Friendships That Last a Lifetime

I just finished reading an advance reader copy of a book by well-known inspirational author, Rachel Hauck. This book tells about the friendships formed between four little girls in the same class from age six. They’re The Four Seasons as their names are Spring, Autumn, Summer, and Snow. The book is The Best Summer of Our Lives. Here is my review:

 

The Best Summer of Our Lives was a nostalgic read for me. The titles of each chapter (pop songs from the era) sent me on a journey down Memory Lane. And oh, what a journey. We watch as this inspirational coming-of-age novel takes us on a bumpy ride with four young women. Known as the Four Seasons—Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Snow were all set for the best summer of their lives. But a teenage prank took them to Tumbleweed, Oklahoma, where they spent eight weeks as camp counselors. During those eight weeks, their secrets and fears come to light in a way that alters their friendships, lives, and even their futures. Written in a split-time format, we see the girls move from adolescence to adulthood over a period of twenty years, 1977-1997. Their stories, separately and as a group, remind us that our choices matter, and they can and do affect the lives of those around us.  A page-turner and highly recommended.

In full disclosure, I received an advance copy of this book with no expectations. The opinions here are my own

 

Do you have friends like that? It almost seems as if that is becoming rare these days with so many hiding behind closed doors due to Covid. Are those kinds of friendships even possible today with today’s youth communicating so much via social media rather than in person?

Friendships That Last a Lifetime @DDuPreeWilliams #Friends #RachelHauck #thebestsummerofourlives Share on X

MY LIFETIME BESTIE

One dear friend, Dianne Jordan, and I have been friends since fourth grade when I moved to the small town in which she lived. We were in the same class that year and our lives followed the same path through high school. Music is what bound us together then.

God is Who keeps us bound to one another today.

Dianne and I didn’t pull any pranks like the girls in Rachel’s novel. We both went away to college, Dianne to Missouri where she majored in education, and I to the big city of Birmingham, Alabama where I majored in music.

Now, to many of you, Birmingham may not seem so big but when all you’ve ever known was a town of fewer than 10,000 people and an occasional trip to the nearby larger town where your parents’ relatives lived, believe me when I tell you Birmingham was huge.

CHOICES – SOME BAD – SOME GOOD

My life changed dramatically once I began my college years. Like the girls in the book, I made some poor choices. Don’t we all when we get that first taste of real freedom?

But my poor choices were tempered by the best choice I ever made and that was in the person I chose to marry.

I attended the Methodist college on one side of town, and he attended the Baptist college on the other side of town. His roommate, a friend of mine since age 16, introduced us. This is the truth, y’all—a week later, we were engaged. It may have seemed a very risky and maybe even a crazy proposition in those days, but God knew what He was doing when He put us together. Come August, we will celebrate our 50^th Anniversary.

Even our kids think we were dumb to do that. Our youngest told us just this week that wasn’t the smartest move we ever made. He’s probably right, but we were engaged for 17 months – time to get to know one another. And let me add, we did not live together prior to marriage.

It hasn’t all been moonlight and roses. But God knew the path we’d walk since He was on it lighting the way with every step we took.

My friend Dianne stood up with us on our wedding day, as one of my bridesmaids. My hubby’s roomie was a groomsman. We’ve lost touch with him, but Dianne and I keep in regular touch even though we live in different states, miles apart.

The years have been good to us. We have four wonderful sons, a brilliant and beautiful daughter-of-our-hearts, and two close-to-perfect granddaughters.

PRAYER CHANGES THINGS

Hubby and I can honestly say we each live with our best friend. We support one another and lift one another up in prayer many times each day. And we pray for our children and grandchildren together. As we’ve grown in our faith, we’ve become happier with each passing year.

One thing that makes a difference—praying family and friends. We don’t get to choose our family, but we do get to choose our friends. Choose wisely! They could be a part of your life forever. Even into eternity if you choose well.

My prayer for you is that you have formed friendships that last a lifetime.

Blessings, y’all!

The photo here is of me with my bridesmaids. Two of them are in heaven now, my precious sister, Bobbie, and my college roomie, Kathryn Bernhard Lea. I stay in touch with the others. Marie, her husband, my high school choral director, Charles Hinson, and I formed a Gospel trio when I was in high school. We still sing when we get together. They are dear to me. Cecelia became a dear friend during my freshman year of college. She was a year ahead of me and we, along with our friend, Jutta, formed a lifelong friendship. I don’t see them as often as I’d like. We’re separated by many miles. These are all people I will always hold in my heart.

 

When you have Jesus, you have the BEST friend you will ever have. I pray this blesses you. Y’all know I love Larry Ford. His mother-in-law, known to my family as Mama Lesssie, prayed over and for my sister many times during Sis’s battle with breast cancer. She will always have a special place in our hearts.