Sweet sweet times with lifelong friends.

There is just something so special in being with people who have known you all of your adult life.
Scud and I have had the extremely, what i consider rare privilege of being involved in some couples lives for 30-35 years.
This past weekend we went to San Jose to celebrate the Legacy of Young Life in San Jose for the past 57 years. Yes, I wondered too why 57 years, but the faithful committee in San Jose just decided it was time to celebrate. And celebrate we did!! It was such a marvelous 2 evenings of being with the wonderful staff that had ministered over the years and the committee who has worked tirelessly over the years, the tremendous leaders who have loved teens so well, and of course the kids.
I mean to be able to reconnect with kids lives that you haven't seen in 25-30 years who wanted to come remember what YL meant to them, it was truly a special time.
I can't thank the LORD enough for how He has blessed my life abundantly thru the ministry of YL in San Jose. To hug girls who I loved so dearly while they were in high school and college and briefly catch up with, to seeing leaders who gave so much of themselves trying to share Christ with kids, and then being with some people who worked behind the scenes so diligently and prayed so hard-the amazing committee, was incredible!!

And then there was the time spent with our dear friends who we have had the privilege of "doing life" with from the time we were newlyweds and on staff together in the 1970's. The people who know us the best. The ones who love me in spite of knowing me. These dear sweet friends, none of who lives closer than 3 hours away now but have lived thousands of miles apart at different stages have stayed close thru the years. We've changed and grown and been thru so much together. How could you not love those people. These are the ones who we have walked thru the joys and tragedies of life with: the births of our children, the death of one of those dear babies, watching our kids grow up, praying for our kids as some chose to walk away from the Lord for a time, we have supported each other thru our parents deaths, thru vocational challenges and changes, we have attended the weddings of our children, celebrated the births of our precious grandbabies, and sadly watched one of our couples divorce.
But we LOVE each other and I believe we love each other well. WE never get together without praying and that is so sweet.
These friendships are holy and sacred to me. And I realize the older I get, how rare this type of friendship is. WE know each other well, don't judge each other and will always be here for each other-even if distance keeps us physically apart. My life would be missing so so much if I had not known the Walters, the Sievers and the Tuttles. (and I can't believe again that we didn't take a group pic!)

How graciously God has blessed me!