I can't wait to see what the rest of the week brings!
You probably think I'm being sarcastic. Because I usually am. This time, though, I'm not kidding. It has been a simply amazing week. Literally. There have been so many simple (as in small, non-dramatic, easily overlooked or taken for granted) things to marvel over in my little world, it's just...I don't know how to explain it yet.
It's been a very nice difference, for one thing. I've been feeling overwhelmed lately with life, and work, mostly with work, but that spills out into life because when I'm behind in work I spend more time there both physically and mentally, which takes time out of the rest of my life. I know, I know; this was covered long, long ago in Adulting 101. These things ebb and they flow and eventually the pressures normalize again.
On Sunday, the hubby and I went out to breakfast at our favorite place by our old house, and someone paid for our breakfast! I won't say who it was here, but I literally am still just completely touched and honored by their thoughtfulness and generosity. And so very humbled. That act of extreme kindness really has set the tone for the week. THANK YOU "MYSTERY" BREAKFAST BUYER!!! You are such a blessing!
Then, after that, we were at church. Do you ever just get hit with random thoughts at church that utterly and completely blow your mind and make you feel like crying out of pure joy? If that ain't the Holy Spirit reaching right out and slapping you upside the head, I don't know what is. As a little background here, I didn't grow up going to church. I was baptized, and I went to Sunday School once or twice, but as a family we didn't go to church. Come to think of it, I don't know how I even knew we were Christians (much less Lutherans); I suppose because I saw the pictures of my baptism and asked questions about it, and because we had a Bible and a decorative plate with the Lord's Prayer, and a few other various religious-type things around the house when I was little. I went through some really crappy stuff in my teens that forced me to do some serious soul-searching, and that is when I guess I, as they say, "found" Jesus. *shrugs* I don't know, it wasn't like some big epiphany or anything, it was just that I needed my higher power and realized it was there all along. Then, fast forward a few years or so, and I married my hubby who was brought up in an active church-going environment. I started going to church on a regular basis after we got married. Actually, after our son was born. I'm learning all of the stories and the parables and the "rules" if you will. It's like my head has to catch up with everything my heart has known most of my life, if that makes sense.
ANYWAY, for reasons I can't explain, we were sitting in church on Sunday and it just hit me like a ton of bricks (or a ton of feathers, take your pick) how utterly amazing it is that God forgives us of all of our sins; that He loves us unconditionally, no matter what we've done in the past. I seriously wanted to just fall down and start crying. There are so many times when I don't feel worthy, by He says I am. So many times, even to this day, when I let the opinions of others hurt me or anger me; but why? It's not worth it. With all of the beautiful and amazing things in the world today, God also thought the world needed one of me. I'm one of those beautiful and amazing things, too. And anyone who doesn't think so can suck it. *ahem* Alright, alright, I can't keep the enlightened and sappy thing going for too long, or I really will start to take myself too seriously.
So. As I was saying...
Yesterday I went to my parents' house after work, for our weekly dinner date and errand running excursion. (Which reminds me, I have to log off in a few minutes so I can order their groceries.) I'm not sure why, but my Dad was having a tough day walking yesterday. He's been doing great (for him) lately, but yesterday he could barely make it from the house to my car. Anyway, as we were walking to the car, there were some young ladies (like mid to late teens? I'm such a bad age guesstimator, everyone looks 12 to me) going door to door, and they stopped at my parents' house and invited us to a block party happening later this week. We did the polite thing of taking their flyer and listening to their invitation, and then after they walked away we kept motorvating toward the car. A minute or so later, one of the girls came walking back toward us and . . . asked if she could pray for us. My parents both looked shocked but I immediately answered, "YES!!" (hopefully not yelling it like that, though I felt like I was in my head.) So this young lady, who was like 15-16 or maybe 17 or 18 years old, stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and prayed for us, specifically for my Dad, that God would heal him and take away his suffering (actually I was like WHOA there, could you rephrase that, I want to keep him here on Earth for a while longer, kthx lol) and watch over us all. ALRIGHT I'M AN EMOTIONAL SAP NOW. It was very touching. You just don't see that, especially in their neighborhood. I prayed for that young lady and the others who were working with her. I also prayed that I might be more like her, more willing to share my faith with others no matter where I am.
This seems like a good place to stop for now. Time to go order some groceries! TTYL.
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