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Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Big hair & bigger eyebrows

Last night I enjoyed a night of wonderful fellowship as I met at a friends' home with former high school classmates. May '08 we will gather again as we celebrate our 20th year out of school.


There was so much laughter as we shared memories, pictures and what is happening in our lives now. Most of these people I've known for over 30 years since we also went to elementary together so it was so much fun to reminisce. We even laughed as we sang a line from the popular song Friends are Friends Forever by Michael W. Smith. Back in the day, we used to sing and cry to this song as we dramatically sang the words while holding hands and swaying back and forth.
(I just so happen to be playing this song for your enjoyment right now.)


As I was looking at pictures one thing consistent with the girls was our big 80's hair styles. Huge, stiff & just plain ugly. We definitely lived by the motto bigger is better as we used countless cans of Aqua Net to keep our ugly hair styles in place. The guys thought they were so cool as they would pose with their muscles smaller than my pinkie finger.
What struck me is that thanks be to God,
we have all changed for the better.

There was not one of us that showed up last night looking the same way we did when we received our diplomas 20 years ago. Nick & Jodi weren't wearing their homecoming King & Queen crowns, Matt didn't wear huge glasses that covered half of his face, Kim & Jennie didn't wear their cheer uniforms, Sheryl & Tami didn't have feathered hair, Jeff wore a winter coat instead of a letter jacket, Patti wasn't having people sign her yearbook, and I didn't have Brooke Shield eyebrows that covered my forehead...
we have all changed, for the better.


But what if we had walked in last night dressed the same, looking the same and acting the same way we did when we were those nerdy teenagers that thought we were cool? What if we had passed notes to each other instead of talking? You know the kind of notes...Do you like me? Check yes or no. What if we all wore the same styles we wore then? For one, we wouldn't have had anything to laugh at.



Last night as we sat and talked I looked at my friends with love. I love how we've grown and matured. I love that we're all walking with the Lord. I love that we can ask each other for prayer with confidence that the ones being asked will pray. We are full of respect, love and wisdom and it was very evident that even though we have changed over the years, we still love each other, but we're different.
We have all changed, for the better.

This morning as I was sharing with my husband what a great time we had, I was thinking about my relationship with Jesus. What if once we invited Him into our life, that was it? How boring it would be if we never grew in knowing Him. I love how I can read a verse that I've known my whole life, and He just shows it to me in a different light. I love that He is still the same God that Moses worshipped.
He never changes, for He is the better.

As with my high school friends, I'm glad that I don't have the same relationship with Jesus I did 20 years ago. I love that there's so much more to learn about Him and that I will never stop being a student of Him. I want to know Him. I don't want to be complacent in my relationship with Him. He is changing me, for the better.



Thank you Jesus that I don't have big hair, mega thick eyebrows and parachute pants. Thank you for changing me inside and out. I don't want to stay the same when it comes to You, so please take this hungry, teachable heart and continue to draw me closer to You.


I love you class of '88.
Let's continue to allow God to change us-for the better.
~Many Blessings~
Lelia

1 comment:

Liz said...

Sounds like wonderful fun. Thank God for the great ways that He uses all things to show us His love and to mold us according to His purpose! Have a blessed day!
Liz in Texas