Monday, March 30, 2009

The Hofers: God's Special Gift



I am really blessed. I know that full well. I have amazing friends and relationships that have been a part of my life for more than 30 years in some cases. Not everyone has that. I get it.


But isn't it so fun when you turn around and suddenly there is a new gift from God that you never saw coming? That's what's happened to me with the Hofers.

It's happened so fast that I still find myself thinking, "where did these people come from and how can I love them so much already?" It has to be a God-thing. I'm sure they're thinking the same thing, especially when their youngest daughter says, "April, I think you should just become a Hofer," and their son introduces me to his friend as, "She's kind of like our Aunt." It has to be a God-thing.

I had the opportunity to spend some time with Jill, Jordan and Grace this week. It was spring break and they've never been to Cannon Beach. I know! Can you believe it?! So, because of my ties to CBCC I was able to get us a couple of rooms and we went down for two nights. Unfortunately, Don had to work, and Ashley had a trip to NY (can't imagine why she didn't trade that in for CB...), but the four of us had a great time.




Probably one of the best parts of the trip for me was getting to spend some time with Jordan and really getting to know him a lot better. He is really a great kid, with a really fun sense of humor. He and I went on an early morning beach combing expedition and found 62 whole sand dollars, a crab shell, an entire razor clam shell (both halves), a couple of limpets and a couple smal orange scallops. Very rewarding trip. Especially when he's never really had that experience before. We laughed and talked a lot and I feel like it really sealed the beginning of a great relationship with a kid that I respect and can't wait to watch grow up.


I have a lot of respect for the Hofers. They are a great family. We have a lot of fun together and quite frankly have already been through a lot together in just the short 6 months I have known them. They truly are a gift and I don't want to take that for granted at all. I love the Hofers. And when I left their house the other night and Don said, "Bye April Hofer," I was pretty sure they love me too. I'm happy to be and adopted part of their clan.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Friendship




Even now as I am writing this I am being loved well by someone I've only known for 194 days. 194 days - that's barely over six months. Yet here I am, sitting in my pj's on her couch, with everyone else upstairs fast asleep, because medically I can't be alone for a couple of days. When it came to that point, she opened her door, without hesitation and said, come here. You are not only welcome, you are wanted. Wow. Even now I am speechless.

Then today, when I needed to be drug tooth and nail (almost literally) to the doctor, another friend did not hesitate to say, "I will take you....I'll be right there." She not only took me, she went into the appointment with me, listened to everything the doctor said, taking notes the whole time, because I knew that I wouldn't remember everything, if anything.

Then there's my poor post-surgery friend, whom I've known even fewer than 194 days who's been calling me, checking up on me, been in cahoots with my other friends, to make sure I'm following Drs orders...even when I can't actually remember them.

Or how about my friend who called me on his way to work in the wee hours of the morning yesterday just to check with me, let me cry and tell me he cared and would be praying for me...

These are all NEW friends...this doesn't even count all of the ROCK SOLID friends that have been in my life forever.

What in the world did I ever do to deserve such loving and amazing friends? Nothing that I can think of....they are just those kind of people...the kind that love God and as a result, love those around them, and love them well.

I lost a dear friend this week. A friend that I dearly loved...dearly loved. He was amazing and bright, funny and smart, the kind of guy everyone loved. I lost track of him, but I always trusted that he would come back into my life one day. The I got the email on Tuesday night that he was gone. Something very bad and very wrong had entangled itself up in his life and caused him to believe his life wasn't worth living anymore. I've been there. I was there...more than one. My heart aches and my eyes are hot with tears for more reasons that I can explain, and for even more reasons than I can come to grapple with...my reasons, his reason, his darkness, my darkness, his pain, my pain, his feelings of utter hopelessness, my feelings of utter hopelessness.

But something changed for me that just must not have clicked for him. On February 1, 2009, Jesus knocked on the door to my heart and He said, "April, it's time for you to start living a part from that hopelessness you've been holding onto for so long. It's time for you to be grateful to be alive." I answered the knock, and have slowly but sure been making changes.

I wish Bradley would have answered that knock. I'm sure Jesus gave him the same opportunity He gave me. I'm so incredibly sad that Brad really isn't going to walk back into my life like I always hoped he would. My heart is breaking that I'll never share the laughter with him again, or the incredible hugs, or holding hands while we walked on the beach talking about all the cool things God was doing. No, somewhere along the way Satan stole Brad's joy. I get it. I really do. I was there. I was there. In fact, I visited that very lonely place yesterday. It sucked.

But I didn't stay there because when I answered Jesus' call on February 1, He brought a lot of pretty amazing friends into my life that recognized where I was headed yesterday. They hollered from afar, and when that didn't work, they literally showed up on my doorstep, took me by the hand and said, "uhh, you're coming with me until you're out of this black hole. You don't belong here anymore."

I'm more grateful than I know how to express for my friends. They truly are Jesus with skin on. Father give me balance and wisdom. Help me to always be the best kind of friend that you'd have me to be.

I pray for mercy, peace and comfort for my dear friend Brad's family. I can't wait to have a nice long sit-down with Brad in heaven...first I'll smack him, then I'll hug him, then I'll make him go for one of our long walks while I hold his hand, tell him how much I love him and find out what the heck happened.

Thank you so much to EVERYONE that's been here for me this week, especially 3 of my J angels. I don't know where I'd be tonight if it weren't for you. I'm certain I wouldn't be on the Hofer couch in my jammies writing this blog...