Tomorrow's Coffee will be bitter sweet

I've said the same phrase to three good friends over the past month.  "Man I wish we would have hung out more while you were in Louisville."  Two of these friends are United Methodist Elders so this is the time of the year where every elder holds their breath.  These two were in Louisville for 3 and 5 years respectively.  I hung out with them at Conference Events, but I didn't take the time to get our families together or do something fun every once in awhile.  I didn't do this, of course, until the last second when I found they wouldn't be around anymore.

I usually start my work day off by sticking my head into our church administrator's office and say, "Hey, lets walk down to the cafe and grab a cup of coffee."  It usually takes about five minutes.  I drink my coffee black like a man and he drinks it with all the sugars, creams, milks, etc like a girl.  Great conversations happened in those five minutes, but tomorrow the coffee will be just bland and black b/c our church administrator has moved on to Missouri.  This is a good move for him and his family, but it again makes me say, "Man...I wish the two of us had hung out more and gotten our families together."

I bet I"m not alone in not realizing what you've got til friends move on to other locations.  Scripture notes over and over again the importance of having close relationships with the people around us.

• Proverbs 27:17  17 
  As iron sharpens iron,
      so one person sharpens another.
• Ecclesiastes 4:12
  Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. Acord of three strands is not quickly broken.
  
  
  
  
  Even Jesus took the time to have close friends.  He was tight with all 12 of the disciples, but he was really close to three.  Even Jesus needed friends.
  
  
  A national church leader shared with a group that he had to let 40 clergy members  go because of immorality during his leadership in a certain area.  A common thread in all of these clergy was that they did not have close connection with a group of friends to hold them accountable.  
  
  
  When I think of these three friends I can say that my life is truly better for knowing all three of them.  I wonder how better it could be if I spent more time investing in the friends that are around me like these three.  I've got the excuses...time, money to travel, I didn't get your message, etc.  All of those excuses lead to "man...I wish we had done this more while..." 
  
  
  Who are those around you that if you spent time with them your life might be filled with a little bit more joy?  Go get some coffee with them...whether you drink it like a man or a girl.