A Good Roommate is Hard to Find

When a friend of mine told me a year ago that she knew a girl I'd love and who reminded her of me, I brushed it off. I love nearly everyone I meet—even people who are annoyingly like me. But Season?

When Season added me as a friend on Facebook, I looked at her profile pics and read the comments. We posted on one another's walls…our friendship was so 2010—all virtual, no play. When I met her, though, I had a sneaking suspicion that she would be a friend for life, even though I had no idea that six months later we'd be sharing a bathroom, an office, a rent check and life. But here we are, sharing life together.

I tell Seas as often as I think it that I love her and I'm grateful for her. She has a gift of wisdom that is unique among our peers and a gift of boldness that is blessedly masked in gentleness. I listen to her. I can't help it. When I'm spouting ignorance or complaints or confusion, she distills what I say and draws back curtains until we land on truth. I cannot express how much I value this. I admit that one of my biggest weaknesses is pride; as a result, there are few people I actually respect, and it is difficult to win my trust. Season, though? Season I trust. Want to know why?

Simply put, she just loves Jesus.

After Seas and I found the darling little house on Meadow Lane, the one in our price range, the one that is a five-minute walk to work and a happening downtown, the one that we love so much, we knew we'd need a third roommate. A good roommate is hard to come by—especially good ones that just fit. We knew that. One night on the couch at a friend’s house, though, we found that person, one that just fit. She was tall, fun, sparkly, and she'd just gotten home from Africa.

Jenna doesn't take herself too seriously; this is one of the first things I found out about her. At the same time, everything she does, she does seriously. She seriously loves us. She seriously works things out. She seriously dances in our living room. She seriously loves Africa and its children. She seriously weeps in front of us. She seriously works out her salvation with fear and trembling. I love this about Jenna. Love it. Love her.

We have so many conversations that are punctuated by her apologies for being seriously too much and every time the words "I'm sorry!" come out of her mouth, all we can say in reply is "Don't!" Because when you know someone who is willing to go to hard, deep places for the sake of the Gospel, you are willing to go to those places with them.

Jenna also has better one-liners than anyone I know.

When I'm with these girls, well, I can't even tell you how blessed I am. For the first few months I kept waiting for the goodness to wear off, the strife to set in and the little irksome squabbles to happen. But they haven't. And they won't, I'm convinced.

For a long time I've felt gypped by the reality that I am not in a covenant with the people with whom I share my home. These are things single people must deal with; there are no Death Do Us Part or Sickness and in Health relationships for us. It's the luck of the draw when it comes to the people with whom we share our homes and visions and lives.

Here in this home, though, I don't feel that. Ever. I wake nearly every day and go to bed every night with peace and gratefulness.

And epic dance parties in pj’s and bathrobes.

Photo by winsome hollow. Used with permission via Flickr. Post by Lore Ferguson.