Thoughts on friendships, old and new

Buckle up, here comes a doozy of a blog post. I've been writing for 1 hour. I'll add photos to this in the coming days. Here goes:

So much has occurred in the prior 4 days, I am left reeling with a severe case of mental diarrhea. Am I able to say that on a blog? Please do not report me to the blog police. I do need this blog to remain active. My reader will be so sad.

I am in Greeley, Colorado currently - sitting up at 11 PM with "Sense and Sensibility" on (my wife is watching while I blog. . . .and I'm not watching, ahem. . . but WHY did Willoughby have to go to London and leave his wife and her sisters crying? I am depressed), packing here and there for a return flight home to Kansas City tomorrow night, and just somewhat "buzzing" in my mind about recent events. And, as always, God shows up in it in some way, for which I am very grateful.

I have been in Colorado for the main purpose of being part of my dear friends' wedding: Jen and Kyle. Kyle went to high school with my wife and I have known him since recently after I met my wife. He's a dear friend, a good man, loves Christ and will make you laugh. . . .and also likes Duke, CU, and the Denver Broncos, as unlovable as they are currently. Jen has been a more recent addition as a friend to us. We connected with her through our dear friends, the Kayls. Jen is also funny, sweet, caring and has a taste for some of our favorite things: Friends, fashion, dancing (Ashley), Margaritas and Coors light (Jeremy). And, praise Jesus, she also roots for Duke, CU, and the Denver Broncos.

What an honor to be in a wedding - but a wedding for two dear friends? What an absolute joy. I have been reminded of God's goodness in the past days just as I have been privileged to stand beside them as they wed. Celebrating a new marriage with dear friends, in the company of other dear friends, for dear friends. God is good.

And they are now in Mexico, for which I am jealous.

Sitting beside me at the wedding were two other friends: Clark and Zak. Clark, a man of wealth, makes me laugh as hard as anyone does. He is a man of travel, fashion, and his cynical sense of humor is one of a kind. Consider: he has appeared as a guest on the television show "What Not to Wear." He's more smooth than I will ever be. And yet, he cares for me and my wife deeply, as well as my two boys. And in that, I see God's hand. I am grateful for Clark.

Zak, my wife's best friend's husband, shares the exact same taste in funny movies that I do. Watching old SNL skits on nbc.com could bring, literally, weeks worth of laughter, reciting the lines of our favorite skits. This week's favorites?

-or-


Irreverence aside - laughter is good medicine for me. Consider me "healed." Zak is a great guy, and designs great websites, like my wife's: ashleyparsons.com. He's generous. . . .and a good dancer (trust me, he held me tight at the wedding).

I'm reminded of two of my most dear friends who are across the world right now, of all places: Kuwait City. Tim and Krysten are full of adventure, laughter, wisdom, grace and love. They are forever encouraging toward me. And as a result, they're missed, daily. And it made it really hard to see Tim's parents this weekend - a grim reminder that they are 12 timezones (give or take) away. I miss them, but only because God's given me a great friendship. For that I'm grateful.

I've been reacquainted with two of my closest friends. . .who are girls. And before you freak out on me, they are two of my wife's closest friends: Sarah and Devon. Throughout the years of knowing them, I've seen friendships grow despite distance apart. Sarah is a missionary in Chihuahua, Mexico; she runs a home for teenage girls who have been in an orphanage. It gives them a chance at having more freedoms, more education, and she is incredible in this ministry. Watching God's hand move her from 2nd grade teacher in Colorado to cross-cultural ministry is a true privilege. And Devon, my wife's best friend since 8th grade, like a sister to me in many ways. She, like her husband, makes me laugh, and despite the infrequence visits, it's as if no time passes when we all get together. God blesses my heart through these two.

I have also, or course, been with my friends Jane and Jerome, who by themselves are two of the most important people to me on the planet. Add in their three boys whom I've known since they're days in Jane's belly and their friendship with my kids, then you have a special friendship. They are unique in the way they can simply sit with me and everything feels as it's meant to be. The only problem is the time between visits.

And in all the ways God has blessed me with these people (and more that I haven't listed), my heart aches as our plane will leave at 6:10 PM tomorrow, and yet I find hope in what God has laid in front of my path when we touch down in KC at 8:30. The top two reasons? My wife, and my boys, the greatest blessing - my heart wells with pride for them. And as He has blessed my friendships through the years in Colorado, He has blessed, and continues to bless, my friendships in Kansas City. My brothers and sisters in Christ: Bret, Carol, Megan, Genny, Chad, Alysia, not to mention my family. I could write far more than paragraphs about all of them. He is a good God, full of blessings, full of love and grace - and not for anything that I am or will be - it's just because His character is to give to His children.

And yet, flying away is still hard, because Colorado is an old friend. Like a hot cup of coffee with an old friend, seeing today the massive forests, deep blue of the October sky, fiery dots of yellow aspen trees placed perfectly throughout the hillsides, and Longs Peak, acting as the Patriarch of the Front Range, I'm reminded again that the geography of my heart lies 600 miles to the west of my current home. And I long for the next time I return, when no doubt, like an old friend, I'll find this place welcoming, haunting, beckoning me to explore the wild places I cannot yet see with my eyes. Like a good friend, I will also return with much anticipation, eager to take up where I've left off.

I fly away from old friends, but in the arms of Christ - my provider, protector, and best friend. And in Him is the deepest satisfaction of all.

AND - the Rockies are in the NLCS. God IS good. ;)