Change. . . *sigh*

I have always known change was a part of life. I have always known that people change. Places change. Times change. Everything. . . changes. But I never faced so dramatic I change as I have today.

This week I am visiting Flagstaff, AZ - my home town. It was so fun driving and recognizing all these old buildings. My old church, the old truck stop we would always get ice cream at, our old houses. Everything was, well, old.

I dropped by an old friends house to see how she and her sister were doing and I ended up staying for the afternoon. It was then that I was fully hit with the realization that...they have really changed. The last time I visited, a year and half ago, they were preparing to go to public high school after being home schooled for a long time. At first, it wasn't too drastic, but starting with their language it just went downhill.

At first I was angry, angry at the school that lets kids act like this. Then angry at their parents for letting them go to the school. And lastly angry at them, angry at them for changing. In my fairytale mind I wanted it all to stay the same.
 But them, I had to realize that change is always occurring. I can either hate them for changing and have nothing to do with them.  So no matter how painful it was, I realized that I had to love them and treat them like my friends. That even if we believe some seriously different things - we're all humans. And when I was able to not judge and hate them, and through loving them, I got to have a very good conversation about the Lord with one of the girls.
 One thing though, I wish I could've conveyed was that I have always and will always love both of them.
One of the girls and I have had some not great "bumps" in our friendship and so there was a slightly cold feeling in the air. But, with every shocking thing they told me, I felt like they were anticipating my to react like I had seen a horror movie. But I wanted so badly to tell them. "I told you I long time ago that I would always love you, and that has never changed. I'll always love you. . .no matter what."



As a Christian, if my friends are homosexual, have fowl language, do things completely against my beliefs... I have to love them despite it. I want to love them as I have been loved. Show them the love my Father has bestowed on me. It's as simple as just hanging out with them and showing interest  in their interests. No matter how much they have. . .changed.

If your friends change, no matte how drastically, you have to keep loving them as Christ would.