Friends

If you're like me, you go through life not really appreciating the right things.  It's not something intentional, I think it just happens because you get busy with life.  You get into a rut of doing the same things in the same way; keeping a schedule; doing the things you have to do and before you know it the day is over and then the week and then the month....  Well, you know!  So often we think we don't have time to do the things we really want to do because we are busy doing the things we have to do.

So often, the things I want to do involve the people in my life that I really care about.   I confess that way too often, it's friends that I don't [have] time for.  I'm busy - lots of responsibilities, I say.  I will call them tomorrow.  I will invite them next week when I have time.  But tomorrow comes and goes and so does next week and the people I love fade in the background, but the work never goes away.

My greatest joy since being back in Washington is being close to my girls.  Close enough to spend time with them; to be part of their lives; to get to them if they need me.  The pain of being separated never left my heart while I was in Wyoming and that emptiness is gone.  My family is together - even if Jessica is across the State and Tracy is busy living her life.  We are close geographically and every night I thank God for that. 

But I'm also rejoicing in reconnecting with friends and valuing relationships.  What fun to renew old friendships and catch up after four years away (one on the Washington coast and 3 in Wyoming).  Just today I sat down with a dear clergy friend and we talked ministry and church and dreams and Jesus.  Ironically, just as I arrive back, he's leaving for Minnesota but the renewal of our relationship was good.  We will stay in touch.

And, what I miss about Casper is not the places but the dear friends I left behind.  It's the friendships I value about my time in Casper and it's the friendships I miss; the people I came to love.  You know who you are.  I miss you!  I love you!

God created us to be in relationship.  God created us to love one another and to care for another and to be companions with one another.  We need each other.  

My prayer is that I won't allow myself to get so busy that I forget that.  People..... I need people.    Didn't Barbra Streisand sing a song about that?