On Friday, Floyd and I had the opportunity to attend a wedding here in McKinney, TX. It worked out that their wedding was taking place while we were in town, so we were blessed to attend.
The ceremony was beautiful and the weather cooperated for the outdoor setting. As we moved inside for the reception, we were chatting with friends and my mind started reflecting on the situation.
A friend of ours, Scott Doust, was officiating the ceremony and his wife was there with him. We also knew another couple, and 3 other single ladies at the wedding. Other than that, we only knew the bride and groom. One of the single ladies that I knew volunteered in the youth department at our church and was Raegan's small group leader throughout junior high, so that was our connection.
As I introduced our other friends to Abigial (Scott's wife), they all had one thing in common,
You see, we actually met the bride back in 2012 when she signed up for a short term mission trip to Uganda. Of course, we were going on that mission trip as well. As I introduced each of our friends, I explained how we knew them. Well, all but one of them were people that we met because they participated in a mission trip to Uganda. Interestingly, even the one friend that we knew before our missions to Uganda has been to Uganda herself about 10 times, so Uganda has strengthened our relationship and made an even greater connection.
Abigail jokingly asked, "so do you only hang out with people that have been to Uganda?"
Of course that's not the case, but this beautiful ceremony was a great reminder of how much our connection to Uganda has impacted our life. Over the years since Floyd made that first short term trip to Uganda, we've made a lot of friends. Because of the nature of working out in the bush country of Uganda, we've shared a lot of significant experiences with those friends and our lives are bonded in ways that I don't think anyone expects when singing up for a one or two week trip.
Most of my closest friends are women that I've met in this adventure and we do our best to get together as often as we can (obviously more difficult now that I live in Uganda). Interestingly, our lives do not really cross paths in our day to day routines. We are all very different, of various ages ad backgrounds. We live in different places, have different careers, and totally different circles of friends and family. BUT we're connected in a way that we can't explain. When we get together, it's not random small talk or uncomfortable gaps between things to talk about. We can talk about our highs and our lows, our joy and our pain, the thing that's most driving us crazy at the moment, or whatever else comes up. Usually we run out of time before we run out of things to talk about. Sometimes, only 2 or 3 of us can gather and other times it is 7 or 8, but it is always a joy!
I wish we had thought to take a group picture at the wedding on Friday or when we gathered for dinner on Thursday, but we were too busy talking and laughing. Next time, I'll do my best to get a photo, but for now, enjoy this photo of the beautiful couple!
Also, I just want to encourage you to make connections and keep them. Also, if you find yourself feeling a little alone - ask God where he wants you. Maybe there is a mission he has for you (I don't mean just a mission trip, it could be something right next door to you), and in that mission he has some amazing connections that he's just waiting for you to make.
To all my friends, I love you! You have no idea what joy you bring to my life, even when you're not around! Living so far away now, I'm so grateful for facebook to keep me in the loop but I know that even without it, we'd pick up right where we left off every time I come to town. Thank you!
The ceremony was beautiful and the weather cooperated for the outdoor setting. As we moved inside for the reception, we were chatting with friends and my mind started reflecting on the situation.
A friend of ours, Scott Doust, was officiating the ceremony and his wife was there with him. We also knew another couple, and 3 other single ladies at the wedding. Other than that, we only knew the bride and groom. One of the single ladies that I knew volunteered in the youth department at our church and was Raegan's small group leader throughout junior high, so that was our connection.
As I introduced our other friends to Abigial (Scott's wife), they all had one thing in common,
You see, we actually met the bride back in 2012 when she signed up for a short term mission trip to Uganda. Of course, we were going on that mission trip as well. As I introduced each of our friends, I explained how we knew them. Well, all but one of them were people that we met because they participated in a mission trip to Uganda. Interestingly, even the one friend that we knew before our missions to Uganda has been to Uganda herself about 10 times, so Uganda has strengthened our relationship and made an even greater connection.
Abigail jokingly asked, "so do you only hang out with people that have been to Uganda?"
Of course that's not the case, but this beautiful ceremony was a great reminder of how much our connection to Uganda has impacted our life. Over the years since Floyd made that first short term trip to Uganda, we've made a lot of friends. Because of the nature of working out in the bush country of Uganda, we've shared a lot of significant experiences with those friends and our lives are bonded in ways that I don't think anyone expects when singing up for a one or two week trip.
Most of my closest friends are women that I've met in this adventure and we do our best to get together as often as we can (obviously more difficult now that I live in Uganda). Interestingly, our lives do not really cross paths in our day to day routines. We are all very different, of various ages ad backgrounds. We live in different places, have different careers, and totally different circles of friends and family. BUT we're connected in a way that we can't explain. When we get together, it's not random small talk or uncomfortable gaps between things to talk about. We can talk about our highs and our lows, our joy and our pain, the thing that's most driving us crazy at the moment, or whatever else comes up. Usually we run out of time before we run out of things to talk about. Sometimes, only 2 or 3 of us can gather and other times it is 7 or 8, but it is always a joy!
I wish we had thought to take a group picture at the wedding on Friday or when we gathered for dinner on Thursday, but we were too busy talking and laughing. Next time, I'll do my best to get a photo, but for now, enjoy this photo of the beautiful couple!
To all my friends, I love you! You have no idea what joy you bring to my life, even when you're not around! Living so far away now, I'm so grateful for facebook to keep me in the loop but I know that even without it, we'd pick up right where we left off every time I come to town. Thank you!
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