Nappy Poo? Me too!
Last Thursday evening I made a quick trip to Washington, D.C. primarily to attend a fundraiser for the C.S Lewis Institute. While I was there — just 38 hours — I packed a lot in. I met friends for breakfast, then a different friend for just coffee. I got my hair done by my stylist from years ago and went apartment shopping for my soon-to-be-college-graduate son. I parked at the Iwo Jima Memorial for a few minutes and walked over to enjoy the tulips by the Netherlands Carillon. I grabbed tacos from my very favorite taco joint, then I changed in the rental car for the fundraiser. On Saturday morning I drove around DC before going back to the airport.
But one of the most treasured parts of the trip was staying with old friends. My friend Jennifer is not someone I talk to with regularity. Sadly, I hadn’t laid eyes on her in years. But since we carpooled when our children were little and belonged to the same summer swim club, we have watched each other’s kids grow up. For years we each had three kids at the same little school — our middle children were in the same grade. I could go decades without seeing Jennifer and we’d still have a nice time together.
At one point when I was there she said something about possibly taking a “nappy poo.” I could not believe my ears. I am all about the “nappy poo” but had no idea anyone else even used the term. But more than a willingness to indulge in an occasional nap and use a silly name for it, the truly unbreakable part of my bond with Jennifer is Jesus. Jennifer and her husband were so hospitable — a bed and breakfast could not have been more comfortable or welcoming. But the sweetest thing was just visiting with them both evenings I was there. Jennifer was telling me about recently giving a Bible to someone. Jennifer felt a clear prompting from the Lord about buying this person, whom she has known for years, a Bible. I loved hearing about how this thoughtful, dear friend obeyed, and how the delivery was a God-ordained moment clearly meaningful to both parties.
Do you have friends who are more than mere friends? Where the bond through Jesus is easy and eternal? I hope so. We are called to build one another up as the body of believers, and sometimes you can do that with something as simple as laughing about nappy poos. Or you can have a serious discussion about evangelism. Sometimes you get really lucky and get to do both.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Digging Deeper:
How have you recently felt built up by godly friends?
How does laughing with such a friend refresh your soul? How can you make more time for such encounters?