The Highs and Lows of My Weekend

This weekend was full of highs and lows.

I will start with the highs:

• Tianna's birthday was Saturday, and Matt came home from Ithaca to be at her party. Chris also came, and it was just fun to see them all together.
• We had a fun birthday party for Tianna attended by 28 sixth graders at our house (don't worry, it appears on the low list too).
• Today's message in church was another powerful one from the book of James, on being a peacemaker. Our pastor spoke about peace making and peace taking relationships and how difficult it is to really walk in the posture of a peacemaker. Characteristics of Peacemaking relationships are that they are pure, peaceful, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and secures. Contrast this with peace taking relationships which are characterized by bitterness, envy, selfish ambition, evil and disorder. It was another one of those messages that I felt was "just for me".
• I had a car load of twelve year old girls tell me I rocked and they sang a song of gratitude for me at the top of their lungs.
• I caught glimpses of the sun rays peeking out from behind clouds.

Now the lows:

• Eleven of the sixth graders, most of the girls, stayed over for a sleep over. We had one high drama incident which made me want to pull my hair out, but we got through it. Yes, of course I know that is way too many hormonal sixth grade crazed girls to have for a sleepover, but how that happened is a story for another day when I am not quite so shot.
• I spent time reflecting on Tianna's birth mother, and that is always an emotional place for me to go. I appreciate her selfless gift of her daughter more than I can express. But my heart is full of compassion for her. I know in Vietnam poverty often drives the decision to abandon a baby for adoption, but I think of her birth mom and wonder what her thoughts are about her daughter, especially on her birthday.
• For other reasons, November 15th is also a very sad, difficult day for me, but that is also a story for another day.

That really is just the overview. I was astonished at how many of the kids had cell phones and had them at the party. That is worth a post in and of itself...

And in terms of my sadness, I will close with words my friend and blog reader Pam wrote and passed to me in church today: "As hard as it is, Jesus want us (I think) to get to the point where if our spouse (or whoever) never connected emotionally with us again, we would find our fill and satisfaction in Jesus." I know that is true, but I also know it is hard; very hard.