Reflections by the Sea

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Friends

Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
September 24, 2009

This is my commandment: that you love one another [just] as I have loved you. No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends. John 15:12-13 Amp

The definition of a friend is a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard. It is nice to have a friend. Some friendships last a lifetime while others last for a little while. They each have their purpose. We can have friendships with almost anyone. The criteria for friendship is to be able to trust and respect each other as the mutual affection grows. Some of my little friends are school age while others are seniors who have lived their life and aren’t afraid to share their wisdom, thank heavens! The friends my own age keep me posted on current events and my younger friends, well I do my best to keep up with them! I think of my pets as friends, too. Friends touching lives and mine has surely been touched!

The deep friendships are the ones that mean you can call in the middle of the night and it is okay. You can tell your deepest secrets to that person and you know you won’t be judged. You can share your fears with them and they listen while you sort through it out loud. To have a friendship like this is one of the many joys in life. Some folks mistake acquaintances for friends, but if you have ever had or been a friend, you know the difference. Ralph Waldo Emerson is quoted as saying, “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” Words so true!

I am reminded of the old hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”. Some of the lyrics are, ”What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!” He is our truest friend. When friendships end or people pull away from us for unspoken reasons, it is a comfort to know that God is there for us. We are commanded by God to love at all times. Today, I will tell my friends that I love them and ask God’s Blessings over them.

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The Author

A native of Virginia Beach, VA, Betsy Ore Glass and her husband of 42 years,
Keith, raised two children, Elizabeth and Marty. In the year 2000, after a
30-year career in advertising, she began taking photographs for fun. The hobby
turned into a passion, and before long, Betsy was contributing photographs to
eastern North Carolina newspapers. Betsy’s photography was useful in documenting
Hurricane Isabel’s devastation on the East Coast and caught the attention of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the North Carolina Sea Grant
Association. For Betsy, taking photographs of any beach is pure joy,
particularly if it includes old-style cottages and sand fences.
More than 15 years ago, Betsy was diagnosed with breast cancer. Although
fully recovered now and resuming her life, it was a time of reflection. Her
thoughts and memories of the beach, both as a child and as an adult, led her to
begin to write “Reflections by the Sea” to give to her children as a roadmap for
an upright, inspirational life. Then Betsy added something unique to her
Reflections—her photography.
Betsy believes this gift of writing and photography is God-given and feels
led to use her life experiences and faith to share God's blessings with others.