Monday, January 21, 2008

Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary

BRI TURNS 24!!!



Today is my best friend's birthday! So, here is my ode to Bri. I am also celebrating our 16th anniversary as best friends because we met around this time of year 16 years ago!!

I am very very blessed to be able to call Bri my friend. She is one the most devoted friends I have ever encountered...she is never afraid to be honest with you, will be harsh with you when neccessary, but will be the first to cry with you when you are said and the first to forgive.

I have never met a person that goes through life with such an expectation of friendship. Let me explain....Bri does not use the term friend lightly...if you are someone she considers a friend, you have to know what kind of a gift that is. She will support and encourage you through everything and also challenge you to better yourself and your relationship with God....but my favorite part about Bri is that although she extends all this support to you; once she calls you friend, she also expects the same support and challenge FROM you. I really appreciate this, because if you truly are friends with someone, it should be EXPECTED to be brutally honest with one another because you know unconditional love is there.

I think this is often seen in our relationship with God as well. God will challenge us regularly, not because he is a mean God, but because he knows what we can handle, and wants to develop us and our relationship with him. He will be the first to catch us when we fall and first to forgive. But that is not all, when God extends us salvation, he has expectations of us...he wants us to live a life learning about him, sharing him with others, trusting him through all trials, glorifying him and growing together.

I think that Bri reflects "philos" love very well and am very grateful that God placed her in my life.

In case you haven't heard it....here is the history of Bri & Tonya

When Bri was in 3rd grade and Tonya was in 4th grade, the both moved to Texas from up north. Bri was on one end of the street and Tonya was on the other end of the street. There were NO other girls on the street. Bri came riding down the col-de-sac on her bike wearing a 101 Dalmations t-shirt and saw Tonya (who was also wearing a 101 Dalmations t-shirt). Bri asked Tonya if she knew of any boys around 11 years old. (Bri was looking for friends for her shy older brother ) Tonya told Bri that there a bunch of boys on the street, but no other girls. Once Bri and Tonya realized that they lived in the same house floorplan and both have mailbox number 2, they knew they were meant to be. :) The rest is history.

I love you very much Bri and am so grateful for you. Happy Birthday Best Friend.

"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. ...... A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart." -Ecc. 4:9-12

3 comments:

Bri Westbury said...

I still remember when we were sitting at your parent's table worried that our "two year" time was coming up and that your family would be moving-whew! I am so glad I have been blessed to grow up (16 years!) with such a wonderful and supportive best friend!

crystal said...

i agree with you about ms. bri! i am blessed a hundred fold by her friendship!! how lucky we are that she calls us friend!

Jenn said...

mm i third it! i'm thankful for bri as well! and you tonya too!!

"I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are your works, and my soul knows it very well."



~Psalm 139:14