Stormy Sundays

This is my very favorite kind of day.

We started the day with church, where I was challenged and encouraged by the awesome people around me.  I spent time with my God, alongside my husband, and this helped me focus on the coming week and what's important in life...I desire to end this day as a better person that the one I was when I woke up.

We had lunch with friends, enjoying their company and reconnecting with other adults because the chaos of daily life often interferes with our ability to connect during the work week.

We headed home and, on this particular day, the rain came.  We got home, hurried the kids inside where it is warm and dry.  We greeted our devoted dog and cats and got the kids upstairs to start the naptime routine.  We wrestled on the bed, brushed our teeth, and headed to our bedrooms.  I took Hannah and Chris took Andrew.  Hannah read her books, Andrew sang a few songs, and we all settled down for some football watching and/or a nice nap.  The rain calmed us and soothed us with the steadiness of the storm.  A few thunder claps here and there served to remind me of how small I really am, and how every breath I take is a gift from God.  I am overwhelmed by the love I feel for my husband and children, and I shake my head as I realize how undeserving I am.

There's no big event, no celebration going on today.  Just me, gaining more and more perspective on life.  you see, I lost a friend on Friday.  She was my age and she had a rare form of cancer.  She had fought for more than a year but was sent home from the hospital nearly two weeks ago after being told there was nothing more the doctors could do.  She was given just a few days, but lived ten more.  She and I were in the same church youth group growing up.  She was a dear friend then.  I lost touch with her after high school, when I moved away to college, then to seminary, then married Chris and moved to Georgia.  She left a loving husband and two children, a 12-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old son.  I can't imagine their pain, nor do I care to try.

So, today, I consider how short life really is, and how every day is a precious gift from God.  Especially stormy Sundays like this one.