“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”  Proverbs 13:20

 

July 2019

Dear Friends,

This month’s Gift letter topic is the Gift of Friends. We have been made for relationships – with God and with each other.  “It is a wealthy person, indeed, who calculates riches not in gold but in friends.” Over the years many of you have become very good friends.  This is a great gift to us. We pray this month’s letter is a blessing to you as you all have been to us!

Blessings,

The Team at Legacy Planning Advisors, LLC.

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The Gift of Friends

Friends are people we can count on through thick and thin.  They are the ones who support us when we make good choices and tell us when we make bad ones.  Friends make us laugh and they make us think.  Friends bring us joy and remind us that life is meant to be shared. 

Friends sound a lot like family but with one big difference.  While we can’t choose the family we are born into, we can definitely choose the friends we want in our lives. 

Friendships, however, need to be appreciated and nurtured by staying in touch and making time to spend together.  You can’t neglect your friends for years on end and then expect them to be there when you decide you need them. 

This month, as you put thought into what makes a true friend, and energy into being a true friend, you will discover the Gift of Friends.

 

Experience The Gift of Friends

“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24

The Friendly Front Door Surprise

If we want to HAVE a good friend, we must BE a good friend.  Think of someone you know who could really use your friendship right now and do something unexpected for him/her that he/she will really appreciate. 

The beautiful thing about giving to close friends is that you know them well enough to touch them profoundly with your gift without making them feel like they have to return the favor.  They can simply enjoy knowing they have a friend who cares that much. 

Make a little gift basket or box to surprise a friend with something you can do for him/her that he/she would really appreciate.  Maybe it’s a coupon for a massage, an afternoon of babysitting, help with homework, cleaning out the garage, a home-baked pie, or a game of golf. 

Leave it at the front door unseen or send it in the mail.  Fill it with the promise note and some kind of treat you know she will enjoy.  Don’t wait for him/her to ask you to deliver the promise.  Most people are too polite to ask. So, every time you see him/her, be the first to ask if he/she is ready for the IOU.

 

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business.  Instead, I have called you friends, for everything I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”  John 15:12 - 15​

 

The Recipe of Friendship

Make a list of people in your life you consider true friends.  We often have many acquaintances, but few real friends.  Your list might include a sibling, a parent, or a child.  Then think of the qualities that you like about him/her.  Do you like him/her because he/she is rich, popular, well dressed, successful, or good-looking?  Probably not. 

You will find that the reason most of us choose and keep our friends is that they are kind, trustworthy, loyal, supportive, understanding, fun, etc.  Talk about these qualities with each other and compare your lists.  You may find that your lists are quite similar and that there are certain qualities we all look for in a friend. 

Now look at your list and think about the kind of friend you have been for others in your life.  Are there ways you could improve? Are there things you could do differently that could make you a better friend?  Take time to improve your recipe, too.