just so you know, there are some times when my best friend eric can be irritating. for the most part, it is when he is being thoughtful. let me give you some examples: ah yes there are the multiple times that he shows up at our house with a chai latte for my wife (yes…mr. thoughtful has her starbucks order memorized), or the time he secretly bumped our wives up to first-class with his frequent flier miles, or last week when he showed up at my office with chocolate cupcakes for my staff, or when he called my mother to wish her happy birthday before me. yes…my best friend is regularly doing thoughtful things that make me look like archie bunker.
so, check this out…his wife is having a challenging pregnancy and she has been put on bed-rest for the next few weeks (potentially the remaining course of this pregnancy). do you want to know what he did? he contacted the phone company so he could have all the calls to their home phone transferred to his cell phone. he did this so that he could give his wife more rest during the day…okay…what’s with that? that’s beyond thoughtful…he is now inventing ways to be thoughtful…
seriously…i am beginning to feel like “jan” on the brady bunch living in the shadow of marcia, marcia, marcia. he is probably even doing something right now while i’m typing this entry… he’s probably booking a spa weekend for our wives so they can plan next year’s homeschool curriculum or better yet he’s probably contacting the writers of the curriculum to ask if he can purchase custom curriculum for my wife, or he’s learning how to make chai lattes or arranging massages for my staff or curing cancer or whatever…like i said…he can get to me…
quietly making noise,
fletch
p.s. i wouldn’t change anything about him. the world is a better place because he is here!
Posted on November 5th, 2007 by Fletch
Filed under: My Best Friend Eric
Yes, he’s wonderful!!! And yes, I am the most blessed of all women!!! I’m glad the rest of the world (or at least the Mango Times readers) all know how great he is now. Thanks for honoring him.
Smidge
PS I heard a rumor that you brought your wife a chai; is EK rubbing off on you?
Ok, ok, that’s enough! Your comments are appreciated but as you know, not necessary. My example for service comes from Christ. It always seemed that Christ was shocking people by His goodness. He wasn’t just walking a mile, but two. When the world thought Christ should condemn someone He gave them mercy. So that’s one of my tricks, I try and think about doing something for someone that is completely unexpected and out of the ordinary. I want to shock them with kindness and love, just like Christ did! And yes, even though my wisdom comes from scripture i can not forget Solomon’s admonition in Proverbs 13:20 “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.” That’s why after my beautiful wife, Andy (yes, I know he hates it but I’m the only one who calls him Andy) is my best friend. Nearly everything i know, believe and do, he figured out first and set the example. He never beat me over the head to get me to reach any conclusions, he just continued to love me like Christ and acted as a Godly example. He’s the kind of best friend that every man needs to have. He has lovingly challenged me and guided me in every area of my life from salvation to core doctrine, from child rearing to casting vision, from hard work to unbridled joy and laughter. Andy’s wife recently told him, “You and EK are like two peas in a pod!” I was honored by her complement. All of the pieces of wisdom each of you get reading his blog are just mere morsels of what I’ve been blessed with over the past 20 years of our friendship.
Everyone needs a Fletch (Andy) in their lives!
see what i mean? my point has been made…he even leaves thoughtful responses…
fletch
What a guy! Loved his response, too.
What a blessing you have such a great friend in him, and that you and Kendra get to be friends with he and Lisa as a couple, too.
~Stacy
Andy,
I told you a long long time ago to follow Eric’s ways and you will be fine. From the very first time I met him at the races, I knew he was a keeper. He is my “proxy son” and that makes it even better!!! Oh by the way, Eric has called us while we are traveling to check on us and to let us know he is thinking of us on our journey!!!!
Mom
Oh that’s right…the two of you met at a race track when you were both there betting on horses…i remember…
at the race track……..betting on horses? Funny, that wouldn’t surprise me about your mom, if it’s true, it seems like just one of the colorful things she would do. And that’s why we all love her!
~Amy
The kids reminded me today that at the Creation Museum, Mr. Thoughtful bought them all a KING SIZED ice cream drumsticks after the tour…and just in case we never said so, we are grateful for the added chocolate and calories of the king sized portion.
What a great friend. May his kind increase…oh yeah, they are :0)!
[...] Eric has been incredible through this all. How good the Lord was to cause him to knock on my door those 20 years ago! Our dear friend, Andy Fletcher, even blogged about Eric’s wonderful care of me last week. Here’s a link to a great tribute to my man! [...]
Eric is deserving of tribute. As his mother-in-law (I like to call him my
son-in-love), I have observed him as a husband, father, friend and son and am honored to be related to him, even though it’s by law. God surely loves my Lisa/Smidge to have provided such a perfect man for her to love and share life with. Eric also knows my Starbuck’s order and I love the way he gives me his undivided attention. Truly he does. I could not love this godly man more if he were my own son. Kath
Funny!
He MUST be a great guy!
[...] not sure that ridiculous candy or posts about my best friend or pictures of me as a kid qualify me for an award called [...]
Wow that was very thoughtful dude thank you for sharing that and the proverbs quote!
Shannon
shannonmccollumphotos.blogspot.com
[...] mr thoughtful showed up with starbucks” [...]