He's Our Forever Friend

"Fern" by my gifted friend and artist, Dawn Copeland
(Illustration from Mr. Greenleaf's Unforgettable Summer)

"There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother." (Prov. 18:24)


                In Mr. Greenleaf's Unforgetable Summer, the lonely, little tree frog befriends a small turtle made of stone that faithfully sits under a maiden hair fern on Mrs. Willowkins' screen porch.

                I count myself extremely blessed to have numerous faithful friends, but we've all had "fair-weather" friends who appear to love us unconditionally until we make them mad or unintentionally hurt their feelings; and then they're "gone with the wind." Jesus, on the other hand, will forever be our true-blue friend that sticks closer than a brother and promises never to leave us or forsake us come sunshine or hurricane.


Lord Jesus, thank You for being our real friend, and please help us to be real friends to others.


A sneak peek into the storybook-in-the-making: 

Mr. Greenleaf's Unforgetable Summer

                Mr. Greenleaf sat perfectly still and stared through the screen. He couldn't believe his peepers. On the other side of the wire, under a maiden hair fern, a small turtle also stood motionless - not twitching a muscle just like Mr. Greenleaf.
                "I think the she-human is gone," whispered Mr. Greenleaf.
                The turtle neither moved nor spoke.
                "I say, madam, I do believe the coast is clear," said Mr. Greenleaf. "How long have you been standing there as still as a stone statue, my friend?"
                 The turtle didn't answer or even so much as blink a glassy eye.
                 "On second glance, madam, I believe you are a statue," said Mr. Greenleaf. "Nonetheless, you shall be my friend - my stone turtle friend named...uh...uh...I have it. You shall be my little, turtle friend named Fern."1

1 MR. GREENLEAF'S UNFORGETABLE SUMMER. Copyright Jill Glassco 2015