Being a faithful Friend.

G'day Everyone.

What is a Faithful friend? That is something that you have to consider yourself if you are really willing to put your own problems aside and help a friend in trouble.

Yesterday, I had an event that changed the routine of my day and challenged me to do something different. It was something that I will NOT forget for a long time.

A best friend of mine of many years recently confessed that he did some thing very stupid and messed up his relative's computer. He was considering doing some to harm himself. It was very detailed in an e-mail that arrived my inbox that morning. I had just sat down at my computer and just drank coffee. I saw my friend's email that was very odd. I was opening it and just took another drink of coffee. But once the very words registered of what he had written in the email, I spat out my coffee fast as I did, making a mess. I was in TOTAL SHOCK!

I quickly wrote to my friend an email and demanded that he get on-line, prayerfully that things were NOT too late. At the same moment, I forwarded the email to a confidential friend that was already on-line and was discussing the situation with him. Thanking God that my best friend appeared on-line and I thoroughly questioned him of what was going on. My confidential friend encouraged me to go down see my best friend.

That was when my internal debate of what I should do started. You see, having jury duty was one thing that I might have expected to happen on Wednesday (today) should my number get called up. So I debated. To go or not to go? Then I came to realize that this *MUST BE DONE*. I asked myself, would I dare to take a chance and go down to help my best friend in his trouble? My mom was saying "no, don't go". But I felt God leading me to *GO* and help my best friend.

So I kept talking to my best friend on-line, packed an over night bag, and got moving. My mom was a little upset, but she understood that I was doing this to help a friend in trouble. I told my best friend NOT to do anything stupid and that he could contact me on my cell phone on his OWN computer. He said he would listen and watch for me.

Hopped into my car and drove fast. (no, not speeding ticket fast. whew!) Few hours later, I arrived at his home and went right to his relative's computer. It was a nasty virus bug. I was throwing everything at it. The bug refused to budge off the computer. One bit of prayer and some how, the hard drive *SHORTED* itself a bit! (Hand of God? I wonder). Lightly tap the reset (power) button and the bug somehow fell out of program from running. That gave me an opening to RIP THAT DAMN FILE out of the system for good! Praise God.

Once that was done, I gave my friend a through lecture. He learned his lesson. ( I hope so!) Later, I called up the jury services in my local county via 800 number and surprise, my number is NOT yet called! My friend took me to dinner and I grabbed a room at a hotel for the night.

I think my best friend was more than shocked that I'd drop all things and come to help him. In this depression filled world, just about everyone else has their own problems as well I have. But when a friend calls you with a different type of problem, you have to realize that you have the necessary skill to solve that problem for someone.

A faithful friend is someone dependable. That you are there for that person at the right time, right place. I gave my time and energy to be there for my best friend. I do not expect he might be there for me when I need him, but I wanted to show him that I do care about him. It was a time of being used by God for a situation to help him.

While the situation is confidential, I am in hopes my best friend learned a lesson. I hope he makes the best of it. Second chances are rarely given by God. But a Faithful Friend is more rare to have in this world.

I hope you aid your friend, even your best friend when you can. No matter what the crisis is, your friend will appreciate you more when he calls upon you. I hope you choose to help. I did and I am glad.

I may not change an entire world of people of their problems. But helping a friend, even a best one, is just one step of the way to solve one bit of a problem so that they can focus on other problems of their own.

I'm back home now. Tomorrow, my number could get called for jury duty. Will be documenting the experience.

So till later: Semper FI.