Like Sands through the hourglass so are the days of bek #7

In the last chapter of this series, I spoke about one of the toughest times I went through in my life. I’m sure there are tough times ahead, but I’m still reasonably young, and a lot more can and will happen throughout life.

What I want to talk about in this chapter is the way God led me out of the desert of loneliness. When I was about 19/20, God surrounded me with a group of friends that played pivotal roles in my life. Russell and I often refer back to this time as the summer of ’69, though for us it was the summer of ’02/’03. God brought together a group of people who soon became close friends. I knew of Russell and had met him a couple of times, but only just started to hang out with him in ’02. I was trying to set him up with a good friend (Sally) but no matter how hard I tried, these two wouldn’t budge (lucky for me I guess!).

This group were like family to me. We would spend every night of the week at someone’s place, having a BBQ or watching a DVD. I became good friends with one of the guys and considered him one of my best friends. We would go surfing on a Sat. arvo, usually I would watch, but I gave it a shot once or twice. I knew we were good friends when he decided it was safe enough to pee in the surf while I was there. Disgusting, I know. This bloke and I and Russell soon became a bit of a threesome. If no-one else in ‘the group’ could catch-up, we 3 would do something anyway.

‘The group’ couldn’t last forever, and really did only last for roughly a year. Russell headed over east to do his band thing and most people in the group ended up dating each other. Most of us are still friends now, though sometimes it is really hard to catch-up.

I remember this group fondly, it was an amazing summer and it was a time of healing particularly for myself. God knew how lonely I was. He knew that I craved companionship with at least one person! God provided. He was faithful. He brought me into a group of people who loved and cared for each other. This group accepted each other. Of course we would stir each other up, but that summer was a time of real growth for all of us. We spoke openly and honestly about ‘faith stuff’. We shared life with each other. God filled the hole that had been in my heart for so many years with a group of people who really gave me some self-confidence. For that, I am forever grateful to God. God does provide – it’s true!

This has only been a short chapter, but the next one will be ‘our story’. Yes, the mushy stuff. The how, why, when, where, and now of Russell and me….awwwww….get your buckets ready!!