Friends

I really have been thinking about my friends a lot lately. Some of them have had me worried and praying for them and others have been a great support to me. I haven't felt well this week and it is mostly heart issues, so there isn't much anyone can do about it. Just stay in bed and rest.

Yesterday Emma brought me a book and asked me to read it. It is a simple children's story that has been around for years, but I cried as I read it to her. Why? This story was told at my friends funeral about 15 years ago. My friend's name was Angela Pope and she died of cancer in her early twenties. Years later her example and memories still mean a great deal to me. This story means a lot also and I wish to share it with all my friends now.

It is a simple story by Arnold Lobel and it is in the book Frog and Toad Are Friends, it is published by HarperCollins Publishers, if you have children or friends you should have a copy of this on your bookshelf.

The Story

One day in summer Frog was not feeling well.
Toad said, "Frog you are looking quite green."
"But I always look green," said Frog," I'm a frog."
"Today you look green even for a frog," said Toad.
"Get into my bed and rest."
Toad made Frog a cup of hot tea.
Frog drank the tea and then he said,
"Tell me a story while I am resting."
"All right," said Toad "let me think of a story to tell you."
Toad thought and thought but he could not think of a story to tell Frog.
"I will go out on the front porch and walk up and down," said Toad.
"Perhaps that will help me think of a story."
Toad walked up and down on the porch for a long time.
But he could not think of a story to tell Frog.
Then Toad went into the house and stood on his head.
"Why are you standing on your head?" asked Frog.
"I hope that if I stand on my head it will help me to think of a story," said Toad.
Toad stood on his head for a long time.
But he could not think of a story to tell Frog.
Then Toad poured a glass of water over his head.
"Why are you pouring water over your head?" asked Frog.
"I hope that if I pour water over my head, it will help me to think of a story," said Toad.
Toad poured many glasses of water over his head.
But he could not think of a story to tell Frog.
Then Toad began to bang his head against the wall.
"Why are you banging your head against the wall?" asked Frog.
"I hope if I bang my head against the wall hard enough,
it will help me to think of a story," said Toad.
"I am feeling much better now, Toad," said Frog.
"I do not think I need a story anymore."
"Then get out of bed and let me get into it," said Toad, "because I feel terrible."
Frog said, "Would you like me to tell you a story, Toad?"
"Yes," said Toad,"if you know one."
"Once upon a time," said Frog, "there were two good friends, a frog and a toad.
The frog was not feeling well.
He asked his friends the toad to tell him a story.
The toad could not think of a story.
He walked up and down on the porch,
but he could not think of a story.
He stood on his head, but he could not think of a story.
He poured water over his head, but he could not think of a story.
He banged his head against the wall, but he still could not think of a story.
Then the toad did not feel so well, and the frog was feeling better.
So the toad went to bed and the frog got up and told him a story.
The End
How was that Toad?" said Frog.
But Toad did not answer.
He had fallen asleep.

Sometimes in life we are the Toad and our friends need us to help them feel better. Sometimes we are the Frog and we don't feel well, and sometimes we have a friend as amazing as Toad who will go to great lengths to help us, even when they can't. It is this type of friend that I truly want to be.

To all my friends, I am praying for you and I hope that you feel better soon and I hope that we all have a little bit of both Frog and Toad in each of us.

God Bless