Kitchen Catechism: Words of Wisdom
Friendship compels support.
Life, for me, seemed to be getting complicated and I felt bogged down so I turned to a dear ACCW friend and asked for help. That was Loretta Tyson, a past Council president, who has served on the National Board of WICS and is active in many other ministries. She has always come through for me with solid support, sometimes without my even asking. This time I asked: “Could she please write a Commentary for our Web Site on any topic she would like?” I love what she chose to write on “friendship and support” and the interesting way she put it together.
Friendship Compels Support
by Loretta Tyson
I love the people God has put in my life. They’re constant reminders to me of the good in this world and of the amazing way God is taking care of each of us. Recently a friend e-mailed me that she’d be praying for me. What a comfort. How did she know I was in need? The fact that I was awake and replying to her previous message at 4:00 a.m. was probably a tip off. But don’t you love having such friends?
I still keep in touch with a group of college sorority sisters from the 50’s. I was the “square” in the group (still am) and for 34 years did little more than exchange Christmas cards with these dear people. When my husband died, they reeled me in. Suddenly, a weekend gathering was taking place and I was included. Since then we’ve gotten together every few years for adventures all over the country. When we’re together, we minister to each other. When we’re apart, we do the same. I have a similar relationship with six women I met in a bereavement group in 1992-93. We’ve turned into a Thursday night meet-for-dinner fellowship and support group. The list goes on.
All of us, whether we realize it or not, find God in all these little circles. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately possibly because very recently, I spent time with a younger sister who suffers from chronic depression, is heavily in debt, and is off her medication. Concern from her brothers and sisters is the last thing she wants, so I pray her therapy group is giving her the support she needs.
Then I went to cheer up a friend who is studying to become a Catholic. She’s started working a full-time job as well as working evenings at a restaurant she and her husband are trying to keep afloat. Here's this tired, wonderful woman wanting to treat me to my meal, while I'm trying to help her out by eating at her restaurant.
In the same week, a long-time friend told me that I was her inspiration for standing firm and continuing to plan a pot-luck for 1,000 - at mid-day - in August. Since I was one of the people saying she was being completely unreasonable in insisting on having a pot - luck, it made me take a good look at myself. How stubborn and self-righteous am I?
God speaks to us in many ways. I thank Him daily for the people He sends into my life. Often, they make me happy. Always, they make me think and pray.