As I walked up the street with my golden retriever, I saw her standing in front of the small village post office. She was looking up at the sun through her fingers. I could tell she was probably autistic. When she saw my golden retriever, she looked at us through the slits in her fingers. “Does it bite?” she asked. “No, she loves people”, I replied. Coming closer, she asked if she could pet her. “Sure,” I replied, “Her name is Miki. What’s your name?” “Candie,” she said, as a smile brightened her face. “That’s a sweet name,” I told her. “You can pet Miki while I go into the post office for a minute.” When I returned, we said goodbye to Candie and went on our way.

It seems that the storms and stresses of life throughout the world have increased exponentially sense that dreadful day of 9/11. In fact Jesus said that in the end times, “men’s hearts would fail them for fear of those things that are coming upon the earth” (Luke 21:26). In Matthew 24 Jesus gave some future signs that would point to and precede His return to earth. He referred to this time as “the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:8). He described it as being like a woman in labor pains. Could we be in “the beginning of sorrows” that will usher in the triumphant return of Jesus Christ to planet earth?

My little granddaughter pulled me by the hand. “Pooh”, she said as we sat on the floor to watch her favorite video. As an adult “Winnie the Pooh” seems rather slow moving and laid back. Preschoolers seem to love the gentle bear. My grandson’s favorite character is Tigger. Perhaps he identifies with the high energy, rambunctious escapades of Tigger.

A banner that I saw waving from the porch of a home seems to sum up the appeal of Winnie the Pooh. The banner displaying the pictures of Winnie and Tigger read: “Welcome friends”. Preschoolers and children seem to make and value friends easier than teens and adults. Winnie the Pooh seems to model acceptance and the value of friendship.

Having a farm background, I know how important it is to mend fences. It is sometimes a tedious and tiring job, but to neglect it can result in tragedy and loss. When we lived in South Dakota, a rancher friend had several sheep. When a sheep would find a hole in the fence and go through it, the whole flock would usually follow. Occasionally one would get stuck and die struggling to get out. It is imperative to be ever vigilant in mending fences.

Multitudes of marriages and human relationships have been damaged and destroyed because of the neglect of mending fences. We must constantly work at mending relationship fences in marriage, family, church, and the work place. Let us consider seven steps to healing of marriage and human relationships.

The future looked dim for Alvin and Calvin Harrison. After being evicted from their home, the twins found themselves homeless. For a while, they lived in their mother’s old mustang. They quickly learned how to survive. After experiencing the loneliness of foster care, they finally were able to go live with their grandmother. Perhaps that’s where they first discovered their athletic talent and developed the discipline and determination to go for the gold. In the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Alvin persevered to win the silver in the men’s 400-meter.

Then there was the unbelievable and flashy Michael Johnson, with his golden running shoes, who became the first man ever to win the 400-meter in consecutive Olympics. He has won four Olympic and nine world championship gold medals.

A sage once said that those who have two or three good friends are fortunate. He or she who has one true, close friend is fortunate indeed.

Since moving into a new neighborhood a little over a year ago, we have only seen our neighbor lady a couple of times. An upward mobile executive, she leaves her home before sun-up for her commute to work and returns home late in the evening. My wife happened to meet her at a neighbor’s moving sale one Saturday. Our neighbor sadly remarked that even though she had a good job and had lived in the neighborhood for about 10 years, she had no friends. That sentiment is a commentary on life in our society today.

A vast audience tunes in weekly to the hit television comedy “Friends”. Many were sad to see the series come to an end after ten successful seasons. I am not a fan of sitcoms and seldom watch them. But I am intrigued as to why so many people tune in every week to watch “Friends”. Many people have told me that it was funny, creative, with surprising twists, and involved characters who stuck together as friends despite their imperfections.

All people need and desire to have such friends. Aristotle wrote, “Without friendships no one would choose to live, even if they had all other good things in life.”