The Richness of Friendship

This morning I am preparing for the return of my sweetheart from Mexico. As I recover from a wintry weekend that kept me in Hamilton until Monday, I am thinking of my wealth in terms of friendships. I overnighted because of the storm with Bonnie and Allan Gallant in Hamilton Sunday night, having warm fellowship and a hot tub in the freezing rain. Love their kids! On the way home Monday I passed through Brantford and stopped for lunch at my dear friend, Alan Rietberg's, favourite haunt. Sure enough he was there and we had a great visit.

As I get back to normal with cleaning up from a week of being without my Kim, and hoping to surprising her with some Christmas lights, I just checked my telephone messages. There were three. My dear friend Deric Bartlett called to encourage me with the reports he is hearing about our ministry in Hamilton. Pastor Miguel Mahecha called to give greeings as they wait for Kim to come home from Mexico, in Spanish. And moments ago my dear brother from Senegal called to greet and to express a desire to get together while he is in Canada for a few weeks.

Then there is the church at West Highland that has embraced us like we could never have imagined. We envy John and Andrea Mahaffy has they begin their ministry there in January.

God has been pouring on his kindness. And this is just a taste of all he wants to show us for all of eternity.

• Ephesians 2:7 "...that in the ages to come he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus."