"fake" shape & friendship

DISCLAIMER: not every blog will be this long!

today was beautiful outside.  seriously, sunny and 65.  so J, my sweet roommate being the athletic and motivated woman that she is asked me to join her for a run.   i tried to decline her offer multiple times, but she insisted and said she was out of shape to it was no big deal.  you see i am what they call "fake" shape.  definition- looking in shape but not being in shape.  all that being said, i proceeded at J's request to put on shorts (only to show off my ghostly legs) and a tshirt.  i grabbed my iPod and we were off.  the beginning was not too hard, i mean i am capable of running BUT slowly as she persevered i could not run any longer. she continued, because i am convinced her definition of "out of shape" and mine are totally different. i walked. she insisted on walking with me.  so the cycle continues.  she pushed me, harder than anyone ever has, and we walked/ran for awhile.  when it was time to turn around i had no option but to walk, my legs wouldn't have it anymore.  i told her that she needed to run running for her is the same amount of exercise as walking for me.  she ran ahead, quite gracefully.  i walked behind. 

all this to say, it was humbling.  i was pushed, struggled, humbled, encouraged and i know through it all she still loves me.  i am not sure she knew what she was getting into when she asked me to join, but i know that it was the perfect depiction of J and my friendship.  (more generally what any friendship should be like.)  this is what Christ wants our relationship(friendship) with him to look like, it is also the model of friendship He has set for us here on this earth.  i needed that reminder. i have been blessed with amazing friends and lately i have forgotten about how much i need those friends to PUSH me, STRUGGLE with me, HUMBLE me, ENCOURAGE me, and LOVE me.  my prayer is that i will continually learn to be a friend like that.