Friday Friendship Feature #9. That’s What Friends are For

I’ll be by your side Forevermore. That’s What Friends Are For…

I grew up in the Eighties! Somewhere, ingrained in my memory, are the lyrics and music to that classic song, which gives us such a positive lesson about friendship. That’s what friends are for!

Well, I’ve seen this attitude displayed many times recently, among different people who we call friends. Families and individuals coming together just out of the common bond of friendship, pitching in to help out, lift the burdened, and lighten the load of another.

Keep smilin’, keep shinin’
Knowing you can always count on me for sure
That’s what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I’ll be on your side forever more
That’s what friends are for

Bringing in the Hay

When our friends experienced a medical emergency with the father, work on the farm still clamored for attention. Hay must be cut and baled at the proper time, or you lose the harvest. This put the family in a little bit of a pinch, but also allowed their 14-yr old teen to rise to the challenge.

We showed up with eager, yet inexperienced boys to help get the job done. Malachi worked like a man, and our boys enjoyed helping out in the physical labor of loading hay onto the wagon. Others pitched in to help on the job–neighbors, relatives, and church friends! I had to smile at the sight of our former church secretary commandeering the big ol’ tractor like a boss!

The hard work paid off, and our friends soon rounded the corner with trailer-loads of freshly baled hay, topped off with happy teens and children riding along! Job well done!

Angels Wear Sandals

Did you know that some angels wear Tevas? Well, they do! Some move right in, and fill in wherever they are needed, in an emergency situation. I know because I witnessed this. Same situation with the dad in the hospital left two kids at home. Well, the angel in sandals moved in with her essential oils and diffuser, and kept everything moving along smoothly on the homefront so that Mom could go attend to Dad. I know that there are many unsung heroes, and I know of at least one who shows up with sandals, a faithful dog Jim, and taxi. Some day you might see her! Look for the sandals! That’s what friends are for!

Kids in the Corn

Once the neighbors, friends, and kids helped with the hay, it was corn-picking time! Two and a half acres of sweet corn, and much was ripe! Time to head out and pick! This time we witnessed teens, moms, uncles, and small children, eager to pick the ripe ears.

What we lacked in corn-picking experience we made up for in eagerness and camaraderie! The sun burned down on our heads, but picking with friends turned out to be an experience that strengthened the bonds of friendship, especially between the teens. That’s what friends are for, even in the corn field! And after the second hot day of picking, the kids got a refreshing splash in the pool, which made it all sweeter! That’s really what friends are for–fun!!

Sharing the Harvest

During the aforementioned week, I stopped by another friend’s house to drop off some homeschooling materials. We chatted briefly as our boys kicked around the soccer ball. Before I drove away, my sweet friend beckoned for me to come to her little garden out back. I followed Deborah, to where a HUGE pumpkin/squash ripened on the vine. To my surprise, she reached down and twisted that big squash off the vine, and plopped it into my eager arms. Curious, I asked her about the squash, which you can see pictured.

Turns out, these kind grow in her home country of Nepal, where they eat them green. Deborah instructed me on how to prepare the interesting squash, and I went away with full hands. Not to mention the home-grown potatoes and cucumbers that she gifted me with as well! That’s what friends are for! Sharing!

The pumpkin saga continued when we decided to cut into the enormous thing. You have to be committed to cut into something that large! I made the cut, into two halves. Then I saw how much fruit there was inside, and gulped. No way was that thing, even half of it, going to fit into our tiny RV fridge!

I literally sliced off a large slice like you’d cut a cantaloupe, cut it, and cooked it with garlic, onion, and spices, as Deborah had instructed me. The squash was delicious! We all agreed!

We also agreed that we had not even put a dent into that pumpkin, so what could we do?

Neighbors, of course! That’s what friends are for, right?

We offered the big half to our neighbor down the hill, and she happily accepted. But not without returning the neighborly kindness. Our neighbor, Sylvia, disappeared into a back room and came back with a dozen eggs that her hens had produced. So, the giving cycle continued. You give a little, and a little more comes back around to you. That happens with good things as well as bad, so you’d better make sure what you’re sharing is something that you WANT returned to you! But…once again…that’s what friends are for!

This reminds me of two things.

One, the Bible verse that says,

“Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.”

Ecclesiastes 11:11

It’s the Biblical version of, “What goes around, comes around”, but also applies to what you do with God’s word. If you take the time to put it into your mind, it will return to you and bless yourself and others.

One Kitten for Kim–a lesson in sharing

But the stories above also remind me of a less serious story from my childhood. Maybe you’ve heard of it too. I don’t know how popular this book actually was, but in our home, it was a hit, and we read it many, many times. My mom probably got tired of it, but I never did!

Have you read One Kitten for Kim? It’s a really fun book about a boy who just needed to give away his kittens. Well, he ended up with a lot more than the one kitten he was allowed to keep–but you’ll have to read the book to find out what he brought home! Even though the book is VINTAGE now (Boy, do I feel old!), amazon.com has used copies for not that much, or you can just read the book online.

I hope that something that I’ve shared touches your heart, and reminds you of at least one good friend in your life. Maybe it’s time to say thanks. Or maybe it’s time to BE that friend that someone else needs from you today! That’s what friends are for!

Who came to mind? Let me know in the comments below. Maybe your comment will inspire someone else along the way!

Like our blog?

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE, so that you never miss a post! I try to regularly post a Friday Friendship Feature weekly. Stay tuned.

Head over to our Facebook page and Like us over there too! We’d sure appreciate it! That’s what friends are for!