Peace in the heart

This week have been extremely interesting. There are several things going on similtaniously. One friend - the one I went with to Connecticut and she ended up coming back again - has been trying to get a regular job here again. But in the meantime she has been very frustrated at times. Most of her life she has been a hard worker and a very efficient worker. She gets very upset with others if she feels they do not carry their share of the 'work' burden. She is a lovely woman but seems to find it difficult to realize her value apart from what she 'does'. I don't think I have done a very good job of helping her to realize her real worth.

Another friend I have thought I have been helping for quite some time seems - in my mind anyway - to be at the opposite end of the spectrum. She can be very happy go lucky yet feels that she carries her share of the burdens. On the other hand, at least when it comes to what I think of as helping one another, I have sometimes wondered if it is a one way street. Yet, she has been asking me to help her again. As I have been attempting to help both of the above friends I have felt almost 'caught' in the middle.

Today in particular it seemed I went from one to another. One friend felt I was helping the other one too much. The other friend - I think anyway - feels that I have been ignoring her requests for help.

Very interesting.

But then there is another friend that has been in need of quite a bit of help and yet the whole time I have been trying to help her she keeps helping me in so many ways that I almost feel I have received more than I have given. It has been a pleasure to help her even though at times it has been rather intense. Yet, for all I have helped, it seems it comes back more.

This evening I was practicing a duet with yet another friend at the church to sing tomorrow. The friend who gives me so much was also there. As we practiced she was able to give us her perception of how we sounded and how to improve and we considered it a great privilege to be the recipients of her help.

Each of my friends are special in their own ways. I am thankful for them.

Yet only as I have peace in my heart am I able to in an appropriate way 'be a friend'.

I am longing for more of God's true peace so that I can share it with others, particularly friends.

Bringer of Peace