just some ramblings

My dad came over today. He hung out for several hours. He helped put together the playhouse, moved some dirt, helped put up the swing set...mostly sat and talked. Just spent time with us. He's a different dad than years before. Relationship raised from the dead, better than ever expected.

Women of Faith Conference in San Jose is next week. I love these women. My mom and I have been going for so many years it feels like we know each of them. Lucy. Marilyn. Thelma. Patsy. Sheila. Nicole. Barbara, who died this last July. In fact, I'm met some of them in person and they've shared so many personal stories at the conferences and I've read their books and get their e-mails....I do know them more than I know most of my extended family and most of my friends.
With family and friends you can see each other for months, even years, and only know their favorite football team, the names of their kids and whether they like turkey or not...just the facts....but do you really know them?
It's good to have some relationships that stay on the surface. The ones that you can talk about the latest TV show or gripe about being too busy, or where you ate out last week etc... but it's really good to have someone...a few someones...that you can go deeper with. Talk about your fears. Your struggles. Your joys. Share what God is doing in your life...or your struggle to believe.
Someone who will really listen, give you their last Kleenex and their shoulder, and who will not just try to "fix it".
Someone who, though they may not of experienced the same thing will still try to understand your feelings...and not tell you how you should be feeling.
Someone who will speak the truth in love...no matter how difficult...a friend to lift you up with encouraging words. Pray for you. Call you, because they know you and how hard it is for you to pick up the phone and call them when you need them(whether it makes sense or not).
Someone that you can return all these things to when they need them.
Others seem to find these friends easier than I do. I've not had much "luck".
A friend for a season, but not a best friend for life. I guess that's because Jesus wants that position. I've taken that relationship for granted. HE is always there and HE understands and HE has the power to help.
But will HE? That is my hang up. God can....But will HE choose to?