In the fertile soil of you
In the summers of 1988 and 1989, I had the honor of traveling with two different groups of folks from my first college, North Central Bible College, now North Central University. They called us One Accord and we represented the college for 8 or 9 months on the road throughout the Midwest. Two summers of doing music at youth camps…I attended 17 one-week-long youth camps over that span. Still trying to catch up on sleep! Almost every camp ended with the Michael W Smith classic: Friends.
Cant believe the hopes he’s granted
Means a chapter in your life is through
They were the best of times, they were the worst of times. Mostly the best. But I’m not just thinking about the old OA friends tonight. I’m thinking about the whole enterprise of friendship with all of it’s color and life. It hit me a couple of years ago that I’ve had so many great friends and I had this sort of desperate feeling of disconnection from most of them. It was triggered by some sappy movie where a bunch of friends lived in a big house, but then they kinda moved away at the end, and one of them goes to visit another one at his beach house and finds pictures of the old gang plastered all over…unforgotten.
But we’ll keep you close as always
It wont even seem you’ve gone
By the way, if anyone thinks they know what movie that is, please let me know. I have no idea what it’s called. So a friend, over an Applebee’s lunch, suggested Google groups as a way of reconnecting. I started there with a degree of success. Facebook is easier to maintain and find old friends with.
I hear people say all the time, “I don’t have time to waste messing around with Facebook!” Point taken. But I’m actually find this an extremely efficient way of connecting with folks. Brandon, Virden, Winnipeg, Kenora, Manhatten Beach, Minneapolis, Stevens Point, Spencer Lake, Racine, Wausau, the Midwest, all over Canada, all over the US, all over the world…my old friends are scattered to the four winds…
In the summers of 1988 and 1989, I had the honor of traveling with two different groups of folks from my first college, North Central Bible College, now North Central University. They called us One Accord and we represented the college for 8 or 9 months on the road throughout the Midwest. Two summers of doing music at youth camps…I attended 17 one-week-long youth camps over that span. Still trying to catch up on sleep! Almost every camp ended with the Michael W Smith classic: Friends.
Cant believe the hopes he’s granted
Means a chapter in your life is through
They were the best of times, they were the worst of times. Mostly the best. But I’m not just thinking about the old OA friends tonight. I’m thinking about the whole enterprise of friendship with all of it’s color and life. It hit me a couple of years ago that I’ve had so many great friends and I had this sort of desperate feeling of disconnection from most of them. It was triggered by some sappy movie where a bunch of friends lived in a big house, but then they kinda moved away at the end, and one of them goes to visit another one at his beach house and finds pictures of the old gang plastered all over…unforgotten.
But we’ll keep you close as always
It wont even seem you’ve gone
By the way, if anyone thinks they know what movie that is, please let me know. I have no idea what it’s called. So a friend, over an Applebee’s lunch, suggested Google groups as a way of reconnecting. I started there with a degree of success. Facebook is easier to maintain and find old friends with.
I hear people say all the time, “I don’t have time to waste messing around with Facebook!” Point taken. But I’m actually find this an extremely efficient way of connecting with folks. Brandon, Virden, Winnipeg, Kenora, Manhatten Beach, Minneapolis, Stevens Point, Spencer Lake, Racine, Wausau, the Midwest, all over Canada, all over the US, all over the world…my old friends are scattered to the four winds…
‘Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong
Some say that electronic friendship is not meaningful. Again, point taken. But to push back a little, there’s also a depth and richness in surveying profiles and notes and connections that goes a whole lot deeper than shooting the breeze at the water cooler. And if we got a hand written letter, we’d think the world of that friend and their deep thoughtfulness. Hello?! I feel so much more informed and connected now when I’m fortunate enough to run into the old friends, or the new ones, or the ones I live with…
And friends are friends forever
If the Lord’s the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
‘Cause the welcome will not end
Though its hard to let you go
In the Father’s hands we know
That a lifetime’s not too long to live as friends.
I’ve been told, alternately, that I’m hard to get to know AND that I wear my innermost thoughts and feelings on my sleeve. Go figure! People don’t always know what to make of a guy who enjoys sports, outdoors, projects, computers, getting things done AND also places high value on hanging out with people and not always having an agenda. I’m a mystery wrapped in an enigma!
So I’ve been accused of being a workaholic AND I’ve been accused of being a putz, sometimes by the same person. I’m a tricky one to pigeonhole, but let me give it a shot: it’s called balance. What a concept!
With the faith and love God’s given
Springing from the hope we know
We will pray the joy you’ll live in
Is the strength that now you show
Balance and friendship don’t always peacefully coexist. And shooting for balance doesn’t mean I don’t overbook here and there. But I want you all to know, my Facebook friends, and all of my friends, that you are integral to the plot of my story. I’m not interested in being alone. That’s hellish. I’d rather shoot for the heavenishness of togetherhood. Hopefully, a lifetime’s really not too long to live as friends.
But well keep you close as always…
And friends are friends forever…
Whether you like the song or not, thanks for the friendship which has made me a wealthy man!
Some say that electronic friendship is not meaningful. Again, point taken. But to push back a little, there’s also a depth and richness in surveying profiles and notes and connections that goes a whole lot deeper than shooting the breeze at the water cooler. And if we got a hand written letter, we’d think the world of that friend and their deep thoughtfulness. Hello?! I feel so much more informed and connected now when I’m fortunate enough to run into the old friends, or the new ones, or the ones I live with…
[photo: Evan, Sheri and Heather, 1972]
And friends are friends forever
If the Lord’s the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
‘Cause the welcome will not end
Though its hard to let you go
In the Father’s hands we know
That a lifetime’s not too long to live as friends.
I’ve been told, alternately, that I’m hard to get to know AND that I wear my innermost thoughts and feelings on my sleeve. Go figure! People don’t always know what to make of a guy who enjoys sports, outdoors, projects, computers, getting things done AND also places high value on hanging out with people and not always having an agenda. I’m a mystery wrapped in an enigma!
So I’ve been accused of being a workaholic AND I’ve been accused of being a putz, sometimes by the same person. I’m a tricky one to pigeonhole, but let me give it a shot: it’s called balance. What a concept!
With the faith and love God’s given
Springing from the hope we know
We will pray the joy you’ll live in
Is the strength that now you show
Balance and friendship don’t always peacefully coexist. And shooting for balance doesn’t mean I don’t overbook here and there. But I want you all to know, my Facebook friends, and all of my friends, that you are integral to the plot of my story. I’m not interested in being alone. That’s hellish. I’d rather shoot for the heavenishness of togetherhood. Hopefully, a lifetime’s really not too long to live as friends.
But well keep you close as always…
And friends are friends forever…
Whether you like the song or not, thanks for the friendship which has made me a wealthy man!
Evan, Dad (right), Troy and Garlen Anderson (left) Golf pals, Harlingen, TX, Christmas break 1988
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