When I left last June, I wasn't sure how long it would be until I got to see my friends Nikki and Riley again. I had to face the sad possibility that I might not get to see them until I returned. How could I go two years without seeing her and her sweet daughter?!
Thank God, I did not have to. They came to visit me for five wonderful days this month. It was so great to enjoy their company. While they were here, the Bible app I use had a verse that talked about friendship:
A friend is always loyal... --Proverbs 17:17
I have known Nikki since middle school! That's a pretty good show of loyalty. She has always made the greater effort to stay in touch with me. When I disappeared for the Navy, she was always willing to see me when I came around. And every time we get together, it's like we were never really apart. She's a true friend and a good example for her daughter. I'm so happy I got to see them. We took some lovely day trips, and in general, I just enjoyed spending time with them. It was refreshing for me to be able to visit with them.
Good-bye was very hard. I was so grateful for my time with them, but greedily wanted more. At least now I know I'm on the lesser side of time between visits. It had been over a year this time. God willing, I'll see them again in less than a year from now. And even though I get sad with good-byes, God, in His usual way, takes care of me.
This week, I got a gift from my Rodan and Fields sponsor that was pretty special. Then, I got a text from somebody who is a blast from my past. How exciting that I might get to visit a friend of mine from my first job with the Army! And then, also this week that was otherwise going to be sad, I got another email that one of my friends in MD might be coming to Germany for work, and might swing by my house for a little visit! And to top it off, I'm picking up my one (and only) friend from college on Sunday. God is so good to me!!!
No, it doesn't end there. Because this week, work got even more interesting for me. I've been supporting exercises almost exclusively, but this week things changed, and I get to see new things and take on new projects.
All of this is God's doing. He is so good to me.
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| Cloudy day on the Rhein. It was beautiful. |
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| Mainz Cathedral |
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| St Stephen's in Mainz |
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| Wiesbaden Church |
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| At the Weinfest |
