My college friend Laura has begun a regular feature on her blog on Tuesdays. She posts things she’s grateful for then uses Mr. Linky to link up with other bloggers. I think her idea of encouraging an attitude of gratitude is a worthy one. I know a lot of my friends are a part of weekly posts on certain topics, like Marriage Mondays, Works for me Wednesdays, etc. I’ve never joined them because I don’t want to lose my freedom of posting whatever happens to be on my mind for the week. This is the first time I’ve read one that I felt I needed to be a part of. I see this as an opportunity to encourage and support Laura and to keep my mind on ways I am blessed. Being grateful for my life and God’s blessings should be a way of life, and sometimes I forget to acknowledge those things. A weekly reminder will be good for me. If you care to join us, visit Laura’s blog and link up.
It seems appropriate that my first gratituesday post should be about my college friends, since Laura is getting me started. In the early 90’s I went to a small Christian college in Nebraska. I had no idea how the people there would change me, shape my future, and challenge me to be a better person. It was through these people that I learned about love and loss, loyalty and humility, and how to deal with heartache in healthy and unhealthy ways. 😉 I made friends there that are still my comfort and strength today and have remained my close friends despite the years and the miles that have come between us.
Some of those people have not only watched me change and grow into who I am now, many of them were the catalyst of those changes and the “wind beneath my wings”. Blech I hate that song, but the analogy fits. The Doe Club, my friends from Student Association, my fellow drama and music lovers, and the others who shared dorm staff responsibilities are still some of my favorite people from college. I love my friends!
But I’m also really grateful for my enemies turned friends. I’m a better person than I was back then, and I’ve tried to make amends with people I hurt and forgive those who hurt me. A few have been happy to reconcile, while others have not. I can’t do much about that but pray that someday they will.
So today I am grateful for years-long college friendships and the reconciliation that can only come with the help of a loving God. He is so good!
Check out the blogs of some of my college friends:
Ah, the wonderful college days! (BTW, when you wrote…”back in the early 90’s”…I was like…”Oh, we ARE old, aren’t we?!) 🙂
I am SO thankful for all the things I learned at YC too…the things that had nothing to do with what I learned in the classroom.
And for all the friendships that will remain strong until forever.
It brings me joy just to think about how God worked in my life to bring me to have such awesome relationships like that. Thanks for the great post to remind me of the ones who helped to make me who I am today.
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I love friends who will allow you to change and grow into all that God has for you.
Sounds like you are blessed indeed.
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Hey girl… I appreciate you too.
We’ve all changed sooo much in the nearly 20 years that’s passed. At least, I hope we have. But there are still things that are unique to us… our own personal flavour that I think will stay with us forever. And it’s that flavour that draws us back together – whether to renew or ignite a friendship.
Early ’90’s. Sheesh.
I think our generation put the hole in the ozone all by ourselves… with our hairspray.
-Jennifer-
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Ok, the world is way smaller than I already thought…Laura is my hubby’s cousin!!
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