It’s been a long while since we’ve all been together, but this weekend I’m excited to get to see some of my oldest friends, and the reason - to meet one very special miracle baby :)
Some of us live in different places now, others have stayed. I look across our group of friends, and notice both the differences we have, and the similarities we hold.
How did we all get here, to sit around this table and share life together?
One friendship began during children’s church when we were three years old. Truth be told I don’t remember much about that time, just that as we grew up and entered Sunday School, we had a confidence being together, and a friendship that has lasted over 30 years. (wow it hurts to write that, ‘cuz now I feel old).
Other friendships developed in elementary school, when we were 17 girls in a grade, with only two boys in our class (we all hope they recovered from the trauma). We were a dominating force...obviously. We played together at recess, helped each other with our schoolwork, cried together when one moved away, and squashed together on the bus seats (and thankfully, we didn’t fight about the boys).
Then, there’s high school friends. By the grace of God, we kinda all just amalgamated together for lunch, sitting in the dark basement corner of the cafeteria. Enjoyed memories of sleepless birthday overnighters, lips burnt with hot pizza cheese, falling asleep in the reclining chair, watching every new episode of ‘Alias’ and plowing through the corn fields with the 4 wheeler.
As we’ve graduated and gotten older, friendships shift and change, but I love the history we share. I appreciate all that I learn from everyone.
I watch them wrestle through life, pray for them as they grieve parents and care for sick family members. I watch them care well for to each other. I am humbled by their strength and perseverance.
I enjoy their creativity, how they craft beauty into their lives.
I have so much more to learn from them.
“As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another”
So, my oldest friends, I love you and am inspired by you! May God’s grace continue to shape and mold you into who He is creating you to be! Thank you for sharpening me and continuing to sharpen me!
Who are your oldest friends?