A Late Night Toast

So I have 3 midterms this week. I just finished with the first one, and I think I came out on top. Last night, I was studying with a good friend of mine at Starbucks. It was about 9:30 when I bought a Venti Mocha to keep me alert and on top of my game. By 10:00, I had downed the entire thing and came to the conclusion that I needed something with a little more "kick" to it. So I asked the coffee expert at the cash register to give me another Venti of the strongest stuff they had. 5 minutes later, I was sipping on a frech-pressed concoction with a color and texture very similar to black tar. It definitely needed some creamer, but I didn't think anything of it. I just went at the books with renewed vigor.

When Starbucks began closing at 11:00, I determined that I needed to go home and get some sleep so that I could gear up for a tough week. I got to bed around 11:45. Getting to sleep proved to be quite the adventure! For the first hour, I just laid there with my eyes wide open. Then, I began to get ticked. The next hour consisted of tossing and turning, and trying to put into practive literally every possible sleep technique I had ever learned or heard about; all to absolutely ZERO avail.

I didn't want to get out of bed because I was determined to get to sleep. Yet, at the same time, I wanted to be productive with this time. My clock told me that it was 1:45 in the morning. The anger phase had come and gone. Now it was just me, alone with my thoughts. I began thinking about all I had just studied, along with a plethora of other random things. One of them being the Best Man Toast that I have to give at a good friend's wedding reception this coming weekend.

Should I open with quick one-liner? A personal story? Should I talk about how I was a part in them getting together at the beginning? Should I offer a short prayer of praise? What is the main thing I want to get across with this toast? Then I settled on it.

I am going to discuss, briefly, one of the most crucial attributes that I look for in a true friend. Ryan is one of the most LOYAL people I have ever come in contact with. There is so much that goes into that word--LOYALTY. It involves trust, sacrifice, defense, and a genuine concern for the other's well-being.

God created friendship. And God has established His faithfulness and loyalty. Ryan is one of those few guys in my life that has always been there, an unknowingly faithful witness to what God has created us to reflect in friendship--LOYALTY. That is a lot of what it is all about, right? Life is filled with many trials and sufferings. It moves so fast, as I am experiencing as I get older. What would we do without friends whom we can always count on to be there in the midst of the hurricanes that life throws our way?

I realize this is a different type of blog post. The last time I remember seeing on my clock was 3:30. My lack of sleep is bringing out the sentimental side! I just want to take advantage of this opportunity to challenge us all to both cherish friendship as it was created, and to reflect the character of God in portraying it.

Here's to loyalty!