Friend of Mine

On Sunday my preacher introduced his sermon by talking about recently looking back at photos of himself. While looking at the photos he realized that his friends made him into to the person he is today. You see your friendships define who you are or who you will become. Now he went on to talk about how Abraham was the only person ever mentioned as a "friend of God". He also ended with how are we as a friend to Jesus, not Him to us, but how we treat Him.
Okay so I have mentioned earlier that I would from time to time talk about people who have made a difference in my life. I had really decided to blog about this person on Saturday, but I got side tracked and never blogged. After hearing the sermon yesterday I decided I needed to get started blogging. now I am not going by who has meant the most to me or anything like that because I hope to get to many people. The reason I chose this person is because on Saturday she started a new website that some of you might be interested in seeing.
I do want everyone to remember that you might always feel the same way about a person as I do and you are entitled to your opinion. If you want to give your opinion get a blog.

Charlotte
When I was a child I remember this teacher that most of my aunts knew very well as their cheerleader sponsor. As I got older I saw her from time to time, but I guess it was in the tenth grade that our relationship totally changed. I stopped by room 11 from time to time to chat or Alisha and I would drop by and visit her at home. In the eleventh grade I hid out in her room almost everyday...sorry Mrs. Wood never could figure out why I missed so much of my office machines class. This was also the historic year when I informed Charlotte that she as really going to have to do something about her clothes and makeup if she ever planned on getting a new man.
It was my senior year of high school that everything changed. I finally had the privilege of sitting front and center in room eleven. I had always loved English and literature, but my love of English lit changed forever that year. I did learn a lot about the subject, but I also learned a lot about life too. Who knew I even won the English award that year. I thin that has meant more to me than anything else I have ever accomplished. In May of 1999 life was forever changed...Charlotte was diagnosed with cancer.
I had a few people I knew go through cancer, but not anyone that I was that close to. I honestly did not know what to do. I spent many a night just praying and crying. We spent a lot of time together that summer, but in August I went off to college. It was only two weeks in when she had her first surgery. That year thing were up and down. I often hated being away from home, but we still got to spend time together. It has been almost ten years since she was first diagnosed and things have been up and down for all those years, but through it all it seems she has been a rock. I am sure she has her days I know I would, but she has done better that I could have ever imagined.
Today I hate to say we are not as close as we once were, but I respect the fact that she sometimes keeps her distance. I wish I did get to spend more time with her, but we are not in the same place, so it is hard. I will say though she has been an inspiration to me in so many ways as a teacher, but most of all as a survivor. I do not know what my life would be like without her. I mean we can go months without talking and then one Saturday afternoon she will call and want to know why I have been acting like an old maid.
I do not want to bore any of you, so I will just say pleases always keep her in your prayers because she is still fighting each day. IF you want a more in depth story of her life with cancer then check out her own website at www.caringbridge.org/visit/charlotterich .