moved to St. Paul when I was 6 years old, because Edna lived very close to us.  Of course we were busy and so was Edna but I do recall several visits to their house.  In the later years of my mom's life, Edna was a special friend and brought so much joy to her. One of my tasks during my visits to see my mom in the last 4 or 5 years, was to arrange a lunch visit with Edna.  It was such a pleasure to sit with them and listen to them reminisce about their shared past. I remember thinking that I was getting a glimpse of a side of my Mom that I really didn't know.  What a treasure that was.  As a matter of fact, Edna, age 96, was at my mom's memorial service.  What a wonderful tribute to my mom and their lasting friendship. 

Since I have been thinking about friendship, watch over the next few days, as I share about some of my "life-long" friends and the impact they have had on my life!

Jesus, thank you so much for relationships. Holy Spirit, you bring exactly the right people into our lives at the exact right time for us.  Your plans and purposes for our life include all of the people around us - our families - but also, our friends.  Jesus, bring revelation to me of the message you have for me today in friendship.  Holy Spirit, bless all those reading this blog, with relationships that bring them joy and fulfilment.  Jesus, bless my new friend!  Thank you so much Jesus, for these wonderful memories of my mom!  Amen