A tribute to my BFF's

Taylor Swift has a catchy song that celebrates the budding life of a 22 year old in all its misery and magic. The bridge croons, "I don't know about you but I'm feeling 22-Everything will be alright if you keep me next to you." (If you are not singing this in your head already, stop what you are doing, find the song and thank me later. For the rest of your days on earth when you hear the number 22 your mind will begin to hum.) I am certainly not 22 years old anymore; however, I do know a thing or two about friendships that celebrate being 22. 

For 22 years we have lived life together.  If I was cool and had charming hashtags I would refer to these 3 women as my squad, my posse, my tribe. We are as different as night and day; yet, we bring out the stars and the sunshine in each other. Combined there are 22 years of higher education, 4 weddings, 10 children, 6 girls and 4 boys, numerous jobs and moves and houses and cities and states.  

We have stood beside each other at a fathers funeral and grieved the loss of one of our brothers. We have walked through grief, dark places of the soul and mind, prayed through miscarriages, postpartum and marriages struggling and ending. We have survived the years of pregnancy and taking care of babies and toddlers and are looking ahead to the years of caring for aging parents.  We have celebrated and rejoiced in accomplishments and good news.  We have picked each other up when the other stumbled and carried each other when we couldn't walk. We have also made each other angry and hurt each others feelings. We have been fiesty, sassy, sarcastic, and selfish at times. We have been overbearing and unaware. We have been ourselves in all our grandeur and grossness. 

The college years have a way of binding people. Those late nights and bad decisions turn to gorilla glue and the bond is forever.  22 years ago we stepped out of the protection of our parents and embarked on adulthood.  Every new experience we did hand in hand.  We were so smart and stupid at the same time. We found each other and haven't let go.  Lifelong friendships that continue to grow and strengthen despite long separations, great distances and the toils of change give life to the soul.  

Most years, out of the 365 days we have about 5-6 days that we see each other. One night at Christmas and our annual beach trip that began years ago. We have 4 days to laugh, cry, eat, talk, and relax into the circle of friendship we have been given. We sit on the beach for 12 hours straight, with the our aging bladders being the only thing that gets us out of our sandy recliners. We solve the worlds problems, decide how to deal with our growing children and their countless needs, discuss our great culinary skills and promise that when all the men are gone we will rock the last years out together.  We are each others counselor, life coach and financial advisor...all free of charge.  And, let's be honest, you get what you pay for.

I catch myself often on these trips looking at these women and become completely overwhelmed with the gift of their unconditional love. I can hide so much of myself from others, but I can't hide from them and unbelievably they love all of me. They are one of the greatest vessels of grace and mercy that God has put in my life.  We may have a fraternal sisterhood with matching pins and Greek letters, but they are more importantly my sisters in Christ.  

Salt in the Sugar Bowl on Easter

In 1582 in France, when Pope Gregory XIII changed the Christian calendar from the Julian calendar, which was implemented by Julius Caesar, to his Gregorian calendar, it changed the date of the new year from April 1 to January 1.  This is the time when people began being called "April fools." So, if you missed the memo or the email, not only were you deemed a fool for not celebrating the new year on the correct date, but you would have tricks played on you for the sake of a good laugh at your foolishness.  I am afraid I have been the victim of many April 1 pranks. Maybe you have had your sugar bowl filled with salt, your cereal switched or your hopes set high on some fabulous news only to learn what you heard was untrue.  Usually these pranks leave a mouth curled and a heart broken if pushed too far.  However, I admit it can be quite entertaining to watch someone leap 3 feet out of bed because they think they have overslept and to scream April Fool's right before they land- not that I have ever done this.  Whether or not I have a great scheme up my sleeve this year, 2018 is a little different.

April 1 is Easter. The date of Easter is different each year because the calendar date revolves around the March equinox. Jesus' resurrection was during the time of Jewish Passover, which was celebrated during the first full moon of the vernal equinox. In order for me to explain or understand further, I will have to go back to school and retake Astronomy. The "C" in my college Astronomy class is not getting me very far. So, I will trust my desk calendar when it says Easter will be celebrated on a fool's day this year.

The resurrection is the climax of my faith. My entire belief system rests on this one event. Without the resurrection, without a Living God, Christianity is not set apart. The calendar coinciding a holiday such as April Fool's Day on the same day the church universal celebrates Easter has really offended me. I am thinking that we could work around this equinox thing just this time and give Easter its proper place. However, as I mull over the merging of these two days the more I see a connection. I mean Easter is the ultimate example of things not being as they seem.

The story of the resurrection in the gospels leaves much to the imagination. We can only imagine how Jesus left that tomb. I would hope that he jumped and danced and shouted and with buoyancy and unbridled excitement as he yelled "death, where is your victory?" (In my head it's bit more irreverent with Jesus turning his head and saying "Peace Out-Watcha' think of this" but I didn't say that out loud.)
To those who led him to the cross and nailed his hands and feet, this is the greatest GOTCHA ever.  Even more so, imagine how foolish the disciples felt when they saw Jesus walk into the room and they realized they had not understood or believed him when he predicted his resurrection. "Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead (Matthew 20:19).

It seems we can all be a fool at times. Doesn't scripture teach that when a person denies the truth of who Christ is and what He did on the cross, he is like a fool? But Paul also writes to his brothers and sisters in Christ in Corinth that they are deceiving themselves when they buy into the ways of the world. He says in order to be wise the world must be foolishness. If the world's standards are the measure for our wisdom...then, my friend, be a fool (1 Corinthians 3).  All throughout Proverbs the writer contrasts wisdom with foolishness, the wise and the fool. "The fear of the Lord is the foundation of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline" Proverbs 1:7.

What could have been seen as the darkest day in history is actually the inauguration of the brightest. When the world saw death, Christ became Life. What seemed to be the end of the story was actually the beginning. When Jesus willingly put his arms across the splintered wooded beams, it made him a fool in the eyes of the people, but, in the words from the famous sermon by S.M. Lockridge "It's Friday...but Sunday's a Comin." Despite the gnawing in my gut over my sacred Easter day being bombarded with April Fool's hilarity as they did in the 16th century, I am reminded of the words of Paul in I Corinthians 1:18, "The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it's the very power of God."

The Power of God...If Easter and April Fool's Day "had a battle" (the words of my 6 year old son), Easter would win hands down!

And...if I were you... I would check your sugar bowl before you fix your coffee on Easter morning. Who knows, the Easter Bunny just might play a few tricks himself!