August 30, 2010 at 8:11 am, by Carl

My family spent a wonderful week on vacation in the mountains of Virginia.  The time there was sweet, restful and quiet.  This corner of Virginia is literally a few miles from North Carolina.  To our great surprise and pleasure, the cabin of our friend was only 2 miles away from the cabin of our former pastor when we lived in Raleigh.


Even better, 21 years before, Kim and I had spent our first days of our honeymoon in that very cabin.  So, while we got to find some rest and fun with our girls, we also had the privilege of spending time with our dear friends renewing that friendship that had blessed us so richly.


Pastor Tom and Martha Vestal had us over for two dinners, one lunch and an afternoon of shooting and riding.  It was great fun.  On Friday, as we enjoyed hanging out and just being together, Tom observed how our time was just as if we’d never been apart.


Do you have friends like that?  I hope so.  Those are the relationships that really make life worth living.  But how does that happen?  How do you end up in a relationship that, after not seeing each other for over a decade will still be as warm, supportive and encouraging as before?


You decide today to be that kind of person yourself.  You take a clue from great leaders of the past who clearly understood that a champion invests in others.  You take the time to put yourself with people who will support you.


Take the time to build strong relationships now and they will last a lifetime, even if you find yourself separated for some years.  When you reconnect, you’ll just take off right from where you last left off.  And, trust me, it’s a great feeling.