lets go fly a kite

this month i have gallivanted all over the place - kansas, arkansas, chicago, nashville, knoxville, canton, and finally alma, georgia. i've seen and delighted in marriage and mourning, deep belly laughter and gentle tears. i have been inspired by great minds and read from about 10 novels. in all of these journey's, the month has been leading up to this week:

my best friend's wedding.

my cousin ashley is my oldest friend - born three months apart in fact. from the time we were young, we wrote letters to each other and spent summers at the shore, thanksgivings at the fish house. when we were 14, we began working for our uncles in the blueberry farming business.

-oh yes, alma is the blueberry capitol of the south. we've seen each other through a lot of beginnings and some endings too. she was there when i had my first kiss, my first job, my first heart break...the first time i said "i love you" to a boy in my sweet 15 year-old way. i pierced my ears with her, layed in a tanning bed for the first time, and cut my hair short. she was present the first time i remember the Holy Spirit really speaking to me...it is well with my soul. we fought with each other and laughed so hard when we made up. we dreamed together, imagined life together. one time, we decided we would live as neighbors on Johnson's Lake Road, with pretty white houses that had wrap around porches, husbands and lots of babies.

over the years she and i have battled each other, but we've also carried one another to the feet of Jesus. and we've grown up a lot.

this week, we're sleeping in her old room...getting ready in her old bathroom. i can't help but feel like the chapter of our childhood is closing. like at the end of this week, we'll actually be women instead of little girls.

i am unbelievably proud of the woman she's become. as we layed in bed last night, i told her how it's been beautiful to see how Christ is redeeming her story. he is transforming her, renewing her mind. and now he's given her a man to journey with too. she told me last night that God says marriage is good, and has given it as a gift not made for us to enjoy like a birthday present, but to enjoy because it simply glorifies the Lord. by loving her new husband and being covenanted to him, God will be exalted. that makes me hopeful for them.

when i set out to write this post, i actually had intentions of debriefing this new book i'm reading, because i didn't want to be an emotional disaster by thinking about this closing of a chapter. but that's what it is. you know what though? it's the beginning of a chapter too.