birthday at the Summit, and a lot of people from my HC and the overall church came, including Jason. He told me at the birthday party (and he so DISLIKES speaking in public--it was a large group of people) that I was definitely missed while I was back in school, that it was like a key part of the group was missing. At the time, I wasn't sure what to think of it, because we weren't really that close, so how could I be missing from his life? So, anyway, I did what I normally do when someone who I don't know well says something like that--I dismissed it and paid no special attention to him.

The months went by, and in the summer I played church softball. I mention this because it was then that I got to know Travis, Jason's brother, a LOT better--he was the coach. This may sound weird, but there's a simple equation associated with the Shade clan: getting to know one of the Shade clan=getting to know ALL of the Shade clan. :-)

And because we were all part of the same housechurch, my acquaintance with the Shades grew more into a friendship.

In the fall, our housechurch started making plans to branch. It was the same time that the Garbers invited me to live with them as a part of their family. We ended up branching into three separate groups, and because I would be living with the Garbers it was only natural to be a part of their group. This was also during a time period where I was really struggling with my faith and with being single. I wasn't following as closely with the Lord as I should and I had a work relationship that was not appropriate and really distracting. So, it was definitely a tender moment for me, when our housechurch branched, because I felt like everything I was comfortable with was being ripped apart. Of course, looking back, isn't that when the Lord likes best to work in us, after the pieces are already dashed to the floor?