I actually have a Marjie in my life - a life long friend. We were re-connected through Facebook a few years ago. As I was doing a devotional the other day, it took me back to my growing up years in Columbia City, IN. We went to school together 12 years, well except for 7th & 8th grade when my family moved to the country. Marjie & I went to Brownies & Girl Scouts in our early years & hung out at the pool in the summers. We even double dated throughout our high school years. Our Mom's bowled together on Thursdays and our Dad's often ate at Dues restaurant together. Marjie's dad was a lawyer and my dad was a plumber.
My devotional brought to my mind that I never thought there was a status difference between her family & mine. We were just normal families living in a home-grown town. As I look back, I realize the different financial statuses in my classmates, but I never went to one of their homes wishing I had a nicer home or that mine was better than someone else. Because our High School was made up of the city kids and the township schools our class was over 250 kids. I don't remember ever thinking "lowly" of others - we were all the same.
And that's how it is with God - we are all the same in His eyes. We have all fallen short of His Righteousness and there is nothing we have in material possessions or can do to make ourselves right with Him. It has all been done through God's sacrifice of His Only Son Jesus Christ - our part is to accept the Gift that was freely given.
For God so LOVED the world, that He GAVE His One & Only Son, Jesus Christ, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have life ETERNAL. John 3:16
I am grateful that the Lord allowed Marjie & I to reconnect after all these years along with other friends from my "younger years." As singer/songwriter Michael W. Smith put it, "Friends are friends forever when the LORD's the Lord of them." Now that's a gift for eternity.
photo from amazon.com
Shelley, What a lovely blog!! Thank you for commenting on our long friendship!! What's so nice is that there WAS no difference in "status" -- your dad was beloved by everyone and was a highly successful businessman! My dad was a country lawyer and also was loved by his clients and friends. My dad cherished your dad's friendship, and in later years, after the men had passed away, your mom and my mom become the best of friends and kept each other good company. I, too, highly value FB for allowing old friends to reconnect so easily -- it has been wonderful to be able to reach out and chat and talk and even get together based on FB plans!! Thanks again for remembering "Margie!!"
ReplyDeleteI love your writing ~always thoughtful and meaningful. And too love reading your story and memories of you and Marjie. God does love all of us no matter our life style, our background our color. He is a loving and forgiving God. And too, grateful that facebook brought all of us together again and can share our wonderful memories.
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