Looking Forward

So in a few days my life long friend--we've known each other since we were 4 years old--Brian and his family are driving down from Atlanta to stay with us over their spring break. Our break will have been two weeks ago so my kids will be in school while they are here. Oh well. Last summer we drove up to see them for a week--hadn't seen them in 4 years; we had many phone calls and emails but no face to face--got reconnected and had a great week. Tyler had his first solo ride on a 4 wheeler and drove right through Brian's privacy fence. Fortunately for all involved, especially Tyler, he was alright except for a few scratches, bruises, and a wounded ego. Then last fall they came down to Disney World and we got to spend the day with them there too.

It's always good to reconnect with old friends. As I get older it seems that a lot of my friendships are seasonal and that just plain sucks. Phone calls, emails, and instant messages are great but they do not take the place of sitting in the same room with someone and just being. Just talking and being friends, drudging up old memories both good and bad. Believe me when I say Brian and I have a lot of good and bad memories. I love going through these times of reconnection with people from my past. I wish I could do it more often. 2006 was a great year and a hard year all at the same time for me. One friend moved to Texas, one to North Carolina, and we left our church of 11 years to go help out at a new church plant 30 plus miles away in west Tampa. We left a lot of good friends behind when we left. We are making new friends at the new church but it's not the same as having people around that you can count on. It took a long time for us find someone at the new church to go out to lunch after church. At our old church the only reason we didn't have someone to eat with was 1. we had other plans and 2. we weren't in town. Slowly this is changing at the new church and I am very grateful for the change. It's hard not feeling connected to someone.

I guess that's what we all need to help us get through the day. Relationships. I'm learning that relations are one of the greatest gifts I can give someone and that they can give back to me. We weren't meant to go at this thing called life alone. I'm so grateful that my friend is coming to see me. I cherish the time I get to have sitting down with him and talking, making fun of him, burping, farting, and just being friends.