This came in my weekly e-mail from MOPS International. I was compelled to share! What kind of true friend are you?

What is a friend? I will tell you...it is someone with whom you dare to be yourself.

(Frank Crane)

Friends

By: Chris Ulshoffer, MOPS International Accounting Manager

Friends...we all want them, we all need them...but do we know how to have friends or how to be a friend? There was a time when I thought I could function without the help of friends. I tried to be a self-sufficient mom. Then I learned that I was expecting twins. Our third and fourth children were on their way.

During a rough pregnancy, being able to count on a friend was essential for getting through some days. Then the girls came - 7 ½ weeks early. They were in the intensive care nursery at the hospital, 45 minutes from home, for a month. My husband and I had to find balance between caring for our two older children and the desire to be with our two precious new daughters. It was during this time that I learned to really accept the help of friends.

My MOPS group filled our freezer with meals; they took care of our children, cleaned our house, and prayed for us. With family close by and friends like this, I was encouraged and able to get through those days. One friend came to our house early every Tuesday morning to help feed the girls breakfast and get them dressed so we could all go to a community Bible study. Now that is true friendship! These friends taught me how to accept help.

I hope that through the example of my friends, I have learned to be a true friend. I also want to model friendship to my children so that they can learn to be good friends to others. Our family motto is "to have a friend, you need to be a friend."

Prayer From a Mother's Heart: Dear God, thank you for friends.

Please join us for the 2005 MOPS International Convention, September 22 - 24, at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Dallas. The convention is open to all MOPS moms, current and potential MOPS leaders, and moms who are interested in learning more about MOPS. Registration is filling up fast, so register today at www.MOPS.org/convention!

Copyright © 2005 by MOPS International, Inc