and we're back!

man, today has been on some serious crazy pills...I've kept a constant to-do list going because I had sooo much going on that I couldnt keep it all in my head. meh.
But, I actually LIKE days like this because they go by really fast...and I also like today because my doctors bought me Chinese food for my birthday...awwwww! arent they sweet!? ( I think they just wanted an excuse to get chinese...but whatever, I've never looked a gift horse in the month)
Alright, alright...lets start in on some of the very last of my series of "Influential/inspirational" people....Today is the last day, because dear friends...TOMORROW IS MY BIRTHDAY!!! SO GET THOSE EMAILS READY>>>>>>

Thida
I met Thida during my first year at Uni, she lived in Dante's Inferno with Lydia Penny and I...and she loves to tell the story about how RUDE I was the first time she met me...sure, sure whatever...but once our friendship got officially started we've had a blast ever since! :-)
Thida and I share a delight for shopping...even though I have more shoes than she does, and she DEFINITELY has more formal dresses than I....we are definitely "girly" friends...and I wont put you through an account of many of our conversations...one of my favorite had to be when we both tried talking in "ultra sweet, innocent" voices in order to experiment if guys really WOULD do whatever we asked them when using the voice. ( it turns out guys are suckers for the sweet/innocent voice..but thats for another time)
But, ultimately the reason Thida will remain in my heart forever began when she started coming to Lydia and my life group during second year...I remember when we first asked her to come along and she said, "as long as you wont try to make me into a Christian." Lydia and I smiled and told her we would NEVER do that!
The thing about Thida's story is while her salavation is HER personal story with Jesus, God gave ME that gift of getting to be a part of the ride. First of all, God taught me a lot during the time Thida was searching... we'd had a LOT of discussions in life group...most of which were way over my head! I remember thinking, THIS isnt how its suppose to work, I'm suppose to have all the answers! But, ultimately God taught me that patience, prayer...and love were the only things I COULD do to bring Thida to Him...other than that it was ALL HIM.
I can count how many times God has directly SPOKEN to me on one hand, and one of those times was the night that Thida finally came to church...she still hadnt made a decision about God, So, there we were in church during the worship and I HEARD God say, " I just showed Thida who I am."
Whoa.
Sure enough i looked over at her, and she was crying..and she looked beautiful. God, took that moment to teach me, just how much His Holy Spirit can do...He changed Thida's life in an instant.
I am truly grateful that she's been such a friend to me, she has taught me so much about Faith...watching her figure out her relationship with God those first couple of months, she has an amazing ablity to discribe aspects of faith, aspects of ones relationship with God in the most simple yet beautiful ways! I was continually blessed by my talks with Thida. In the coming year my relationship with Thida was even more of a blessing, she lived right down stairs from me and being so near to her showed me even MORE. Thida is one of the most genuinely friendly people I've ever met...everyone loves her. She is bubbily and happy 90 percent of the time, something I truly admire. She also never gave up on her dreams. And today she is in Med school...just where she should be! She is going to make a wonderful doctor, and the journey she took getting there was just as it should be. Yes, Thida has been an encouragment to me, and a testiment of so many aspects of the Christian Walk with God. I saw her as a "wee babe", so to speak, at the beginnings of her faith and she continues to grow. In the past year I've only spoken to her on the phone once...but I was once again amazed at the power of God moving in someones life...she told me of her search for a church, and how she saught God about what to do, and where she was suppose to go...she told me about how she was going to have to decide where to do her later years of study...Truly Thida's life is an example of Light. And how the Lord truly turns the light in in Darkness. I can truly say my life, my faith, my relationship with God would not be the same without Thida....