I have this friend- we'll call her Sister.

She is a very special friend to me - and her much more exciting life experiences have made her so much more wiser that I will ever be. Sister is a "heart" friend because she is outstanding at finding out what is important to me and caring about it. She is bold and brave and graceful and kind. She has the kind of face that, even when colored by grief and heartache, I am always comforted by. She just has welcoming eyes. Sister's home is everything I want mine to be. Overwhelmingly homey; filled with years of stories, adventures, and tastes... even though she's only lived there for a little over 3 years (or is it four?). Her house has a delightful smell- of Snow Angel candles, clean laundry, and a hint of all things girly: hairspray, make-up, and perfume. What I love about Sister's house is that there are small indulgences scattered throughout. There are beautiful pieces of jewlery that lay delicately across her dresser, and the most amazing Ralph Lauren sheets that dress the bed in the guest room.; everything from a half-empty bottle of red wine in the fridge, to royaly decadent purple paint on the walls in the front room. I love these things about Sister's house because to me, the represent all that she knows herself to be. She has had temultuous times in life and because she is fantastically real, she still has those days, but she is one of the most captivating women I know. She knows who she is, what she wants and most days ;) she trusts God's working in her life to bring about blessing and provision. She is a courageous fighter who treasures who she is enough to know - without a doubt - that she is worth more than the world has screamed that she is. She adorns herself with stunning pieces and wears them with confident beauty. She delights in sharing the bst she has to offer to any warm body that should find thier way as a guest in her home. She is prudent with the time she's given and is careful to allow opportunity to give back to and take care of herself. She is a good steward of, and takes pride in the appearance & feel of her home.

Sister is a hero of mine.

SHe has taught me invaluable, irreplaceable life lessons. She was the first to encourage my "tender heart". The first to shed light on our need for relationships. The first to remind me that I'm allowed to have a bad day. Not to mention the countless wonders she's tought me about the beauty of being a girl. :)

I wish everyone could know Sister. She's worth it, I promise. I always ask God to hurry up and bring Sister her husband because that poor guy is living life without her. And THAT is unfortunate. When I think about it, sometimes I'm sad that He brought Sister to me when I was 18 because that's EIGHTEEN years I lived without her! But then I remember what Sister says, "Sometimes He gives you Jesus-in-skin in the perfect season of life because He always knows when you need them."

Boy, do I.