The arms of God

I sit in my car in the dark parking lot after dropping off some of the best girls in the world when suddenly AF and EP come rushing back down the alleyway, beaming with excitement.  Pulling open my car door with exhilaration they fill my seat with books.  Nothing special.  Just books they have read that they wish me to read.

All in all, this is not a significant event of any sort.  I am often getting in and out of my car in that parking lot, walking down that same dark alleyway, spending evenings sharing stories, laughter, and exotic foods with these girls, etc.  But after saying final goodbyes and making my way back home, I look over at the books in my passenger seat and smile.

Friendship.  I've come across a lot of quotes, definitions, and stories of friendship but as I drove home that night I felt the arms of friendship.  I expected nothing out of these two girls and gained everything.  When I first met them I never expected anything out of it, and yet they pushed their way into my life bringing an ever constant flow of smiles and strong support.  The first time I noticed this was like being hit by a brick out of nowhere.  I was in the midst of heartbreaking situation and found myself on AC2, EP, and AF's couch surrounded by all three of them only to learn that they had been discussing the current trouble in my life and took it upon themselves to offer me everything.  They offered advice, a lending ear, shoulder to cry on, food, fun activities...they offered me a sincere friendship without ever asking for anything in return.

Friendship, caring for someone, is a continual sub-conscience decision to do whatever it take to make them happy.  It is loving someone.  It is an act of God.  God is love.  In friendships such as these, you can see God.  I was asked recently to share an experience in my life where I have seen community, seen friendship, that was a show of God's Love.  This was my answer:

It was a day before her birthday.  A newlywed, with a full-time job, spending her evenings teaching a class full of VBS kids, it was a moment in her life that should have been spent anywhere than where she spent it.  She should have been at work.  She should have been preparing for VBS.  She should have been spending time with her new husband.  She should have been relishing in birthday joy.

So where was she? Beside a deathbed.

It was the final hours of my grandmother's life and I was rushing home, trying to drive while wiping tears away from eyes.  The trees lining the highway were a complete blur, the other cars seemed to be out of place; the only real thing was AJ's voice on my phone.  When I finally arrived at my grandma's house, AJ arrived mere minutes behind me.  She spent the day with a family that was not her own, tending to their needs, sacrificing her own needs.  While we watched, waited and cried into the wee hours of the morning, she was there as long as time would allow.  That is what God's Love looks like.  It was not her hands that brought us water, it was not her arms that wrapped around us, it was not her voice whispering in our ears--it was God's.

So when I looked over at those books in my passenger seat after what seemed like an insignificant event; I realized that a true friendship is a friendship that reflects His Love.  It is His way of wrapping his arms around us here on earth.

Dedication note:  First of all I will NOT be making a habit out of dedicating blogs to people. It's silly.  But in spite of that, this is dedicated to AF and AJ.