Memories and Friendship

I said goodbye to a dear friend today. Rachel and her family are officially on their way to Botswana even as I write. They are being sent out as missionaries from our church. Pastor Hammett has been my pastor for almost 23 years, which means that Rachel and I have been friends since...well...forever! I don't remember a "beginning" to our friendship. I am guessing we met in 2's and 3's junior church, and of course, those beginning years are quite the blur!

As I have slooooowly gotten used to the fact of the Hammetts leaving, my mind has literally been swirling with all the memories I have shared with Rachel over the years. We've been through every stage of life together (minus the infant stage!) so as you can imagine, my "memory drive" is on overload!

It's unfortunate sometimes that it takes a big change like this to make you realize how much you love and appreciate someone! It's been easy for me to take our friendship for granted at times...just being used to the fact that Rachel has always been there.

Now, as we like to say at our church, today was not "Goodbye forever!" to the Hammett family, but "See ya later!" Even if, for some reason, we never meet here on earth again, we have the reassurance - as Christians - that we will be together one day in Heaven. However, we are still looking forward to future visits here on earth! :-)

Pictures are worth 1,000 words, so although I could write a LONG, LONG post about every memory I have shared with Rachel, I'll just post 5,000 words of pictures. :-)

(Even the lyrics to the song below bring back memories - who knows how many times our girl's group sang this song together!?)

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God gives us special friends,
forever friends,


(I had to find at least one picture of us when we were in our "glasses stage"!)

Who know just what to say

(I think this was taken a Winter camp judging by the chairs in the background!)

God gives us special friends to walk with us along life's way.

(At a baseball game, listening to the guys sing the National Anthem)

And oh, how great to know, as on we go,

(Enjoying Starbucks in NYC)

There's someone there to share,

someone who cares.

(All dressed up in NYC, eating at a Mexican place before going to see "The Miracle Worker")

God gives us special friends,

Who always will be there.

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I have been blessed in life to have some really special friends. As we all get older, and life is constantly changing, we don't always get to spend a lot of time together. I found this quote the other day, which reminded me of the friendship I share with Rachel, but it is also true for all of the rest of you who I can claim as special friends!

~True friendship is not being inseparable; It's being separated and nothing changes.~