As a 6th grade teacher, I am always dealing with the drama of friendship issues. I used to have a poster hanging in my classroom that said, “If you want a friend, you need to be a friend.” How true this saying is, not only for kids, but for adults as well.

Unfortunately, very few people are blessed with true friendships. We all have many acquaintances, but Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times.” I think it would benefit us all to take a refresher course in what true friendship really is.

F – Fun – Friends are fun to be around because you can be yourself without fear of rejection.

R – Respectful - A friend will always treat you with respect.

I - “I” doesn’t apply – A friend is always concerned with “You.”

E – Encouraging – Friends will lift you up with words, notes, emails, songs, & prayers.

N – Needs – A friend goes out of their way to help with whatever needs to be done.

D – Daily – A friend may not have daily contact, but thoughts and prayers are continuous.

S – Share – Friends share everything (burdens, praise, thoughts, ideas, laughter, & tears).

I am thankful to have been blessed with some wonderful friends. Some of these friendships are within my own family, and there are several outside of family. As the acronym portrays, friendship brings about responsibility. I need to constantly monitor what kind of friend I am being, because, “If you want a friend, you need to be a friend.”

Since friends are known for sharing, I would like to share a family favorite recipe that was actually given to me several years ago. This pound cake is the best I have tasted. It is very moist and tender while the top ends up crunchy and sweet. Please enjoy!

 

Cold Oven Pound Cake

3 sticks of butter
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese
3 cups of sugar
3 cups of sifted flour
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Cream the butter, cream cheese, and sugar well. Add eggs (1 at a time), beating well after each addition. Next, add flour and extract. Beat well. Place in a well greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake in a cold (non-preheated) oven at 300 degrees for 2 hours.

 

Copyright © by Susan Sikes Share

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