Mute Sheep

New things: Kumquats, dark chocolate edamame, Salt water taffy (I need to try something besides foods), NCAA Bracket

I really have no way of explaining a comment like "mute sheep".  You just had to be there.  You get 7 girls in circle talking about life, scary cats, and mute sheep and there's no telling what the point of it all is.  But the thing I appreciate about these 7 girls is the ease in conversation.  New jobs, stresses in life, friends that don't know God.  We can laugh, tease, dance, drink coffee, challenge one another, ask questions, speak truth, and in the end there's no place I'd rather be.  We sat there for hours talking, knowing each other.  There is a point to these conversations but I'm pretty sure you would be jealous.

I have always been blessed to have a group of girls that I know will always be there, support me and love me no matter where I am.  I grew up with a group of girls in Birmingham that in every way possible clashed except for the fact we fit perfectly.  I have been in most of their weddings.  I hope they'll be in mine.  I'm visiting on the holidays stoked to see their children or homes while we gather to truly fellowship and know one another again.  Now that I'm off in a new state, I'm not forgotten.  They check up on me, love me in crisis, and are eager for my graduation.  I love you b'ham girls. 

In college, I a few groups of friends.  All were highly infuential in my life for one reason or another.  I was in some of those weddings too.  Besides my college roommate I don't keep up with many of my college friends but for that time in my life they were God sent.  College transformed my life.  The Church took on a whole new meaning in the way I dealt with sin in my life.  I experienced things that I have yet to get over.  My degree was one of the least important things that I gained from college.  My college roommate was also a friend from Birmingham.  During college she became a sister.  We experienced so many things together, distance will never change that.  I'm thankful for such solid friends.

I moved to NC for seminary.  Leaving home that time was more difficult.  I knew I was leaving people that loved and supported me but I had to have faith I was being obedient.  I moved in to my dorm (which was disgusting and the first time I ever lived in a dorm), said bye to my dad, and all alone.  The next day I got ready for orientation, joined the other few hundred newbies and felt alone... for about an hour.  Loneliness was never a strong suit of mine.  I picked out a girl to be friends with and said "I don't have any friends here yet, wanna be friends?"  She said "yeah, I like your shoes".  Match made.  She, her roommate and I started searching for a church.  We met a few other girls on the way and soon formed the Fab Five.  Five turned into many like-minded girls ready to take on Raleigh.  As we branched out as we met others, some are married, one having a child, all out of school (me in May). Jobs will take us different places.  Our futures are still ahead of us.  I've lived here for 5 years now and have a group of girls that I crave to spend time with.  I'm incredibly blessed to have the support, encouragement and love. 

I'm so thankful for all my friend near and far.  I hope my friends know I think of them often and pray for them.  I want nothing less than the goodness of God in their lives.  There is such beauty in my friends because I know they are a gift from God.