Old Friends
But for a country music-loving little girl in the 1980s whose childhood idols included Kenny Rogers, Larry Gatlin, Randy Owen, and Charlie Daniels, the news was soul-shaking. I thought he was the image of an angel, with a voice as smooth as silk yet scratchy as sandpaper.
And though I had never met Kenny, or even seen him live in concert, I felt personally crushed. Like a part of my childhood was gone forever.
Still, after the flood of emotions had subsided, I had one thought: "I wonder if Dolly is okay." Because as much as I loved Kenny, I knew he and Dolly Parton were actual friends: real, lifelong, heart-and-soul friends from way back. And my heart broke for her. "Islands in the Stream" was one of the many duets they recorded together, and if you can't name another one you should find some and spend an hour listening to them.
If you don't know about their friendship, your heart will be warmed to watch this video. It's called "You Can't Make Old Friends," and it's been running through my mind for weeks now. I love the old pictures, I love Dolly's hairstyles through the years, and I love their level of comfort with each other.
So it seemed a little trite when I pulled out a pair of running pants last week and thought, "These pants are like an old friend." I specifically remembered buying those pants at least twelve years ago on clearance at Wal-Mart for $2. They fit until I got pregnant. As my belly expanded, the oh-so-forgiving waistband had to be pushed lower and lower beneath it, making them too long. So I had my husband's grandmother hem them for me. I still wear them, though they are socially unacceptable with their four-inches-too-short length. When I pull them on, I remember running while pregnant, needing to pee with every step, and how much my life has changed since that first child came into my life.
Today I'm shifting my closet around, pulling out summer clothes and packing the winter. And before I even get down the summer stuff, I know what I'll find tucked away in the corner of the bin: my favorite skirt. Probably the only Liz Claiborne clothing I've ever owned, I bought it at a yard sale for $1 when I was in high school. It has the most perfectly classic lines, full at the bottom and tastefully snug through the hips. I wore it through my 20s whenever I wanted to look classy. I will pull it out again today, sigh when I realize I still can't zip it at the waist, and stick it back in the closet. I just can't pass it on to Goodwill; that skirt saw me through my college interviews, recitals, business meetings, and Sunday mornings when I was too lazy to shave my legs. This skirt is also an old friend.
These thoughts of old friends bring me back to one of my favorite passages in the Old Testament: "The Lord would speak with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend," (Exodus 33:11). Moses had a long life: raised in Pharaoh's palace, murderer at age 40, led the Israelites out of Egypt at age 80, waited around in the desert for 40 more years as a faithless generation died. Moses was so much older than almost anyone around him; he had likely outlived even his old friends. There would have been memories in his heart and mind that no one else alive had experienced.
Except God. God had been there at Moses's miraculous rescue on the banks of the Nile by Pharaoh's daughter. God had led him to Midian when he needed to escape the wrath waiting to kill him in Egypt. God spoke to Moses in the burning bush, put the power in his staff to ordain the plagues, opened the Red Sea while keeping the Egyptian army back, and came down upon Mt. Sinai to meet with Moses and give him the law.
God was Moses's oldest friend. Regardless of Moses's mistakes--and they were plenty--God was still there. I can see Moses, sitting in the tabernacle, laughing until he broke out in a coughing fit as he walked through old memories with God. I can hear God saying stuff like, "And don't forget...how bad did those frogs stink?!?!" and both of them laughing. I bet God added in some details that Moses had forgotten. And I bet Moses looked back on those memories and said to God, "I can't thank you enough."
In light of all these thoughts, I'm recommitted to walking back through my own life, seeking out God's fingerprints and presence in moments I haven't thought about in years. I don't want to just remember my past; I want to remember where God was, how He led me or gave me peace, and what happened as a result of each situation, good or bad. I want to laugh through some things; I want to boldly walk through the cringe-worthy moments and say to God, "I'm so glad you stuck with me." I want to be inspired to call the friends or family members in that memory just to linger back in time with them again.
Spend some time with your best old friend: the One who watched every victory, every defeat, every stumble, and every word you wish you could take back. Give Him credit for who you are today and praise Him for never giving up on you. Laugh through those ridiculous moments and let Him dry your tears over the pain and the regret. But don't walk away from your precious time with Him; cherish the solitude with God as you would linger over a big cup of coffee with an old friend.
(If you need a jump-start on looking back through your own life with God, meditate on this old Christy Nockels song.)
Thanks for liking and sharing with your old friends :)
Leslie
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