Dear Friends,
As most of you know I love country music, the classic kind from the
50’s through the mid 90’s. One of the great singers of that era was Tanya
Tucker, (Delta Dawn and A Sparrow in a Hurricane), and at 62 she is still
singing, and this past year she recorded one of her most popular songs ever-
"Bring My Flowers Now."
The lyrics made me think of a message I heard a number of years
reminding me to never be a “Tombstone Encourager,” the kind of person who never
gets to say what he/she would like to say to a friend before they pass from
this earth.
In my first church there was a song we used to sing. I still
remember the lyrics: “Tell them now before there just a memory. Tell them now
before it’s too late. Hold them, love them, laugh and cry with them. Tell then
now before they’re just a memory.”
Those lyrics came to mind once again as I listened to Tanya
Tucker’s song. And as I thought about their meaning, I remembered several
instances in my life when I waited too long to tell a friend how much I loved
and missed them. Sadly, it often takes a tombstone to remind us of
unspoken words, or unseen actions we wished we had said or
done.
"Bring my
flowers now, while I’m 'livin’
I won’t need your love when I’m gone
Don’t spend time, tears, or money
On my old breathless body
If
your heart is in them flowers, bring ‘em' on."
Just this week, I some time to quietly reflect on the friends Jean and I have stored away in our “Friendship Treasury Bank. I thought of Syracuse, NY, Philadelphia, Pa. Greenville, Pa, Red Bank, N.J, Fort Lauderdale, Fl. Old Bridge, N.J and now Middletown, N.J, stops along the path of my ministry, where friendships were forged that have lasted a lifetime.
A few nights ago, I picked up the phone and was able to talk with
one of those “forever friends” I made in Greenville, Pa, the third church I
pastored. She and her husband and three children were all Covid positive. Her
husband was in a hospital two hours away fighting for his life and one of her sons
had just passed away from the same virus. It had been over 30 years since I
last talked with the family, but it seemed like it was only yesterday.
That’s so true of friendship. Time never erases their memory.
In his travels the Apostle Paul made many treasured friends who
blessed and touched his life. I took a few minutes to reacquaint myself with
them as I read Romans 16: 3-5; Their names may sound a little strange to
us today- Priscilla, Aquilla, Epaenetus, Andronicus Junia- but like us, I am
sure those friends of Paul were blessed to know that someone like Paul was
thinking of them. Paul had a lot of treasured friends as one discovers in
reading Corinthians 2:12-13; Philippians 2:25; Colossians 4:7; and 2 Timothy
1:2-4.
And having listened to the words of Tanya and read the words of
Paul, I realized I needed to get busy and call some of my old friends and let
them know how much they’ve meant to me. And maybe you have a few of them as
well, friends whom you haven't talked with in a long time and who would be
encouraged to hear your voice and know you’re thinking of them.
Just yesterday I called Carol Escaros, an old friend from another
ministry. I hadn't talked with her in five years. It was such a joy catching up
and sharing fond remembrances of our ministry time together while serving at
Calvary Chapel, Old Bridge, N.J.
Your friend may not be named Carol, but whatever the name
your friend bears, I bet he/she will be excited to hear your voice, so pick up
the phone, make that call, and you'll be glad you did.
Yours in faith and friendship,
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