A TIME TO WEEP AND A TIME AND A TIME TO DANCE
Baby boy #1 was born. Baby boy #2 was born. The love of her life just passed away. Grieving spouse celebrates the day of their partners birthday alone. Turning 40 quietly. I could have done a Hallmark commercial this weekend with the amount of cards I bought that could only be a Hallmark card. It was a weekend spent in tears for the pain of those who lost their loved one and the birth of miracle babies. The book of Ecclesiastes talks about the seasons of life where there is both weeping and dancing. As I get older I find myself reflecting on both the joys and sorrows that I have experienced over the past 63 years, with 64 coming up around the corner. Such memories like Junior high and Patrick High school where I became forever friends with Mares, Kath, and Kimmer and celebrated ( ok we are going too soon!) our 50 years of friendship. Going to college at UCSB and meeting my friend Dori, who I call Do. We led bible studies through Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. Remembering my 30th surprise birthday party that my dearest friends I met through our church, College Ave Baptist Church, gave me. It was by far one of the best birthdays I had because it was given by those who loved me then and are still a big part of my life. The day I got a call from a guy named Kevin asking me on a date, a blind date mind you. A year later we were married. Twenty six years later we’re closer now than ever before. The day we got a call that the birth mom had chosen us to be the parents of a baby boy we named Jacob Alexander King…the joy of our hearts. The day we moved to Temecula and rode our bikes to a little church called Rancho Community Church. It was in that Sunday school class that we met and still have some of the best friends we’ve ever had. Moving up to the mountains and living in a three story log cabin. It was there we made lifelong friendships through our church home group. The day I met my brother Tom, the pilot, in LA for the first time. Going to Richmond VA to surprise my sissy for her 60th birthday. Both my siblings are truly a blessing in my life. And then moving to AZ where we have found the best neighbors and church friends we could have wanted. We all have memories that bring us joy when we think about it don’t we? But we also have those memories that hurt our hearts so badly we don’t ever want to go back and think about them. But, it’s through both the good and the bad times of life that make us the people we are now. I was challenged this weekend from our pastor that we can continue to live in the chaos ( the pain in our lives that we may have not chosen but was dealt to us) or, a challenge to change the script of our lives so its lived out the way we had dreamed it could be. As I reflected on my life I saw a common thread..people…and Jesus. I have invested in both and that is where my JOY is. What have YOU invested in? Has it brought you joy? Maybe you need to make a change, to go a different path, to surround yourself with people who pour into you who you want to be and not what others thought you should be. This weekend I celebrate the joys and the sorrows with those who have given so much to my life. The good news is that Jesus is there too..walking right beside them, walking right beside us too, to bring us through the seasons of our lives..to walk us to our final destination..our real home called Heaven..