Randomness, Ronnie, and Pretty Pink Pants

Well to say it has been awhile since I blogged would be a serious mistatement of an obvious fact! Like telling a Cowboy's fan that his team did not make the superbowl... well some things are just hard to admit! But the truth is I have not written in a few months! Several reasons really, incredibly busy being a good one... but also just felt I needed to step back a little.

I sit here in my living room. The only visible light is my computer screen and the girls night light on the dresser in our living room. Jack is snoring at my feet, and Reagan and Lizzie have for some reason chosen to sleep on the two couches tonight.

Outside is the steady dripping of rain as it falls from our roof to meet the ever increasing puddles of water in our yard. Although rain is a sign of blessing I am quickly reaching the point of "abundance" in this area!

Those who know me best know that I can be quite spontaneous and often quite random in my thoughts and my actions. I have spent the last few weeks finishing up a project that occupied way too much of my time. If there is a bright side to it.... I got to really know someone... no longer an aquaintence, no longer just a fellow member of the church... now no less than a treasured friend.

Over the course of the last few weeks we have learned much about ourselves. I will do my best to share some of our discoveries! First it goes without saying that we are definitely men. We act like men, we talk like men, we think like men..... and in the many hours of blood sweat and very strong dark coffe... I am sure we smell like men! The project that we men have worked on is a cabinet project for a business here in Shreveport! Biggest cabinet project I have evern undertaken.. and I am pleased with the results for the most part.

But back to my friend.... he is faithful. Wow... when I needed someone more than I thought... he was there. And after I worked us both til we could not stand up... he came back for more. Funny how faithfulness these days is so rare! He is skilled. He brought many years of experience to this project and challenged me to a higher level of professionalism and quality. He is flawed. He has walked through more than a fair share of failures, difficulties and shame.... just like me. He is tender. On the outside he has every appearance of a seasoned UFC cage fighter... but in reality he has a heart the size of a Buick Roadmaster!

We have had our share of laughs in the shop... looking for the tape measures that are always disappearing... and the 37 pencils that walked away... and the 2 sanders, 1 staple gun, 1 finish nailer, and 1 table saw that we wore out and tore up that had to be replaced. We also got a pretty good laugh out of the pretty pink pants that Aaron Money plays football in.... yes... I said pretty pink pants... and no I did not get a picture. Things like that you just cant put in a picture.

But of all the things I have come to learn about my friend.... is this.... he is changed. When he turned his heart to God, the change was radical! He loves the Lord... and in the last few weeks I have come to love our late nights sawing and sanding, and painting... and sharing about the goodness of God. Taking turns making the black coffee... extra strong! And he has even learned to drink it like a man... not like Aaron with all of the fancy creams, and 8 teaspoons of sugar! Strong.... and black.... and hot! Ooops... sorry I digress.

Friendships are often fleeting... and many people go through life without ever really having a true friend. I am blessed to have so many that I can call friend.... and now... thank the Lord... I have another. Ronnie... you are one of a kind. Thanks for all of your help... and I could not have done it without you!