Friends

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class walking home from school.
It looked like he was carrying all of his books.
I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring all his books home on a Friday? He must really be a nerd."
I had quite a weekend planned, football, and chores which the orphanage had for me, so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.
They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt.
His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him.
He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.
I knew that look, I had it many times myself and my heart went out to him.
So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, I saw a tear in his eye.
As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They have done the same to me."
He looked at me and replied, "Hey thanks!"
There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.
I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.
As it turned out, he lived near the orphanage, so I asked him why I had never seen him before.
He said he had gone to private school before now.
I would have never hung out with private school kid and no one would actually hang out with me so I guess we both new the truth.
We talked all the way home, and I carried his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.
I asked him if he wanted to go to the football game that night, I had to play, but I could get him on the sidelines.
He said yes. We hung out all weekend, him helping me with my chores and the more I got to know him, the more I liked him.
Monday morning he met me at the end of my driveway with all his books. I stopped and said, "You are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday."
He just laughed and handed me half the books.
Over the next four years, he and I became good friends. When we were seniors, and began to think about our futures.
He was going to be an actor or in the movie business, and I was going to be a minister and businessman.
He turned out to be valedictorian of our class that year.
I teased him all the time about being a nerd, and he always teased me about just beating me out of the honor.
He had not prepared a speech for graduation. I sure was glad it wasn't me up there speaking.
He looked good, he was one of those guys that really found himself during high school.
I was often jealous of him, and graduation day was one of those days.
I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great."
He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and with a little reluctance began, "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach, but mostly your friends.
I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met.
He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.
He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom would not have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home.
He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.
"Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."
I heard a gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.
I saw his mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.
Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions.
With one small gesture you can change a person's life.
For better or for worse.
God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way.
Look for God in others.
Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

One glass of milk

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?" "You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for akindness." He said, "Then I thank you from my heart." As Howard Kelly left that house,he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit. Year's later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day on, he gave special attention to the case. After a long struggle, the battle was won.Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words:
"PAID IN FULL WITH ONE GLASS OF MILK."
(Signed)
Dr. Howard Kelly.

Tears are a language God understands

Tears speak more about what our hearts feel than any words could ever express.
Those tiny drops of humanity that tumble from our eyes, creep down our cheeks and splash on the floors of our heart sometimes carry the message that our hearts ache and hurt.
Tears are the messengers that sometimes substitute for our crippled words and spill forth carrying with them our deepest emotions.
A tear stain on a letter speaks more than words ever could.
A tear falling on a casket says what a spoken farewell never could.
What summons a mother's compassion and concern more quickly than a tear on the cheeks of her child?
What gives more support than the tears on the face of a friend as we pour out our troubles to them?
What do we do when the words just won't come out right as all the nouns and verbs and adverbs and adjectives lay deflated at our feet?
When even the loftiest statements seem empty, what do we do?
I want to tell you this week that tears are a language that God understands!
From John 11 we see that the Son of God, the Blessed Redeemer, the one who has the power to wash away sin has just enter the town and Martha has met Him to tell Him it's too late, Lazarus is already dead.
There is no mention of Martha moving Jesus by her conversation and her questions nor is there any mention of Martha pouring out her soul in His presence.
No mention of that happening with Martha but with Mary it was a different story, wasn't it?
Mary fell at the feet of the One she knew held the future and wept!
She poured out her heart to the One who could make the difference and moved God to work in her circumstances.
The scripture tells us that Jesus was moved by the heartbreak of their souls and that His Spirit groaned inside Him and he was troubled.
How many of us are moved by the heartbreak of our children or some disappointment that crushes their little souls?
Won't we also move to do all within our power to help them and ease their pain?
Show me a mother that won't help her children when their hurt and I will show you someone who shouldn't have children.
Why would you think that god doesn't care about our troubles or the things that hurt us?
When we read the shortest verse in the the Bible, Jesus wept, what do you believe He is going through?
Those two words let us know that god is concerned about the things that break our hearts.
God wants so much to be a part of our everyday lives, did you know that?
God is moved by the tears of His children.
Jesus is moved by the tears of everyone of us who have been washed beneath His blood to become His friend.
Don't you ever try to tell me that tears are not a language that God understands.