Happy Friday Digital Neighbors & Friends! Good Morning to all who visit Padre's as Supporters, Members and you Lurkers from other Locals! Let's take a detour from Forbes Book of Quotations and peek inside Ageless Wisdom: A Treasury of Quotes to Motivate & Inspire complied by J. S. Felts. Another look at the gift & treasure called friendship. A couple of quotes and a few proverbs.

There are only two people who can tell you the truth about yourself - an enemy who has lost his temper and a friend who loves you dearly. - Antisthenes

One will tell you the perceived truth to wound you, the other will reveal your faults that you might overcome them. Depending on your emotional state and degree of self-possession you may be destroyed by the words of your enemy and find yourself friendless most of your life because of the inability to receive the comments of a good friend. Warts - my closet friends have seen mine and still manage to love Tom. Many people think I possess few warts, but if they spoke to my family they would think otherwise, for they would probably speak freely especially after a drink or two. My sister wouldn't, but there would be a fair number who probably would. But if they spoke to my closest friends they would laugh and acknowledge that I'm far from perfect but would be kind enough not to speak too freely of my failings and foibles.

Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. - George Washington, letter to his nephew, Bushrod Washington, 15 January 1783

I appreciate President Washington's advice. I have tried to embrace his words for the most part, but I tend to be more open and intimate with more than a few. My ministry method and preaching style tends to be very personal and open about the episodes of my own life that may help connect and illustrate to others our human journey, and especially to believers the pilgrimage of faith we are undertaking on our journey toward the Divine. I have been blessed with an abundance of good people in life, and have been able to find the good in many if not most of the people I have met.

Do not remove a fly from your friend's forehead with a hatchet. - Chinese Proverb

Proportionate response is considered among friends, not among opponents. Many who oppose you might not think a hatchet a bad solution to getting rid of both the fly and the other nuisance that is you. After you silence your opponent, disposing of them in prison and then the grave are the only two steps remaining in completion of oppression. We are already at the silencing stage, and some have been imprisoned. Many more may be headed that way, the lists of new & growing offenses are already being developed by the CABAL. Don't have your Vaxx pass, no entry, no service, no welcome. The Vaxx pass is just the first test in reintroducing such violations of liberty and freedom in our steps towards a safer and better future. Your overlords would like a little more appreciation and gratitude.

If you always live with those who are lame, you will yourself learn to limp. - Latin Proverb

Not the physically lame, the emotionally & mentally lame are the target of this proverb. The company you keep is often the company you become. There can be great diversity of thought and attitude, but a common foundation of character that join most friends or groups. If you keep company with the corrupt and self-serving, you will find yourself often wanting to embrace their way of life. It is not a 100% given, if you are a leader among the riff-raff, you may have a chance of leading them to a path place personally and emotionally. Leaders can do more to determine the "atmosphere" of the shared space than anyone else. They are not solely responsible, but very culpable. I try to be mindful of that in my pastoring. How I care for the office staff, who are outstanding, along with our parishioners whom I love and serve are my first opportunity to love my neighbors as myself.

He that will only have a perfect brother must resign himself to remain brotherless. -Italian Proverb

What are your personal breaking points? We ought to have some idea of what they are in our making or breaking of friendships. Knowing them also helps us to welcome people into the circle of trust that are worthy of our trust. The deeper and/or longer the friendship, the more willing we tend to be at bearing their faults. The bearing has to be tempered, lest we overlook the faults to such a degree that they poison the friendship or other relationships. Good friends shouldn't have to cover our ass as much as they help prevent it from hanging out too much. Better a slap or kick on from one who cares for you rather than the world which does not.

Happy Friday my friends!

New Hampshire winter barn or is it a shed?