Tuesday Tea for Three

Today is Tuesday.

Unlike the rest the days of the week this day holds a special place in my heart: let me explain. 4 years ago when I was a freshman at Briercrest Bible College, God blessed me with an incredible roomate-Corey, and another amazing friend-Jason. The three of us soon became inseperable, and to this very day continue to grow in our friendships. You have to understand one thing about Corey, Jason and I...coming from BC we really didn't enjoy the butt-freaking cold weather in Saskatchewan. I don't know if this is the true reason why we started our little tradition of drinking tea together on Tuesday nights, but it sure helped to aleviate the bone chilling cold.

You may be asking why I am writting about this part of my life history now--4 years later--well just recently I have been reminded of how precious this threefold friendship is. It had been a few months since the three of us got together for some guy-time...and we genuinly felt sick that we had forsaken our tradition for such an extended amount of time. Tuesday night Tea Time allowed the three of us to escape from all the stressors of College life, dating life, major papers- due-the-next-day life, and gave us the time to spend encouraging each other, praying for eachother, and laughing together. This was a time of spiritual refreshment that could not be duplicated. I treasure these memories, and know that if it weren't for the wise counsel I received from these brothers in Christ--who knows where my life would be. These 2 guys mean the world to me...(I love you too Charity)...and for you reading this right now I ask you this:

Do you have genuine & deep rooted friendships where you gather together for the sake of encouragement, prayer and laughter?

I ask this because I know that far too many of my brothers in Christ live their lives without ever experiencing such close friendship. God has hard-wired us for a relationship with him, and for relationships with others. Yet far too often I chat with people who can only hope for such deep-rooted friendships like the ones I have with Jason & Corey. There is a book out called "The Company You Keep" that sheds far more light onto the topic of male frienships that maybe is worth a read if this is an area that "strikes your fancy" (apologies for using somewhat corny Old-English). The book oddly enough is written by 3 BC-Boys (much like the 3 of us) and one is actually my friend Jason's father.

We as men sometimes all get painted with the same brush that stereotypes us as "cold, un-caring, un-emotional, barbarians" when in all seriousness the threefold friendship of Corey, Jason and I is nothing the like. If we as men do not seek out meaningful frienships where we pray for eachother, encourage eachother, and laugh together then our lives will lack in a richness that only comes from time spent together. I'm not saying that you have to specifically drink tea--or that you have to get together on Tuesday's--but what I am saying is that Christian men need to spend time together, in conversation, in prayer, to see their friendship grow and to see their faith come alive.

*Thanks Boys for sharing your lives with me. I pray that as we grow old together we will have many more Tuesday-Night-Tea-Times. Blessings on you both...

Ty