Old Friends.

Last night I had dinner with an old friend. It's so pleasant to see a soul you've not seen in months, or even years, and to set to it as if no time has passed at all. We had not seen each other since early June, a few nights before I left to go on a little vacation that would set the tone for many months to follow. And as I began to tell him so many stories I paused to offer an apology, but before I could get it out he interrupted me to say that he had come to expect and enjoy my stories as they are told in a particularly unique and 'James' way.

We chatted for hours and I could not help but ponder why on earth he would listen to my obscure ramblings about creation and carbon dating and all the ways one may cook sweet potatoes. Friends are great to have. This summer I learned much about friends. I learned that communication is something that must be continually worked at and sanctified.

I have also seen Scripture live before me as I have not seen it live before this point. I have had countless little moments where the Spirit has brought to mind some truth I have heard previously, yet not fully understood. There was one interesting conversation I had with a friend and it seemed that every other word spoken by this pal brought to mind verses that showed just how much this person needs Christ. And yet the words reminded me just how much we all need Christ.

Alcoholism is a terrible disease. It's one of the only diseases that sufferers are judged for and not loved. We can love diabetics and folks with high cholesterol, but often those who suffer alcoholism are the subjects of our scorn, not our love. There is a saying among alcoholics that there are two types: alcoholics and recovering alcoholics. They are never rid of the disease, but must wrestle against it their whole lives long. I believe this is true. There are Takers and recovering Takers. There are sinners and recovering sinners. Christ came. Christ died. Christ lived. For what? So that we can recover. More than that, so that we can live. That we can be free. No longer do we have to say we are merely recovering, but that He has recovered us. We have been found and recreated, given new life. We still have the trappings of alcoholism and asthma and Taking and sinning all about us, but it is no longer the definite in our lives. We can now live as those who do not suffer from disease; we can live as Leavers and not as Takers; we can live as He lives; life is before us, not death.

Such an interesting few months I've had. I could not have planned it myself. I feel that it was a path I was more than bound to travel, it had to happen.