Day 8-Numbers and Mustaches

I figured this title would be fairly entertaining, and I'll do my best to unpack it. Well I'm in the book of Numbers, so there goes the interpretation for that. Let me just say the amount of access the Israelites had to the Lord is somewhat overwhelming. A key point in this being they sought after him. Yesterday, during rehearsal we were reviewing the song "Fire Fall Down." I was never really a fan, to be honest, i guess not until yesterday. In light of the fact that I was reading numbers. Here are the bridge lyrics that I am referring to:

Fire fall down
Fire fall down
On us we pray
As we seek you

During the season of Passover, the Israelites, would regularly make their sacrifices, and a Fiery Cloud would hover over them. Basically if the cloud would move, they would pick up camp and move as well. It was interesting, because as Eric highlighted yesterday, it isn't just the were asking God to send fire down, were making it a point to seek him. Throughout Numbers, as much as the book addresses the account of the people of Israel, there is also the description of their individual duties as people. Each tribe has responsibilities, in this way they sought after God, and they called for his Fire. In light of this, it brings to mind how much we as people call for the fire, but don't match it with the necessary action steps. Many a time even prayer becomes something that we do, avoiding the reality that God may be calling you to do the very thing your praying for another.

I have been very blessed in my life, to have some really transformational friendships. I remember when I was younger, my mother used to tell me, by the time your 20 you'll be luck if you can count your friends on one hand. Well, she was def. right in a way. So many people have come and gone throughout my life. Whether it be through elementary school and high school. Though yesterday I really began to reflect on how God has moved me through some of these friendships. To begin, is really my friendship with Dorothy. This always fascinated me, cause looking back I feel like God had to work backwards with me. Most of my friendships at a young age, were with people significantly older than me. Throughout our friendship we've moved from a place of friendship to sisterhood, and the entire family has never made me feel any less than that which is pretty incredible. With this first friendship it kind of seemed like God was moving me into adulthood, lol, as it was with many friendships at the ripe old age of 12 lol. Seriously, i remember myself as being pretty darn mature. I was known in my family as the prosecutor. :))

Then as i moved into my numerical adulthood, and me and Rachel began our friendship. It's funny, because I felt like friendship wise I've learned so much on both ends, how to be an adult, but really how to enjoy life/and be an adult. I often highlight to Rachel and Jason, that they are a like the coolest married couple I know (One of Them ::wink::). Any and every time I've spent with Rachel has always been so much fun. We've had our tears, but I really learned how to enjoy life, and eventually this lead me to be able to find a balance. So many time's as Christians we get so focused in all the things we can't do, that we look at life with Jesus as a chore. I feel like life is a celebration, of the God whom we serve. The fact the we live and breathe is a testament of his great love, how could we not live happily in this.

Oddly Enough, my friendship with Rachel really lead me into a friendship with my own sister. Who is probably one of the most amazing, most beautiful, and most loving people I have ever met. Being friends with Rachel (Who is Dorothy's younger sister), really helped me understand my sister, and the things she went through. In that understanding, we moved from being simply be siblings, to building a trust relationship that I'm def. still finding a balance for, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

I'm surrounded by loads of really awesome friends today, in that way I guess I proved my mom wrong :)). Whether Margarita or Eric or Pastor Lou. There all so much apart of the person that I'm becoming now. And the truth is I see Jesus in all of them. It's funny, what brought this review of relationships to mind was actually a joke among some of my most recent friends, Vanessa and Vicki. Yesterday, Vicki went to Party City and got us all mustaches. It's amazing how quickly, my friendships with them have been built. And it's Very silly indeed, and it would take way to long to explain the inside joke to which this speaks to (If you ever see me wearing the mustache shirt Vicki got me feel free to ask <3), but with my friendships with them, it feels like God is taking me back to a place of Innocence.

I feel like in many ways in light of the experiences I had when I was younger, I lost some of that, and God had to take me backwards to find it again. So yesterday, I saw God's love in the journey. So often we're not willing to consider just how much God is actually moving in our lives. I really feel that he knew he had to move me through life in this way, to bring me back to the person he intended for me to be. Being innocent, is so much beyond being blameless, but about being an empty slate for him to mold. In light of this Journey, it brings to light just how much he makes all things work together for my good, just how much he really loves me.

Thank You God <3