a wedding and a funeral

Ben has returned home now. Before he left he happened to mention that he was "going to a wedding and a funeral" and I thought "how wrong does that sound?" From the reports that I have gotten, it sounds like everything went well. The wake, the funeral, the burial, the wedding, and the reception.... all within 48 hours. Amazing. Uncle Steve's wake was very well attended. It's said that there was a reception line that didn't end for 3.5 hours! I can't imagine the physical and emotional exhaustion that would come with receiving people for that long! And that was just the first of five physically and emotionally demanding events to occur.... Amazing. Ben was an honorary pallbearer at the funeral (mostly because the family didn't know if he was going to make it to be "real" pallbearer). He feels quite honored.

From reports I've heard, the wedding was wonderful. Yes, the bride broke down a couple times during the vows (expected), but all in all, the wedding was about the joy of the union and *not* about sadness over the man who wasn't able to make it. Thank you, Lord, for your loving mercy.

On Sunday, I sang in the praise team for service and, of course, one of the songs we sang was Blessed Be Your Name. Standing on stage, it brought me to tears (btw, not the ideal place to fall apart). The words are so poignant and remind me that life as God's child does not promise happiness, instead it promises joy and fullness and peace even in times of strife and trials.

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say:
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

I have a passage that was given to me during the hardest time of my life, when I lost my Sarah. This passage is now framed with a small bit of the flowers that I received then at the bottom of our stairs (thanks, Mom). I walk past it many times a day and probably read it once a week. It really does seem so backwards to think that my God isn't trying to make me happy. He is trying to bring me closer to Himself and to eternal joy and peace using many ways, including the hard times.

The very fire that blackens my horizons warms my soul. The darkness that oppresses my mind sharpens my vision. The flood that overwhelms my heart quenches my thirst. The thorns that penetrate my flesh strengthen my spirit. The grave that buries my desires deepens my devotion. Man's failure to comprehend this intention of God is one of life's true calamities.

James Means - A Tearful Goodbye

Thank you, God, for the the trials that come and go and for the devotion that deepens with each one.