Pardon me while I wander back down memory lane to a spot that, as far as regular readers of this blog goes, only my parents and Roxanne will have been.
Roxanne is well known for being big on emotion. She doesn't do happy, sad, weepy, stressed out, or in love half-way. And thus it has always been. She also is the only person I know that can remember the minutia of both of our lives as accurately as I do -- sometimes more so (oh -- but Cody asked why I didn't get a red car while we were in Mathews' driveway showing it off to them). Anyway, we have a lot of history, much of which includes the roller coaster ride of high school.
Today I heard "Friends Are Friends Forever" on the local Christian radio station. That transported me back 19 years (okay, that number just made my crow's feet deepen by an inch). Roxanne and I graduated from a Christian school in North Louisiana. If you went to a Christian school in the '80's, then it was some unspoken rule that "Friends are Friends Forever" would be sung at your high school graduation. And sing we did -- Roxanne and I both altos in the chorus (as I age I'm becoming more of a tenor and in about 20 years I should sing bass with Troy!)
Then I realized -- I think it was 19 years ago TODAY that we had our Junior/Senior Banquet. You see, since we went to a Christian school, we didn't have evil dancing, like a prom, but we had very, very formal eating! There are many things I remember about that day -- less that I remember about the banquet. Okay, now I'm getting our junior year and senior year confused. Junior year I remember best. But my senior year -- as I think about it, I can't believe anyone would do this. I was "Miss OCS" and student body president -- and evidently completely undate-able. So I asked a previous years' graduate, Ricky Myers, to take me. Bless his precious heart. He left the morning after finals week and packing his dorm room, drove 8 hours, met his father in the parking lot who gave him a regular vehicle, not laden with belongings, and also gave him a rented tux, and then we proceeded to stay up all night with the frivolity (that I remember precious little of). Wow. I'm surprised he ever spoke to me again!
So that was my little selfish walk down memory lane. This time of year always does it to me. Seeing my own children heading into another grade, seeing kids I have known for years graduate from high school and leave home, and remembering my own high school years is all just a part of April and May for me.
Packing up the dreams God planted
In the fertile soil of you
Can’t believe the hopes he’s granted
Means a chapter in your life is through
But we’ll keep you close as always
It won’t even seem you’ve gone
’cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong
And friends are friends forever
If the lord’s the lord of them
And a friend will not say never
’cause the welcome will not end
Though it’s hard to let you go
In the father’s hands we know
That a lifetime’s not too long
to live as friends.
With the faith and love god’s given
Springing from the hope we know
We will pray the joy you’ll live in
Is the strength that now you show
But we’ll keep you close as always
It won’t even seem you’ve gone
’cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong.
And friends are friends forever
If the lord’s the lord of them
And a friend will not say never
’cause the welcome will not end
Though it’s hard to let you go
In the father’s hands we know
That a lifetime’s not too long
to live as friends.
5 comments:
Sarah,
I love you. . .that's all this tear wad, emotional, sap can manage. . .you know how much.
:)
R--
By the way. . .I remember BOTH years with equal chagrine. . .how in the world did we survive it???? I'm still laughing at the "very, very formal eating."
Atleast both of YOUR dates (undated though you were by both of them) were your first stringers. . .my dates. . .no comment on the Jr. year, but poor Robby was in the same boat as Ricky. . .and then they showed that horrible picture of his mom that made her look like she was picking her nose.
Loved, loved, loved our high school experience(s). . .so, so, so glad it's over. . .and even more glad there was a you there to share it all with.
And REALLY, REALLY glad your dad has recovered from the phone bills. . .("You girls could have driven back and forth to see each other 10 times on what this one phone bill cost.")
R--
What a song! None of mine were Christian songs - just Aerosmith and Deborah Harry...
From my standpoint, having a teenaged girl in the house was pretty neat - the phone would never ring but once before being breathlessly answered!
Those house-note-sized phone bills have been long forgotten, but the memories of those golden days remain. Being on a first-name basis with the manager of the auto body shop manager, his wife, kids, and dog, as well as the staff of the emergency room, was a small price to pay for the joy we got (and get to this day) from having you and Kevin be loaned to us by a loving God. And now that you have been blessed with loving, supportive, Christian spouses and beautiful, healthy children we take great comfort in the sense of the circle being truly unbroken.
I think I have the sheet music to this song if you are interested:)
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