Oh, what a wonderful, wonderful day....

.....day I will never forget...

I had the most beautiful day the other day. Laura's Birthday and Malakai's due date.

I was in Texas with Caleb and Laura and had a wonderful few days with them. I spent Saturday with their Life Group and enjoyed the time with their friends. We went to a Pumpkin Patch and then surprised Laura (kinda) with a little birthday party. I was flying out on Sunday afternoon from San Antonio. I didn't realize at the time that we wouldn't be able to make it to church that Sunday because of my flight. So once there, Laura said we would have church at their house. As I met their Life Group and realized their Life Group's church was in San An., and only 10min from the airport we decided to go there. It was a last min. decision to go and it worked out perfectly....we were truly meant to be there that day!

The morning was a beautiful crisp fall morning with warm sunshine bursting thru the coolness in that bright blue Texas sky. On the way to San An. Caleb stopped and got some fresh lilies for Malakai, as his grave was on the way. We stopped and the tears immediately started welling inside of me as I thought about this precious little one that could have been in the backseat as we were headed to church that morning. I am a pretty emotional person and do cry very easily, and so the tears were flowing even before I stepped out of the car. We had some quiet time there at the grave, reflecting on him and Him. I guess none of us were prepared for tears as I only had a half used kleenex and there were no others in the car.

After some time of reflecting, we headed on to CrossBridge. It was refreshing to be welcomed so warmly by the "welcoming committee" that stood near the door. Being a visitor in a church can sometimes be lonely, but not there.

Anyway, jumping a head to the service.....the last two songs before the service were perfect for the day. First we sang "Blessed be the Name of the Lord". These words trigged those tears again: "He gives and takes away, He gives and takes away. But I will choose to say, Blessed be His Name". As soon as I hit the words takes away, I lost it. We were sitting near the front so I felt like everyone could see me sobbing.

Then on to the next song. It was a hymn....."It is well with my Soul". Again the sobbing continued....well I held it in, which always hurts, but then my face was all scrunched up as I was letting the tears roll, and only having one half of a kleenex. I remember Laura saying that the whole church came alive with that song. The band stopped and it was just the sweet sound of four part harmony and Oh, what beautiful words. I think I was more crying FOR them because they have dealt with the whole experience so beautifully and honestly. I don't think I could have done it and I am sure they thought they couldn't have gone thru it before. But they did and are stronger and more beautiful because of it.

Then there was the sermon on the Good Samaritian and topic was "Giving Away My Life". The main focus was not focusing on your problems but focusing on helping others go thru their problems and then in turn would help in your healing. We are so focused sometines on our own "wounds" that we can't focus on others' wounds. Who do I know that needs love, God's healing? Am I too busy to listen?

The speaker said this, "If you want to commit to those who are hurting to prayer, than don't commit. If you want to commit, then go all the way. Help those who are hurting, don't just pray."
Ecc 7:3-4
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

Isaiah 40:28-31
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

What was great is that they also focused on the homless in San An....which, if you know Caleb, is one of his passions. I guess he is kinda like a "good San Antonian", you know instead of samaritian. He is not afraid to share the gospel. I have no idea why I am afraid....but I am.

So a great sermon for the day. At the end of the sermon, they had a time during singing that you could go up and pray with someone if you needed to. I was thinking that since I was in the front where the leaders could see me and sobbing most of the morning that they were probably thinking,"that lady needs some prayer, she better come down..."

Anyway, a great day! A perfect day! We were supposed to go to that church that day and sing those songs and listen to that sermon.

We left church and got to hang out with Josh and Heather for lunch before heading off to the airport. Caleb and Laura are blessed with some great friends. I am so glad that they found a group of friends that are so fun and loving.

So that was my beautiful day. With some beautiful people.