I’m grateful in times like this that God does care . . . every moment, every day. I’m reminded that it is far better to hear Him than to be heard by others. These words from “Word of God Speak” by the group Mercy Me seem to be penetrating my soul. Perhaps they’re worth sharing. (I’ve also added an accompanying video to my Vodpod collection at right.)

I’m finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it’s okay
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say

[CHORUS]
Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You’re in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak

I’m finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise
All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet hear Your voice

[REPEAT CHORUS 2x]

I’m finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it’s okay

I am fortunate to have a few friends who I know would walk on water for me if the situation required it. Although our lives are such that we may not talk every day now, there is still a very real sense in which we can pick up the phone at any point and know without a doubt that there will be a kind, caring, and invested person on the other end of the line.

As I meet with people on a regular basis through the context of church and counseling, I am burdened by the amazing lack of true friendships that many in our society have. Life is so busy in the booming Dallas area, as is the case in so many parts of the country. However, even in rural America it seems that people are becoming more and more disconnected from one another despite the many seemingly helpful advances in technology. Just because we have become more wired does not necessarily mean we have become more connected. The distinction is significant.

In a society marked by late works hours, closed garage doors, and privacy fences, I fear that we have perhaps insulated ourselves from one of the most powerful elements of life — friendship. Of course, having friendships and attachments to others is not enough. We must have the right kinds of friendships that help us up rather than pull us down.

Listen to these words from Scripture:

Iron sharpens iron,
So one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)

A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17)

The quality of our friendships is important. It has been said that a friend is someone who will help you move — and a real friend is someone who will help you move a body. Now, I’m not sure I would advocate that, but you get the idea.

Friends not only accept us, but they also enhance us, bringing out positive qualities and serving to refine us. They provide avenues for love, accountability, encouragement, and support. Who among us doesn’t need those things?

I have often heard that a person who can make it through life and count five good friends is truly blessed. After all, we can’t afford to invest the time and energy into a great number of people. But having a few close people to be our friends, confidants, and comrades is a blessing of inestimable worth.

Maybe today is a good day to evaluate your own friendships. Who do you call a friend? Who could you call at 3:00 a.m. without a second thought, should a need arise? Are you more concerned with having friends — or with being a friend? These are just a few questions that should get you going.

Perhaps you are surrounded by people but feeling more alone than ever before. You don’t have to go through life like that. Make today a time to evaluate the reasons for your situation — and to do something different. We must be proactive in this area. . . or the passage of time will find us empty and alone.

Don’t let that be true for you.

Those presents — that took hours to find and wrap — were torn open in a matter of minutes, leaving your tree feeling rather naked. All that food, prepared with great care, was devoured in 30 minutes’ time. The outdoor light displays, which brought so much sparkle to your neighborhood, now lay unattended on many of the lawns around.

And trash. Let’s talk about trash. I really feel for the garbage collectors this time of year. I don’t know about you, but we needed several extra dumpsters to properly dispose of our evidence of Christmas.

I hope you had a good holiday. However, I also realize that it is often after the buzz of the holiday when sadness and loneliness can set in.

Maybe you only got to see those precious loved ones for a little while. . . maybe not at all. Maybe you are just now counting those Christmas cards, realizing that you received only about half as many as you mailed. Maybe you’re looking around the house and wondering why you bothered to go to so much trouble for such a short burst of holiday fun.

I encourage you to practice positive self-talk when your thinking starts to travel downhill like that. Rather than lamenting the short visit with family (whether in person or by phone), give thanks for the fact that you have people who actually care enough to call at all. Some people don’t have even one. Tell yourself, “I am loved. I am special. I am significant. I matter to somebody.”

When you do your Christmas card sent/received tally, offer thanks for each one received. Tell yourself, “This person thought I was worth taking the time — and 41 cents (plus the price of the card).” Also, don’t get caught in the trap of keeping score. Remember the truth of the season: it is more blessed to give than to receive.

When you get to questioning why you go to all the trouble, be careful! Offer thanks for the fact that you have good-enough health to be able to decorate, cook, shop. . . and all those other things you did to make the season extra special for yourself and those you love. Lots of people are not able to do that. Tell yourself, “I am worth the trouble, even if I’m the only one who got to enjoy it.”

Christmas and its aftermath are like everthing else in life. It’s what you make it. As you head into the last week of 2007, take some time to reflect on the blessings you have received. Take some time to thank God for the opportunities you have had to be a blessing to others.

And take some time just to celebrate you. You’re worth it, you know?

My wife and I rented the movie Waitress (Fox Searchlight, 2007) and enjoyed a quiet evening at home. While it’s not a film I would heartily recommend as a must-see (PG-13 primarily for sex and language), it is one that made me think a good bit. . . not bad for a movie that I’d pretty easily describe as cheesy. The real critics use the word folksy. . . guess that’s more appealing.

Despite its lack of cinematography, the flick did connect pretty well to real life. I see some of its themes every day through my work and ministry.

The story line reminds me how many people out there are truly miserable in their marriages. The main character, a small-town girl played by Keri Russell, is trapped in a loveless marriage with a controlling, abusive, and explosive man who seems to think only of himself.

I’m also reminded how many people in this world are truly lonely. For the three waitresses in the film, their workplace — a simple pie diner — provides about the only opportunity for meaningful relationship. One of them eventually settles for a man she is very unattracted to — because no one else has shown any interest in her. I’ve seen many people in difficult relationships for exactly that reason.

I was also struck by how there was a complete absence of anything spiritual in the film. The characters in it simple do their best to get by from day to day, with little regard for the future. Russell’s character, pregnant with an unwanted baby, was driven to seek a better life for the unborn little one. . . so I guess she wasn’t totally disconnected from her sense of future. She just felt stuck in her present. I think there are a lot of people in the world like that as well.

There are so many ways in which this simple film grabbed my attention and made me take note.

As I think of my own life tonight, I feel pretty grateful to have true love, real relationships, and a definite purpose for my life. I hope you do too.