blogger mom

The wedding festivities for Doug and Molly's wedding begins today. Doug and I did the math last week and realized that we have now known each other for more than half our lives--about fifteen years.
I think I first caught a glimpse of what true community meant during the summers of 1994 and 1995. We spent almost every Sunday night after church at the Wharton's house. Pizza, euchre, spoons, walks around the neighborhood with DC Talk's Jesus Freak blaring in the background. We broke furniture, spilled pop, and were usually way too noisy--but we were always welcome. I remember so many of those nights calling my dad and begging to stay just another hour. This wasn't part of our youth pastor's summer programming, it was friends wanting to spend time together simply because we loved each other's company. In fact, I remember my youth pastor getting frustrated because he wasn't involved. There was something very real there and I really do think we were learning about the Kingdom.
Jr. High, Sr. High, MVNU--and then we lost track of each other for about four years. When we moved back to Columbus almost three years ago Eric and Doug stumbled into one another and it seems as though we quickly picked up where we left off that summer. Doug lived in our home for about nine months in Gahanna--a very formative nine months where the three of us continued to wrestle with the meaning of community. Doug has continued to be a significant part of our lives here in Grandview, usually spending a few nights a month on our couch. To be real honest, I'm not looking forward to saying good bye when he and Molly leave. At the same time I'm so incredibly happy for the two of them as they start this new part of their lives together.
Doug, thanks for...
good conversation on a plane ride home from Mexico (I don't know why that's always stuck out in my mind)
teaching Riley how to catch a ball
chocolate cake when I was pregnant
connecting us with the Redcay's
spotting me some cash when I forgot my wallet at Aldi
making my boys smile (all three of them)
keeping a secret or two

Over the past fifteen years you have frustrated me more times than I can count and made me smile more times than I count. You are a true friend because you've seen the very best and the very worst sides of me and you love me anyway. We've known each other through more stages than most friendships ever last and because of that understand each other better now.

May God and your marriage
bring you joy.
God give you joy of one another!
Be ever
in the embrace of the Father
Be ever
in the embrace of the Son
Be ever
in the embrace of the Spirit
Be ever
in the embrace of one another
May the Lord
tie a bond of your love
between you for ever
without loosening.

love you friend.