Love like Christ.

Life is a whirlwind right now, and its not coming from outside my newly blinded windows. I walked in the door of my new homestead this afternoon, and was greeted by Armen, our very hot, and very married contractor (yes, I looked), and a house full of windows covered with wooden slat blinds. This might seem ordinary, but when you live in a dwelling consisting largely of gigantic windows, it becomes a big deal. You see, we've been here for two weeks, and our lesbo neighbors have been getting an eyeful. We have lesbians on both corners, so its like a double-shot. I bet they love us already!

I'm already taking advantage of the shared booty that comes when you have roommates. My favorite borrowed toy at the moment is Autumn's electric teapot. I'd always considered myself a traditionalist when it came to tea kettles, but this little gem is fast. And, I hear that Em's got a stainless electric kettle, with some extra bells and whistles...but without the whistle---I'll miss that.

With the move, I gained a new family. I was working on my Beth Moore "Stepping Up" study tonight, and she had us read Matthew 12:46-50. Beth's point was that you don't have to be related by blood to claim ownership in the lives of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. The other day, I was trying to explain to my Mom how important my friendships are to me in this stage of my life. I don't think she quite understands it, but then again, she was married by 23 and had me by 27.

If you are a single, Christian woman, your friends become your family. And we're not talking about a pretty label---we're talking about really doing life together---and with that comes the good times, the bad times, and everything in-between. It's an amazing thing to have people invest in your life and trust you to invest back in theirs. And I think that's why the expectation is so high for each other. If one of us falls, all of us fall. It's hard to see a friend fail, because you feel like a part of you inside has failed too. And in the same regard, one friend's success is another friend's joy. A whole lotta people in my life were ecstatic when I was finally offered the job at L-Way, and these same people were the ones that encouraged me through my tears, fears, and the years.

Someday, Lord-willing, a man will love me like Christ loved the church. But right now, that's my friends. I am so privileged to have people in my life, outside my blood relation, that love me as family.