History In The Making

When I was a child, I moved every two-three years until I was sixteen and seems as though that trend didn’t stop after High School. From Oklahoma, to Vegas, to Florida and Texas (and those are just to name a few) until I left home I moved a total 11 times, houses and cities included. Once I left home, the trend continued with now a total of 13 times (houses, cities, and countries included). I am no stranger to moving and sometimes I have to rearrange furniture when I get the “itch”. Not for one minute would I change my childhood or adventures I’ve had throughout my life thus far, due to moving so often. As I get older I am starting to like the idea of “settling down” in one place just so I could get to KNOW people…REALLY know people. With moving so often, I believe I never really learned how to completely let go and develop a true, TRUE friendship. I have a lot of people I know, but for that deep, “they-know-everything-about-me” was hard to find, especially when you know you’re just going to move again.

I’ve had the privilege of getting close to a few women (or girls at the time) in my life. I had one great, great friendship all through high school. Life happened (doesn’t it always) and we lost contact for a while. We are on the brink of re-connecting via Facebook. She and her family played a significant role in my life. I also had a wonderful team-mate here on the field that I knew I was able to be myself around and someone just to have fun with, and boy do you need that on the mission field!

However, in writing all of this I want to honor one friend in particular. This friend (and that word doesn’t even seem good enough) came into my life 15 years ago. Forces bigger than myself (Adventure In Missions) brought us together. Angela Burns is truly a magnificent woman. Now mind you, during our first months/year together it was wobbly…but we were young and both fighting to discover who we were as young women. However, I’ve had the privilege to watch this lady grow, grow, and grow into the woman she is today. Our relationship over the years hasn’t always been bubbles and cartwheels, but I think the things we’ve seen each other through made us have an unspoken dedication to one another. Ang has seen me at my most icky…inside and out. She has been by my side through the saddest and happiest moments in my life. She stood by me when it would have been easier to walk away. We’ve had a bounty of great times and plenty of hard times…but now our friendship is different.

It’s different in the greatest of ways. I believe it comes from knowing one another…and not just knowing someone for years and years, but KNOWING and UNDERSTANDING one another, every ebb and flow, every puzzle piece, every nook and cranny. I can truly say that I’ve never had a conversation with this dear friend that God wasn’t present. How could He not be? Like any relationship, He has to be the center or it just doesn’t work! These days Ang and I spend a lot of time “poking” each other through Facebook, sending emails, sharing phone calls that still bring tears to our eyes. In fact she recently said this to me:

…”We have laughed, reminisced, cried, dreamed... And that was just during your phone call! :-) …”

I couldn’t have said it better. So I will stop rambling and just say this. Although Ang just celebrated a great birthday, I celebrate her being in my life for 15 years. She has taught me a lot and part of who I am has been because of her presence in my life.

Angie, there are no words really…I’ve tried and failed to express…I know you just KNOW how much you mean to me. Never lacking in laughter, which we can’t seem to avoid when on the phone with one another. Never lacking in tears, the good ones and the bad ones. Never lacking in understanding, we’re women. And never lacking in dreaming, dreaming of the future and seeing how God’s pattern and plan for our lives is truly perfect in every way.
Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.

Ang, is it sad and a little disturbing that this is one of my fav pix of the two of us?

Disclaimer: I have had many friendships that I hold dear. I thank AIM for this. Going through the Adventures in Missions program taught me several things that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, however probably the greatest lesson I learned was how to develop true and meaningful relationships with people. I mean HELLO I met Ryan through AIM! I love you all and those I have in my life and some that were there for the time-being have left a stamp on my life. I try to honor you all on how I live my life…but this post…well I just had to give Ang some props!