Sunday, August 3, 2008

Fabulous Friend #3

It's finally time for another Friend Talkers post! You've "met" Kim and Joy. And now, I'd like to introduce you to my dear friend, Sarah! Many years ago, I told her that she was the answer to prayers that I hadn't even prayed faithfully. I didn't even know the half of it then.


Sarah is iron. The kind that sharpens. The kind that God delights to use for his glory.


I had been a Christian for a long while, but, until I met Sarah, I didn't know real Christian fellowship outside my family. I didn't know how to be my comedic free-speaking self and be my Jesus-needing, God-glorifying self. It was confusing. To me, Christian women seemed quiet, homely, boring, quiet, studious, serious, quiet and also excruciatingly quiet. (And there were no blogs that I knew of to prove to me how many wonderful, hilarious, honest, God-fearing, God-glorifying Christian women there really are!!!) So, naturally, I didn't know how an extroverted woman really fit in the church community.


Until I met Sarah. She was intensely earnest about her Creator. And she was always ready to throw her head back and laugh.


Sarah would call me to ask me to pray for her. Sarah told me that during the nursing months, she "just felt like Booby McBooberson". Sarah confessed specific sin in her life. Sarah laughed wonderfully loud. Sarah prayed with me. Sarah told me it was years before she realized that "The School of Hard Knocks" was not actually a school. Sarah shared what she learned in quiet times with me. Sarah taught me that making Tuna Helper was not actually cooking. Sarah introduced me to the phrase "purity in thought life". Sarah would run and kick her bum and flail her arms just to hear me laugh out loud.


Sarah was not self-protective. She gave no pretense of being the model Christian wife and mother. And, yet, in so many ways, she was the God-given model who showed me that being a Christian means that we do not hide. We do not hide our faith. We do not hide our personality. We do not hide our sin. We do not hide our fears. We do not hide our weaknesses. We do not hide our gifts. We are an exposed people.


I learned this by Sarah's example.


In the first few years of our friendship, we spoke everyday and saw each other at least once a week. Five years ago, Sarah and Kurt moved to Los Angeles. And just a year ago, they moved again across the country to the Pennsylvania (to her hometown and the hometown of "The Office"!). In the last five years, Sarah and I have had four reunions ranging from 3 hours to 4 days. The Lord has been good to protect our friendship through life's many trials and transitions while lacking the daily contact we enjoyed during the foundation of our friendship. Just a few weeks ago, we had one of these reunions when my sister flew her to Minneapolis. Here are some pics:


Me, Sarah and Neely at Palomino.




Sarah being snagged by one of the dueling pianist at SHOUT! after requesting none other than "Sarah" by Jefferson Starship. Snagged for what?




Oh the irony of Sarah being forced to dance to "I like Big Butts". She has no junk in the trunk. But, she DOES have a sense of humor! Thanks for playing along, Sar!





Posted once already, but worthy of a repeat. I love you, SARAH!



And in closing....
3 random Sarah facts:

1. Sarah has made me more ham sandwiches than anyone...even my own mother!
2. She took my profile picture.
3. She and I put on fake British accents for the hotel staff in del Mar...just a year ago. And, yes, we knew we were being junior high. It's that kicking-your-bum-flailing-your-arms kind of freedom that I enjoy with my dear friend, Sarah.



11 comments:

Sarah said...

I am so greatly humbled...and I love going down memory lane with you...and making you ham sandwiches. I love you and miss you terribly.

Neely and Steve said...

Let's not forget the time Sarah stopped a fast-acting round of "Catch Phrase" having been dumbfounded by the word, "lin-geary?"... no Sarah, that's lingere... the reason you are six months pregnant.

For this and Jenna's reasons, and for loving my sister is a sister-like way, I love Sarah too.

Sarah said...

Oh...and too bad I didn't flub up "clothespin" in front of you all as well. I think that may have been at my in-laws with about 20 people from church. I kept reading it out loud..."clothes spin?" Clearly I don't read enough...or go to Victoria's Secret EVER!! Neely, the fact that you remembered that clarifies that the tremendous memory of random facts runs in the family. For the record, I use to love to hear you say the word "unconcienable."

Anonymous said...

You know why we are so thankful she's HERE. What a wonderful, so, so true post. What would we all do without her?

What I also love is how she just won't let me say that I'm doing "fine" or "good." She goes deeper and finds out what's REALLY going on.

She never told me the story of your girls' night out. I'll have to hear about that one!

Thanks, Jenna. We are all ready for you to visit PA. :)

Jenna said...

oops. I hope I didn't over-share. She was so innocent...and a really, really good dancer!

Jenna said...

And another thing...
I think the one point this post is lacking absolute clarity on, is that I have many, many wonderful Christian friendships because of Sarah.

Vander Griend said...

Great post-I wish I could know your friend Sarah. She sounds wonderful. And for the record, the phone said. "Lucy, you're such a good friend" not "Lucy, do you want some french bread."

tiffany said...

Great post! I love you. I love your humor. Your love for Jesus is evident in your life and in your humor. Keep making people laugh and PLEASE don't wear jumpers or think that you need to be quiet. I know you know that.

.kp. said...

this post made me so happy. The only thing better than reading it is watching you talk about her and seeing your eyes light up! She's a treasure-for sure.

Jenny said...

I wish I knew her! She sounds awesome!

Dawn S. said...
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