Everyone knows that life is full of challenges. This certainly won't be the only blog that I post on this issue. But after posting the blog about my girlfriends, it made me think of truly how exceptional the friends that I have here are. I've never met people that were more committed to their respective causes than this group. I think we become more committed to something when it is presenting a challenge in our lives or the lives of those around us. The friends that God has given me here are so interested in one another's lives and well being that one person's challenge becomes the other's and so the cycle continues.
There is a disease called Cystinosis, that before moving here, I had not heard of- even as a nurse. It's rare and it effects children at birth. We have friends here who have two children with this disease and it has changed their lives forever. What I have seen these friends do is embrace a really difficult life challenge. To put it lightly, in order to manage their children's illness, they have to give their children some kind of medication every hour for at least 12 hours a day. They take turns getting up at night to give the kids medicine in the middle of the night. They do all this and still know that their children are likely to have long term, serious medical problems as a result of this disease. The more I learn about the disease from them, the more I admire their dedication to seeing a cure.
Not only have I watched my friends deal with this on a daily basis, I have watched others of my friends come along side them and get committed to the cause for a cure for these two precious children and incidentally, many more across the nation whol also have this disease. I mentioned in my girlfriend blog that I love watching my friends use their gifts. One example is my friend Amber who is using her gift of organization and planning to benefit this cause. In October there will be a Cystinosis Carnival that will raise money for research of this disease. My friends Brittney and Brett (the parent's of the children with cytinosis) have made it their mission for this period of their lives to see a cure for this illness. So, together with Amber they are planning this event. I can't wait to be a part of it. If you are reading this and you want to know more about cystinosis you can go to the cystinosis link that is on my blog. www.cystinosisfoundation.org.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Girl Friends
I've always been the type that makes friends pretty easily. It never bothered me to go to summer camp alone cause I knew I'd meet lots of people and make new friends and I went to college in TN alone and ended up with some of the best friends I could ever have. I have been blessed beyond words by my friends. God has placed people in my life who I know will stand by me until the day I die. And I will do the same for them.
In high school there was a group of girls that couldn't be closer as friends and I was privledged to be a part of that group. There were 8 of us and to this day- 10 years later- we are still close even though miles separate us and significant time passes in between times of getting together. We are all married and many of us have children (I top them all with my 3). We've all gone through so many life changes with jobs we either loved or hated, some of us had difficult pregnancies, moving from state to state. No matter what though we have always kept in close touch with each other. I find it quite exceptional and I'm certain that most people never find something so special in their whole life. The one thing that nothing can take away from us and the thing that bonds us tighter than anything else can, is our shared faith in God Almighty. In high school we participated in bible studies together, prayed together and didn't want to hang out with anyone else except each other. Some of my favorite memories are from this time in my life.
After high school I made the decision to leave the state to go to college. As I said before I went pot luck hoping for a good roommate. Again, I say, God is good. My dear friend Kris, whom I had never met before move in day, was not only my roommate, but became one of my best friends. And of course she married someone that I love dearly too, in a healthy Christian kind of love. The two of them together are a powerful force for the Kingdom of God and I am privledged to know them.
Going to college was full of life's lessons for me as it is for most kids going to college out of high school. This was my first realization that friendships change and even end. In my life up to this point, I had never had a significant friendship change all that much. This was so difficult for me to get. I was literally broken in my spirit with this realization. Since then, more friends have come into my life and unfortunately some have gone too. If it were completely up to me, I'd keep every friend I ever made. I love participating in people's lives and my life demands that others be a part of it.
Moving away from my home town was one of the hardest things that I've had to do as an adult. At the time of our moving we had one child and our second on the way. I was moving away from my friends from home, but more significantly, I was moving away from my family. My mom, who I count as one of best friends too, would not be a few minutes away anymore. We spent a lot of time with my parents at their house or them at ours. What's more is that I had lunch with my best friend Angie every week. Angie has been my best friend since our sophomore year in high school. Talk about lives that have changed so so much. Angie is someone that has literally been through thick and thin with me and me with her. We were roommates for a time and have watched each other make some really bad choices and ultimately we have both made the best choices. No matter what, Angie will always be my very best friend. With her I laugh more than I do with any other girl friend. I miss you Ang!
Well, after we moved, we plugged into a church and a small group where once again God has been faithful. The girls in this group have become great friends. I long to go deeper with each other them. They are all blessed with such awesome gifts that I am privledged to see in action. The great thing about these girls at this point in my life is that we all want to see each other succeed in life no matter what we are doing.
No matter what stage of life I am in, I am confident in the friendships that I have either old or new. It reminds me of the song that I learned when I was little, "Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other's gold." That's really true.
So, to all my girlfriends: I love you all and value you so much. You make me tick and your lives are important to mine.
In high school there was a group of girls that couldn't be closer as friends and I was privledged to be a part of that group. There were 8 of us and to this day- 10 years later- we are still close even though miles separate us and significant time passes in between times of getting together. We are all married and many of us have children (I top them all with my 3). We've all gone through so many life changes with jobs we either loved or hated, some of us had difficult pregnancies, moving from state to state. No matter what though we have always kept in close touch with each other. I find it quite exceptional and I'm certain that most people never find something so special in their whole life. The one thing that nothing can take away from us and the thing that bonds us tighter than anything else can, is our shared faith in God Almighty. In high school we participated in bible studies together, prayed together and didn't want to hang out with anyone else except each other. Some of my favorite memories are from this time in my life.
After high school I made the decision to leave the state to go to college. As I said before I went pot luck hoping for a good roommate. Again, I say, God is good. My dear friend Kris, whom I had never met before move in day, was not only my roommate, but became one of my best friends. And of course she married someone that I love dearly too, in a healthy Christian kind of love. The two of them together are a powerful force for the Kingdom of God and I am privledged to know them.
Going to college was full of life's lessons for me as it is for most kids going to college out of high school. This was my first realization that friendships change and even end. In my life up to this point, I had never had a significant friendship change all that much. This was so difficult for me to get. I was literally broken in my spirit with this realization. Since then, more friends have come into my life and unfortunately some have gone too. If it were completely up to me, I'd keep every friend I ever made. I love participating in people's lives and my life demands that others be a part of it.
Moving away from my home town was one of the hardest things that I've had to do as an adult. At the time of our moving we had one child and our second on the way. I was moving away from my friends from home, but more significantly, I was moving away from my family. My mom, who I count as one of best friends too, would not be a few minutes away anymore. We spent a lot of time with my parents at their house or them at ours. What's more is that I had lunch with my best friend Angie every week. Angie has been my best friend since our sophomore year in high school. Talk about lives that have changed so so much. Angie is someone that has literally been through thick and thin with me and me with her. We were roommates for a time and have watched each other make some really bad choices and ultimately we have both made the best choices. No matter what, Angie will always be my very best friend. With her I laugh more than I do with any other girl friend. I miss you Ang!
Well, after we moved, we plugged into a church and a small group where once again God has been faithful. The girls in this group have become great friends. I long to go deeper with each other them. They are all blessed with such awesome gifts that I am privledged to see in action. The great thing about these girls at this point in my life is that we all want to see each other succeed in life no matter what we are doing.
No matter what stage of life I am in, I am confident in the friendships that I have either old or new. It reminds me of the song that I learned when I was little, "Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other's gold." That's really true.
So, to all my girlfriends: I love you all and value you so much. You make me tick and your lives are important to mine.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
