Friends That Haven't Met - Yet

My kindergarten class, 1961
I'm front row, 3rd from left with the page-boy haircut,
thanks to my mama.

“A friend loves at all times (Prov. 17:17). 

Iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend (Prov. 27:17 NLT).”

       There was only one kindergarten class during my childhood in Fort Payne, Alabama. Mrs. Juanita Horton Hulsey established that private kindergarten in 1951 in the basement of a doctor’s office and taught there for 30 years.

       My two older brothers had attended Mrs. Hulsey’s school, so as a five-year-old, I couldn’t wait to start. I told my mother, “I have some friends there that I haven’t met yet!”

       As I’m watching the tabulations climb, counting the people in countries around our globe who are viewing this blog, please know that I consider you friends that I just haven’t met yet!

       I pray for you daily, asking the Lord Jesus Christ to enlarge, stretch out, not hold back, lengthen, and drive deep into your hearts! If you accept God’s free gift of salvation and forgiveness of your sins through faith in Jesus Christ, we’ll be B.F.F. (best friends forever) in heaven!

I’ll meet you at the pearly gates! [“And the 12 gates were 12 pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl! And the street of the (heavenly) city was pure gold, like transparent glass (Rev. 21:21).”]

From Secrets of Shiloh (storybook #2 in the making):

One afternoon in the fall of Rachel's sophomore year of high school, the Colonel asked if she would do him the pleasure of accompanying him on a walk the following Saturday. He explained that he had some things to show her and something he’d like to tell her. She eagerly agreed, and they planned to meet at his gates Saturday morning at ten o’clock.

On Saturday, the neighborhood trees, stained in autumn gold, crimson, and pumpkin orange, presented a striking contrast against the deep blue, October sky. Rachel zipped her jacket as she hurried to meet the Colonel. She loved the sound of dry leaves crunching under her tennis shoes as she ran toward Shiloh. Promptness was another valuable lesson her dear friend had learned in the army, and she didn’t want to keep him waiting.