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Reminiscences II (Posted Aug 27 2005) Nancy Lai - Friend from Real World, Roommate The first time that Julie and I hung out together one-on-one was when I was still at the Kintyre House. We quickly realized we were REALLY different from each other; we were unsurprised to discover that our Meyers-Briggs were complete opposites. Hm, that didn't stop us from deciding to move in together a few years later! Julie you were so incredibly endearing. I remember how you loved swiffering and would even swiffer the ceiling -- and then you'd show me the dust you picked up. You'd occasionally get on a cleaning rampage and I'd come home to a spotless kitchen. You'd get take out pho at LEAST once a week. Last summer when I was away, I asked you to monitor the fig tree growing in the backyard because I knew the figs would be ready soon. When I came home, you told me that you couldn't tell which plant was the fig tree (since you'd never eaten a fig) and so you went around to each of the plants and asked, "Are you the fig tree?" This cracked me up. To this day I believe that you asked this question out loud to the blood orange tree, the tomato vines, the pear tree, and the persimmon tree. I can imagine you thinking to yourself, "Now if I were a fig, what would I look like?" Julie, you would tear through books on my shelf that I myself had never flipped open, but I would tease you that you didn't read books -- you just skimmed through them quickly on your insatiable quest for more faith knowledge. You'd let me randomly crawl into your bed (even when I was sick and germy). I remember going shoe shopping with you and Kathy in the winter since you only had your sneakers and knee-high boots and you seemed pretty determined to get a pair of more wearable cold-weather shoes. We left the store (you were very pleased) with a pair of classy black heeled Mary Jane's -- NOT so suitable for winter. I do NOT remember encouraging you to eat expired foods and medicine but I'll take your word on it. Remember the Christmas music video that we filmed? And dude, you sang LOUD in the shower. You loved telling us about what your kids were up to at school. Once I think some kid pulled a button off his shirt to put it on the snowman art project he was working on. You thought this was so hilarious you couldn't even manage to scold him. In high school we ran in totally different crowds. It's so true that if not for our sisterhood, we would have never gotten to know each other. Julie, you were a big dreamer willing to try just about anything. We were determined to learn from each other -- so you would come up with a plan and then I'd ask you all these questions to help you implement it. Then you'd ask me what I saw myself doing in 10 years and I'd say I don't know! In a very short time, we became extremely vulnerable with each other and in your words, they were "really, really open, candid confessions at random times... I love it!" Julie, you were also PIVOTAL in helping me process my decision to come out to China, which lasted from October until January. We analyzed each of my options, motives, fears, goals. You knew when to leave me alone and instead just talk to Kathy about something Jonathan did. :) One Scripture I will remember you by is one from a study you led more recently -- we were studying calling. Matthew 3:17 - "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." Remember when we talked about this? We were both like, "WOW! That's why Jesus could take all the temptations that immediately followed and all the crap the world gave Him. He was so utterly secure in His identity as a loved one tat His father was happy with." We determined together to make that our priority and I saw you grow in this area as you shook off even your OWN expectations for yourself and just lived to be one that the Father was delighted in. The other is one you repeated to yourself often, 1 Tim 6:6 -- Godliness with contentment is great gain. Throughout your life you've had your fair share of disappointments and setbacks, especially with your big dreams. But you knew to keep on praying and where to be setting your faith eyes. My dear sister, I can't believe I will never see your digga-digga dance moves again or hear the unique way "Hello? HI!" you answered your phone. I'm so sad you won't be able to fulfill the 12-part dream from August 4. I can't believe we're not going to hear from you again. But that's just on this earth right? You are in a better place now. I'll keep on missing you though.
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