What Does it Take to Make a Friend?

I did some computer work this morning, then did some more knitting on the baby blanket!  It is almost done!

Tim helped me with supper again because we got some blueberries from the neighbor and Tim wanted blueberry pancakes.  So, that means he cooks the pancakes because pancakes and I just do not get along!  So, I fixed the sausage.....I guess I should say that I cooked the sausage!  And I just realized that I did NOT get a picture of Tim cooking!  Oh well, maybe next time.

After supper I cleaned up the kitchen, took my shower for church and then headed out to take some pictures while my hair dried.

This tree is getting worse.  The middle, which is hollow, has separated from the outside portion that is living.

I zoomed in on this large bird that was perched in a tree across the field in the neighbor's yard.  But, I couldn't get a good shot with the branches being in the way.  

Mooney up there!

So, the bird that was in the tree across the field flew to the light pole on the parking lot.

So, I looked in my Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds and found out this is a Morning Dove.

I couldn't hear, but it looks like she was cooing here.

One of the many crows perched in a tree behind the neighbor's house here next to the church.  Reminds me of the Alfred Hitchcock movie, "The Birds."  

So, how would you answer the question, "What does it take to make a friend?"  This is a journaling prompt for today from Elizabeth McNair of Life of Lovely blog.  She hasn't posted anything to the blog in a year, but it doesn't matter.  I was looking for something different and came across her blog.

Anyway, how WOULD you answer the question?  Here's a partial answer, right off the top of my head.  I believe to make a friend, you've first of all got to be a friend!  It takes work!  It takes trust!  It takes time!  It takes unselfish love!  It takes forgiveness (being willing to forgive)!  It takes all of these and more to make/be/have a true friend!

There is only one exception to the rule that I can think of, because there is One friend that all of us can have Who will stick closer than a brother, even if we don't work on the relationship very hard, or don't put the time and effort into the relationship the way we should.  Even when our selfish desires get in the way.  That friend, if you haven't already figured it out, is Jesus.  He showed us how to love by first loving us .....unconditionally!  He chose to love us, even while we were sinners.  He died for us!  How many friends do you have who would die for you?  Oh!  What a friend we have in Jesus!

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.