Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Not easy. But still good.

Life's like that sometimes.
This has been the hardest season of my life, I think.

Sometimes our lives are impacted by the decisions other people make. And that sucks.
But in the midst of suckiness, fun things can still happen and they do.

Like tonight.
Another Strawberry Tea at South Delta Baptist.
So awesome.
Know why?
Because I sat beside a 20 year old gal (Jemma. My newest facebook friend) from England (MINUTES from where we'll be staying) who has been in Canada for 2 years and is going home next month. She was FULL of advice for us. Imagine. I will be in country where everyone sounds like Emma Thompson. I can hardly wait.

And then, my dad's older brother's wife's youngest sister's oldest two daughters stopped by our table to say hi. (Annie and Suzie.) And my mom's best friend's daughter (who is sitting on the other side of my new best friend, Jemma) says to me, "How do you know Suzie? Our sons are best friends!"
And just like that  the world is small again. "Well, they're practically family, I say." And then I try to explain the connection, which is, like, we're practically cousins but not at all related. I love being Mennonite. One big happy dysfunctional family.

And for today?
It was enough.
Well, that and the sun was shining so that after work I tanned for 39 minutes.
So the layer of the sadness underneath was topped a thick coating of joy. And a dollop of peace.
Not bad for a day when worry and fretting were on the menu.

The sucky-not-so-good-makes-me-want-to-pray-all-day stuff? Didn't go away. And might not for a long time. And just when I thought I'd wallow in it, I got a facebook chat message from a friend who is going through hell with marriage-break-up pain and as I encouraged her, I realized I was also encouraging myself. Life is fuller and richer than just one event. Put that issue in it's place (God's hands) and pick another emotion off the shelf and try that on for size. Don't keep going back and taking your hurts out of God's hands and back into your heart. He is going to redeem your pain for His purposes and His glory in His time. So just back off.

Find something fun to do.
Like go to tea with some friends. Old ones (4 of them were over 70) new ones (Jemma. Only 20) and comfortable ones (those near the mid-century mark). Really. I can't recommend strongly enough the power of tea. And girl talk.

Three things I'm thankful for:
1. Mom's friends who invite me into their lives.
2. My truck. I love it. Thanks again, Halee.
3. Clint. Max. And Drew.

Shalom

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion, and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." 2 Corinthians 1: 3,4

I love how God puts people in my life that need the exact kind of comfort that He just showed me! Makes me wonder how many times I've shown up in someone's life because I needed the kind of comfort God had previously given them??? Most of the time, we don't know each others pain, or the subsequent comfort they have received. A web of sorrow and comfort... perhaps a definition of life?