More flurries
First of all, I must admit that I am on a serious ice cream bar kick. I crave them. So I picked some up on my way to see Sara and Elizabeth this evening. Mmm.
Second of all, that brings me to my next point: I really love spending time with Sara and Elizabeth. We have been best friends for years: Sara and I since junior high, and Elizabeth since college. We all had families that lived near the Portland area of Oregon, so we'd visit each other during summer and interterm breaks. We became roommates some time after graduating, and began a tradition known as Roommate Night, that has continued even after we stopped living together. Every Thursday night (although the night of the week has varied, according to our schedules), we congregate at one of our apartments. We've been working our way through Romans for the better part of the year; it's taken us a long time because we often opt to do something else with our evening, e.g. do crafts like soapmaking or watch a movie. This past year, I've sort of taken Roommate Night for granted. Now, however, I'm realizing how much it is a part of my life, and how much I'll miss it when I move up north.
The thing about my friendship with Elizabeth and Sara is that we are pretty much like sisters. It's about more than just living together and having extensive history. We have gut-level friendship. We can look at each other, and know what the other is thinking. We have inside jokes that don't even need to be verbalized. We can be blunt with one another, and disagree about things, and not worry that it will mar our relationships, because we're beyond that. If you, dear reader, have a sibling, you might understand how it works-- you may fight with a brother or sister, but deep down, you're rock-solid, because your love for one another is not a feeling, it's part of who you are. The roommates-- we're not perfect, and can still hurt one another, but I think our love for one another is a little bit like heaven, except that heaven will be minus the sin.
Furthermore, the three of us are so different. We have different gifts, different hobbies, different futures. Elizabeth is likely to remain in So Cal; I'm moving to the Central Valley; Sara does not even know where she will eventually live, for she will be moving to an as-yet-undetermined but undoubtedly remote area to do Bible translation with Wycliffe. Sara and I are techies, of a sort; Elizabeth works in a people-related job. Sara and Elizabeth like Christian pop music, Christian romance novels, and "chick flicks"; I find them abhorrent. Sara and I enjoy classic black-and-white films; Elizabeth does not care for them. Elizabeth (ENFJ) is a warm-hearted romantic; Sara (ESTJ) is blunt and practical; I (INTJ) am introspective and analytical. But somehow, we make a good mix. I appreciate them not only for themselves, but because they help me to change and become better.
We had a great Bible study tonight. Elizabeth said something profound: "Until we see ourselves as GOD sees us, and see Him as He knows Himself to be, we will be unable to relate to GOD properly. We will be unfulfilled." Sara offered practical examples from her Church and Society class. I commented on the relationship between a sin action and the appropriate (shame) and inappropriate (guilt) reactions, and their role in society. We ate ice cream bars. After Elizabeth left to run an errand, Sara and I had a good long talk about struggles, culture, and other things. Sara is a great sounding board because she is a good listener who gives truly honest feedback, and she is willing to take the time to understand me, because she's known me for so long and has had lots of practice. This, however, should not be construed as indicating that Elizabeth is not a good sounding board. =)
I love my friends!
Second of all, that brings me to my next point: I really love spending time with Sara and Elizabeth. We have been best friends for years: Sara and I since junior high, and Elizabeth since college. We all had families that lived near the Portland area of Oregon, so we'd visit each other during summer and interterm breaks. We became roommates some time after graduating, and began a tradition known as Roommate Night, that has continued even after we stopped living together. Every Thursday night (although the night of the week has varied, according to our schedules), we congregate at one of our apartments. We've been working our way through Romans for the better part of the year; it's taken us a long time because we often opt to do something else with our evening, e.g. do crafts like soapmaking or watch a movie. This past year, I've sort of taken Roommate Night for granted. Now, however, I'm realizing how much it is a part of my life, and how much I'll miss it when I move up north.
The thing about my friendship with Elizabeth and Sara is that we are pretty much like sisters. It's about more than just living together and having extensive history. We have gut-level friendship. We can look at each other, and know what the other is thinking. We have inside jokes that don't even need to be verbalized. We can be blunt with one another, and disagree about things, and not worry that it will mar our relationships, because we're beyond that. If you, dear reader, have a sibling, you might understand how it works-- you may fight with a brother or sister, but deep down, you're rock-solid, because your love for one another is not a feeling, it's part of who you are. The roommates-- we're not perfect, and can still hurt one another, but I think our love for one another is a little bit like heaven, except that heaven will be minus the sin.
Furthermore, the three of us are so different. We have different gifts, different hobbies, different futures. Elizabeth is likely to remain in So Cal; I'm moving to the Central Valley; Sara does not even know where she will eventually live, for she will be moving to an as-yet-undetermined but undoubtedly remote area to do Bible translation with Wycliffe. Sara and I are techies, of a sort; Elizabeth works in a people-related job. Sara and Elizabeth like Christian pop music, Christian romance novels, and "chick flicks"; I find them abhorrent. Sara and I enjoy classic black-and-white films; Elizabeth does not care for them. Elizabeth (ENFJ) is a warm-hearted romantic; Sara (ESTJ) is blunt and practical; I (INTJ) am introspective and analytical. But somehow, we make a good mix. I appreciate them not only for themselves, but because they help me to change and become better.
We had a great Bible study tonight. Elizabeth said something profound: "Until we see ourselves as GOD sees us, and see Him as He knows Himself to be, we will be unable to relate to GOD properly. We will be unfulfilled." Sara offered practical examples from her Church and Society class. I commented on the relationship between a sin action and the appropriate (shame) and inappropriate (guilt) reactions, and their role in society. We ate ice cream bars. After Elizabeth left to run an errand, Sara and I had a good long talk about struggles, culture, and other things. Sara is a great sounding board because she is a good listener who gives truly honest feedback, and she is willing to take the time to understand me, because she's known me for so long and has had lots of practice. This, however, should not be construed as indicating that Elizabeth is not a good sounding board. =)
I love my friends!
posted by Kiti at 12:20 AM
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