My Friends

Somtimes I get the feeling that I'm all alone up here you know? I miss my friends so much, and the time differential means that when it's 10:00 here and I can talk for a bit, it's midnight at home and they are already asleep. It seems wierd to think about my life going by without them you know? I still keep in touch with the ones that matter. I talk to Layne once a week, for example. Sometime, we talk twice a week, but he's in Law School today so we're both a little stretched for time u know? Joy is actually in seminary school in Portland, so she's in my time zone but also uber busy. I talk to my brothers everyday...I love my brothers so much.

Speaking of brother [Jon], it's been hard for me to be away from him. When I went away to ACU the first six weeks were so hard for me. I'd stay up on AIM talking to brother everyday. We talked all the time: we're only 15 months apart and have been at school together since we were babies. The same is true now. It's hard for me to realize that although I left ACU for here, he's not comming. He and Shenah aren't there to watch Cowboy games with anymore, or to sit by at all ACU events. And although I don't miss fighting over the car, I do miss him so much. Talking on AIM every day is good but still doesn't change the fact that he'll probably never again need me to make him some chicken and potatoes or some maccaroni and tuna or some eggs - just the way he likes them. Who's gonna take out my trash? Who's gonna carry my heavy stuff up the stairs? And most importantly, who's gonna get rid of people who are botherin' me? I miss you brother...

They say that the most influential people in your life are your friends. If that's true, than I am on the right track. I have friends who love and miss me. And such great influences. Let me tell you the story of one of them.

I have a friend who's name is Tommy. Tommy was a transfer student, and came to ACU a little late. I met him his senior year and my junior year. The first thing he said to me was: "Are you illegal?" Long story, but who couldn't become one of my dearest friends after that? One year and a few SA service projects later, we were pretty tight. One of the bravest things I've ever seen, was Tommy follow his heart to a far away place. And when I say "followed his heart" I mean God.

The summer before his Senior year, Tommy interned for a Church in California, The Walnut Creek Church of Christ. When he came home, he was so enthralled with those kids. He told us stories about them all the time. As a youth minister, it's good to see Tommy happy like that. The thing was, there wouldn't be a job opening at Walnut Creek for some time, so there would be no way for Tommy to work there. As the end of his last semester was in sight, miraculously a job opened up there. Tommy's whole life went on hold and we all prayed fervently for God to take Tommy where he willed. With solid job offers while others were still squirming he waited and waited on the Lord. And heck yes! The offer came...and without a thought he packed it all up and moved out here.

Don't get me wrong; people move everyday. But Tommy, like all good Texans, missed home. It's hard to be an unmarried youth minister. But he presses on where I'd be lonely. When I came out here this summer, I saw something different about him. This is the guy who taught me to play poker, who never went to bad before 3 am, who played pranks I will mention not. But I saw him teaching and leading and doing things its hard for me to imagine him ever doing. I can't really explain it I guess. I know thought, that he loves those kids with all his heart. Those kids make his heart beat...he's doin' kingdom work. It's God's business really, and he's just keeping up with the spirit. I know he's tired, and lonely, and misses his brother. But somehow, that doesn't seem to change the fact that he knew one day - just knew - that the time to grow up and become a soldier had come. Now maybe that doesn't matter much to you all, but to a homesick Texas Girl who cries at night sometimes when she thinks she hears the ACU Chapel Bells, it does matter. He's an amazing man of God, who pushes himself and me and all his friends to be more for God. His kids love him, his church loves him, and God smiles upon him.

That's the heart of God in man - the heart that does what needs to be done as only that one man could do it, not in spite of pain, or loneliness - but despite. He recognizes it but knows that someday it'll all be ok - in the homeland.

Again, don't get me wrong. There are people all over the world serving God in miraculous ways. I've heard people say that "God is too big not to do big things." But allow me to conjecture, that we put God in a box when we decide that being on fire for God means you have to sell all you own and move to Kenya to be a minister. Or, we decide you have to go and live with the only remaining leper colony or something. But not everyone is meant to cruise Africa by night and play Indiana Jones by day. Someone's gotta teach our kids. And not just anyone: someone has to teach MY kids who feels the same way about doing it that I feel about ending opression. For my money, that person is Tommy.

Passion that inspires man, seriously. That's doing what you do for Him.



Tommy you make me smile and you inspire me to open my books when I really just want to go home. When you call and talk me into buying you a jet ski if I become a Federal Justice, I can't even tell you that according to contract law, it's a non-enforceable conditional-gratuitous promise because I'm laughing. Thank you for telling your bible study group about God's justice, and thank you for blessing me with your kids and church family in Tuba Arizona. Thank you for your friendship.


And as I turn around to go to sleep, I remember what my dear Casey said to me this evening and smile [as he quotes from the popular song]:
"Come back to Texas
Its just not the same since you went away
Before you lose your accent
And forget all about the Lonestar State
Theres a seat for you at the rodeo
And I've got every slow dance saved
Besides the Mexican food sux north of here anyway"

Goodnight Big Purple!