Last Sunday was Mother’s Day and my adult children surprised me by coming over, bringing me cards and gifts, going to church with us and spending the day eating, talking and laughing together. It was wonderful. Travis, Ashley, Westin, Jessica, Alexandria, Tyler, Holly, Cheyenne and Noah were all here. As we sat around the table, we had so many conversations I can’t remember them all, but one came back to me this morning. I don’t have any idea how we got on the subject, but Ashley was talking about a habit Travis has developed. He never takes his socks off. She said he wears them all the time! He wears them everywhere! This is pretty strange if you know how this child grew up... barefoot and practically naked on the sidewalks and beaches of Florida.

Most of you who know us well, know that we are a family who laughs pretty well at ourselves, and even better at each other. We live in a tough world and believe it is very important to take it well when you are made fun of, and we’ve done a thorough job of preparing our children for it. I made a joke about how, by wearing those socks, Travis was just trying to hide his ‘hammer toes’ from Ashley. Of course, being well trained, he denied it and talked proudly about his hammer toes. As we were all laughing, another funny thing occurred to me and I said ‘You just spent too many years with those socks as your best friends!’ I don’t remember his response, but something hit me this morning.

I’m pretty sure Travis developed this habit of keeping his socks on during the years he spent in prison. I can only imagine how important the little daily routines and few comforts that you are allowed become to you. Travis has told me he used to brush his teeth a half dozen times a day. When he came home, our toothpaste tube verified the fact. Clean socks to keep your feet warm in a place that was very cold, must have been a great comfort, and I bet he put them on and kept them on every moment he was in that frigid cell. I’m pretty sure they became very dear to him and he naturally continues the habit even now that he’s out and it’s a lot warmer. They are like his best friends.

Now socks are one thing that can become so comfortable we don’t want to live without them, but what about other ‘best friends’ that aren’t so harmless? How comfortable am I with selfishness or pride? How about anger or self pity. Laziness or busy-ness? How many of these things are like ‘best friends’ to me? Have I become so comfortable with them that I really don’t want to live without them even though they aren’t so good for me? I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure my ‘best friends’ need to be reevaluated all the time. I need to check on them and see if it’s time to let some of them go.

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.