Perhaps the most important thing...

...we can do for our children is pray for their future friends.

We’re still sick around these parts. Isn’t that annoying?  And, as typical in life, this winter has been the worst with sickness, right after I was done braggin’ about us barely getting sick.  This week, we are rocking some head colds, last week, we had the flu L  

The flu was terrible…which made Saturday night all the more awesome.

You see, I was suppose to go with a group of girlfriends on Friday night (remember?) but I was a bit too sick to rally and make it out.  Which led us to a Saturday night reschedule. Not everyone could make it, but it was absolutely delightful.  First, two friends and I went out for dinner, then we hit up a bar for some adult beverages.  We had great conversations, and plenty of laughs.  It was a really good time.  After, we got home and hung out for just a little while with one of our favorite couples to hang out with.  We laughed. A lot. And shared stories. And it just felt nice to be with some grown ups.

It’s hard, with the children, to make time to be social.  To be really honest, most of the time I get overwhelmed by social plans.  When I say I cancel 75% of the plans I make, I am not exaggerating (some of you can even verify).  We just have way too many unknown factors to make plans in advance, it’s been so bad with this winter of sickness/freezing temperatures/snow storms etc… that I have actually considered no longer making plans with people. 

 “I’m sorry, I don’t schedule things, because chances are, I will cancel whatever we schedule and it has the potential to make you mad…so- how about we just wait a few years”. I kid, I kid (kind of, not really).  But I digress..

The thing is, on Saturday I was reminded once again, about the value of good friends. I have had really good friends in my life.  I have had really bad friends in my life.  People who have inspired my faith and people who have helped lead me away from God.  I, like most, can think of a handful of friends who, if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be the person I am today.  If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't know Jesus as I do.  If it wasn't for them, the good things about me, the things that I love, might not be there. 

I continue to be aware of the power of friendships in my life.  

If you have ever heard me speak, you know a theme I often come back to is the role of community in our faith.  Jesus/the Church made it very clear…it is through each other that we come to know him.  Perhaps that is why the Catechism calls community our very deepest vocation. 

The call in our life that has the most depth, is our call to be with one another.  To walk, hopefully beside each other on a pilgrimage towards eternity.

As I grow older, I reflect more and more on the friendships that edify (big word, pretty sure I am using it right…Bern?), challenge me to grow, and most of all, show me Christ.  Those are the ones I hold on to, those are the ones that I must make time for. 

But, more than that, I had this thought…

I pray for my kids all the time. I pray they get to heaven. I pray for their future vocation. I pray they are protected and know Jesus.  But do you know, I have never prayed that the Lord graces them with good friends along the way.  

And when I say along the way, I really mean it. 

Friends now, when they are learning to be friends.  

Friends in elementary school who help their imagination grow and help to protect their innocence rather than destroy it.  

Friends in middle school, when hormones begin to rage and often times young people begin to experience loneliness. 

Friends in high school, who allow them to get into just enough trouble to learn, but not enough to put their souls or lives at risk.  

Friends post high school, who teach them through action how to make their faith real, as mine did while I was in college. 

Friends they can go to Mass with, call to hit up the Sacrament of Reconciliation with, friends they want to pray with.  

For my children, I hope they have friends they can talk to about the big things in life and I hope they know the people who have the ability to harm them, and proceed with caution. I also pray they are good friends.  I pray they are there for their companions, when the going gets tough. I pray they have friends who make them laugh so hard their stomachs hurt. I pray they have friends who go on adventures with them, to the park across the street, road trips across the US of A, or trips across the big pond to discover the world. 

I had never thought of praying for my kid’s future friends before, but now, I will try to do it on a regular basis. 

“Friendship is born at that moment when one man says to another: "What! You too? I thought that no one but myself . . ."”- C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

Did you like this post?  Wanna read another awesome one?  Check out my friend Erin's thoughts on girlfriends at And the 2 became 1

This is post #2 of a 7 day challenge to post 7 in 7 hosted by Jen at Conversion Diary...head on over there to check out other bloggers :)