#A Best Friend Is For Life

SO there's this girl. She's an awesome girl. We're besties. She thinks like me, talks like me, and acts like me. It's like hanging out with myself all day! Except way cooler because if it was just myself I would be a loser. And I wouldn't be hanging out with her. She has pulled me out of some pretty dark places, and is super supportive in all of the decisions I make. Sometimes we get hit on by stinky fat guys and they say inappropriate things. And all we have to do is look at each other to know what the other is thinking. She's pretty much the bestest ever. Her name is Shelby. She goes by Sheebs on this blog. And she was sweet enough to do a guest post for my blog today!

family

fam-il-ie

two or more people who share goals and values, have long-term commitments to one another

when i think of the word family, i probably have a very different definition than a lot of people. family to you may be the people you live with. the people you call your parents, your brothers and sisters, your relatives. the people you are blood related to. not saying i don’t consider my family to be those people, but my definition is much much broader. family is people having a commitment to each other

mariah has shared with me that she is nervous for our mission trip to belarus which we leave for in 29 sleeps (eep!!!). she is worried about flying/traveling/spending time away from her family. she doesn’t go on trips without them

well maryerye (just a heads up, i am the only one allowed to call her this), i have told you this many times, but here is another reminder- you are not traveling without family, because we are family. family by definition is two or more people who share goals and values and who are committed to each other. we are two or more people – sometimes i think the entire staff at our wing place is included in our family too. we share a brain- therefore we share goals and values. we both want to travel, we want to experience the world. we want to further ourselves spiritually and relationshiply. we want husbands with accents who become best friends and then it will be a best friend-marriage square. but not in the weird polygamy way, just in the fun best friend way.  we share a common goal of eventually being roomies, and of getting a dog and naming it something ridiculous. we genuinely want to see each other succeed and grow.  we share values and also, we care and love each other like crazy. we are committed to this friendship. since we have known each other we have been through hell and back… 54 times. if that isn’t family i really don’t know what is. so don’t worry rye- you are travelling with family. we are sisters for life

God has changed my definition of family. blood really doesn’t mean much, family are the people who you need in your life and who you care about most. He has brought so many people into my world over the last year who i wouldn’t even consider not calling them family. a girl who became my instant best friend/sister. a woman who has taken me in as one of her own and i know she loves me, and i love her muchly. a group of friends who are insanely genuine and loving. a dad who gives me 80 hugs a day and tells me he cares for me a lot. a church that is strong and thriving. blood is not the center of true family. i really truly believe that He is the center. God is the maker of family. we all fall under the Jesus-umbrella-of-family.

i like living under the Jesus-umbrella

if you want to read more of my randomness check me out at fansiepants.blogspot.com (yep i totally just plugged my blog). thanks maryerye for letting me guest post, it has been wonderful and charming.