Tea-for-Two

I have a best friend that is a precious, rare jewel. In fact, Jewel is her middle name!

The early days of our friendship were forged over cups of coffee and the Word of God. Our Father, quite literally, put our friendship together despite our protests. We didn’t have much at all in common except we both went to the same church (in a different town) and we lived in the same neighborhood. She thought I was a goody two-shoes who didn’t want to spend time with someone like her. I just couldn’t sleep with snoring! (We shared a room for one night at a woman’s retreat). But, our small group Pastor kept urging our two families to get together. Sandie and I gave in and tried, our husbands didn’t. And that started us on a wonderful, unexpected friendship.

As we spent time weekly over cups of coffee, or tea, with the Word between us, with our hearts in prayer for our husbands and our children, God formed a bond in us. We know how David and Jonathon felt when they made a covenant between them. We understand the deep love that extended even to each others children and heirs. We’ve shared the birth and death of hopes and dreams, ours, our husbands’ and our children’s. We share promises received, and some still awaiting.

One of the hardest things we have gone through is separation. For the last several years we have been struggling to learn how to do best-friendship over a long distance. It has been tough. We have both have health issues that we wish we were able to be closer to help one another. We have also had tremendous family stresses. We both could so use our tea-for-two time. One evening after this past Christmas, my dear Sandie called me to give me permission to find a new best friend to have tea with here to help with my stress load. I can’t begin to tell you the sacrifice that was for her, and we both cried together as I told her that no one could replace her.

So why am I sharing this with you? It is the beginning of a new year. I’ve been trying to challenge you a little bit each month. So, now I’m asking you to reach out, stretch a bit maybe. Start to share your tea with someone else. Do you have a Best Friend? Is she your accountability partner? Is there a younger Mom you can share a cup of tea with? Can you give a gift of tea to someone? We all need Jesus with skin on from time to time, and He is faithful to give us friends.

My article this month is dedicated to my Bestest Friend Ever, Sandie Jewel Cumpiano. She is my David and my Anne with an E