There is not one friend that I can recall being close to in elementary school. There was one friend who lived across the street for awhile in junior high that I loved and we had wonderful times together. Through high school, I hung out with some girls in the class under me who were fun and kind, but other than this, I didn't ever have a best friend that stuck closer than a sister to me. I literally thought something was wrong with me. Many girls were actually cruel to me while I was growing up. My sisters, however, had wonderful girl friends!
For college, my dad decided he wanted me to go to Westmont College in Santa Barbara. When I was getting packed and ready to go, I remember my Mom telling me that she couldn't wait for me to bring all of my girlfriends home for a weekend. I responded, "What girlfriends? I've never been able to find and keep kind and loving girlfriends."
I was placed in an old dorm at Westmont called Page Hall. I didn't know anyone in my dorm. All of the women you see in the pictures above lived on the 3rd floor in the B Section with me, except the middle one. We became close friends almost from the beginning. There is not a mean one in the bunch. We LOVED each other. We hung out together all the time. On the weekends, we'd go to each other's home and raid the refrigerator and laugh a ton! I can't recall one argument, cross word or unkindness between any of us, ever.
We have now known each for almost 40 years. None of us have ever been divorced. We all love Jesus and all of our husbands love Jesus. We are growing older together. The top picture was taken almost 40 years ago. We all gathered together the past few days and took a picture of all of us in the same order except the woman in the center. She's a different person whose name is Lynn; the sister of Jan, the second from the right who has become very dear to all of us and fits right in.
Most of us were in each other's wedding. We went to all the baby showers that we were able to attend. We'd all gather for many New Years Eves and celebrate together with our husbands and children. All of our husbands enjoy each other and get along great! {We wanted some of our children to like each other and get married but that never happened!}
We supported Sandy when her husband got sick and passed away. We've ALL had trials and sufferings. There's been illnesses, prodigal children, financial strain and rough times in some marriages. We laughed, shared, ate and cried this weekend together. We shared our faith and our hope in the Lord. We pray for each other. We love each other. We are blessed.
A friend loves at all times,
and a brother {or sisters in Christ} is born for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17
