Sunday, June 6, 2010

A Funeral, A Wedding, and a Baby Shower

All week long I was yearning for some down time--time in which I might feel free to read a book or practice a new recipe of culinary magnitude. Alas, those leisurely moments were not in the cards for me.

If you know me, you know that I rarely have time to sit down, nor do I function well when I am forced to relax and sit still. My mind and body have become rather accustomed to the stress that accompanies adult life, rather--the stress that sometimes defines my adult life. I can't remember a time when I didn't have 20 things on my to-do list and I wallow in guilt when I can't check off every item on that list. Yes, I am horrible at relaxing. Even now I feel like I should be scrubbing a bathtub rather than writing. I generally do not allow myself any time to relax until I am so burnt out that I can't function without sobbing. I was looking forward to this past weekend for that very reason. I could feel the growing tension in my shoulders that led to horrendous headaches. Patience has never been my strong suit and my already short supply was rapidly dwindling. And so I entered the weekend with a bit of trepidation, anticipating that the arrival of Sunday evening would find me completely worn out and cantankerous.

Here I am on Sunday evening, shocked that I am cheerful and thankful to the Lord for giving me such an eye-opening weekend when I expected to be run to the ground and unprepared to face another week. The weekend began with the Memorial Service for our dear friend Cheryl DeLeo (I posted about her a couple of weeks ago). She was such an incredibly humble woman who loved our Lord with all of her heart. I was blown away at the size of the crowd that gathered to celebrate the life of this loving, soft-spoken woman. What an incredible testimony to her loving personality.

Saturday evening, we drove out to the Angeles National Golf Course to celebrate the marriage of my friend Laura who I worked with at Starbucks many moons ago. What a beautiful day, and what a gorgeous bride she was, exchanging vows with her now-husband David. The minister spoke honestly of love and the commitment they were making to each other. David, who boasts a sarcastic and wonderfully dry sense of humor, is a big softie when it comes to his bride. The smile that lights up his face when she enters the room is a breathtaking sight to behold. I was reminded of the spiritual parallel of Christ as the bridegroom and the Church as His bride. What a love to experience!

And lastly, today--this Sunday morning I attended a baby shower. The shower was for a girl I hardly know, but I grew up with her husband. I am thrilled for them, of course. I am always so excited to see a friend welcoming a new life into the world and into his/her family. It is such a precious thing to witness: the vast, unmeasurable love that is felt for this tiny new person balanced with the weight of tremendous responsibility in protecting and guiding the child safely to adulthood and beyond. I am so anxious for that moment in my life when I can celebrate a new life growing inside of me. What an awesome privilege to take part in.

As I was reflecting over my weekend, not only did I feel refreshed to have been surrounded by dear friends and family, but the Lord opened my eyes to something remarkable: I witnessed the progression of life, all in one weekend. Birth, marriage, and finally death. I was struck by the brevity of a lifetime. How quickly the moments in life pass by until the end of it. I do not mean to sound morbid; rather, I wish to bring attention to you, my dear friends, how precious and important each moment is. I have again been reminded to live life with purpose and passion and to serve my God with my whole heart. After all, if I am not living for a purpose, I am living an empty life void of the joy of glorifying the Lord. Each person on this earth has a purpose for which he/she was created. I beseech you to find that purpose and grasp hold of it. Life is too short to spend year after year simply drifting through the days.

And on a lighter note, I also realized that "A Funeral, A Wedding, and a Baby Shower" sounds like the title of a movie. Hmmmm, maybe my purpose is to write the screenplay for a movie.... Only kidding.

So, friends, I hope I have challenged you as the Lord challenged me this weekend. I thank God for each of you in my life and the purpose you have served in being my friends. I am so thankful for each of you.

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