Celebrating You: Wade

My friend Wade...and a new blog series.

While talking to some friends about my blog, my friend Wade said he was sad that he had never made it into my writings. I made sure he knew it wasn’t because he isn’t an important part of my life but mostly my blogs are about things about faith, music, and me. But yes, it’s quite selfish really when I think about the people who are aren’t in my blog. There are so many people in my life to be celebrated..so it got me thinking. Perhaps this should be the start of my new blog series??

**Disclaimer... I have lots of people to celebrate. If I don't write about you, please don't be sad.. I still love you.

So, here’s the start of my series entitled “Celebrating You.”

So today I will write about my friend Wade.

Funny. Friend. Fabulous. Listener. Open.

These words define my friend Wade. Everyone should meet him. He was one of the first people I met when I decided to join a young adults small group several years ago. It’s hard to figure out how many years I’ve known Wade, it feels like he’s always been a part of my life. I guess that’s what friends do. They help you forget what life was like without them, and make sure to remind you that you don’t want life to ever be without them in the future.

I know that no matter where life takes us, Wade and I will always be friends. We’ll always talk on the phone. I learned a few weeks ago that Wade hates talking to the phone, unless it’s me. So I guess we are good “lets catch up on the phone” friends. Wade was tricked into being one of my high school volunteers at our church. I begged him, or at least asked him to pray about it. And he jumped on board soon afterwards. He knows that Sunday nights are focused around the students and so he and I don’t get much time to catch up. Generally, on the drive home, he’ll call and say “Sooooo.” I like that Wade asks me about life. That he genuinely wants to know what is going on, what’s the new scoop, or what drama I’ve gotten myself into.

Here’s a quirky thing about Wade. After going to see a movie, he will write down who he was with on the back of the ticket stub. And then he laminates it and puts it in a binder. So tonight, he and I will go see the new Harry Potter movie and I know that memory will always be in his binder... laminated.

Wade hates concerts. Well, hate isn’t the word. He’s never been to a concert. Until this past Fall when he was forced to go to several. And I secretly think he likes it, but he won’t admit it. But what I have learned from Wade is that he’s willing to try things and I’ve seen this willingness grow in him in the last year or so. I’ve seen him take some new risks, try new things, and that makes me happy. I am learning from him, whether he knows it or not.

Wade has a big heart. He cares deeply for others, and is concerned about how to be a better example and leader to his high school small group guys. He loves his family, cheesy pretzels, and weird TV shows like Survivor and Bones. He has great hobbies and loves to play strategy games. He loves the Lord and is humble. He rarely updates his Facebook status in hopes that when he does, people will see it as a treasure and treat rather than an expectation.

And so what can we learn from Wade...

Ask yourself, what kind of friend am I? Do you ask the question “How are you?” and mean it?