Highs and Lows...and landing in the middle...

So...today was a day of highs and lows. It's Monday (well, it was 24 some odd minutes ago). That means my day off of work (for the most part). I love Mondays - getting to spend some time with the kids just being mom - not rushed off to church. I've enjoyed volunteering in their classes this year (I missed that last year) - then there's all that other house stuff that piles up. I might be seeing the bottom of the laundry pile. That's a good thing. Today was extra great from a "mom" standpoint - the kids were off of school...and they were just fun today! Woke up to them playing and laughing together as they built a fort in the family room with furniture and pretty much every blanket they could reach. It was sooooo cute to see and hear! I love how well they get along and bring each other along. They are such a blessing. We laughed and tickled and giggled and drew and built and crawled and laughed some more. Then we made homemade play-doh and made all kinds of fun sculptures. Then a quick lunch - Noah a jelly sandwich and Kaylee a peanut butter sandwich - they go together!! Then a batch of Grandma Unwin's outrageous chocolate chip cookies (they are so yummy!) The kids love to cook - it was fun to hear them talking about what they want to do when they grow up - cook, teacher, scientist, and oh stink...what was Noah's other one. It was so random amidst the cook & teacher.

Now...before I was even really awake I got a call from mom to tell me that my uncle was taken to the hospital with chest pains. Uncle Al is the oldest of the siblings on mom's side. (One of my favorite Al memories is sitting in his house doing homework and listening to Stryper and hearing him tell mom that I shouldn't listen to that kind of music and I couldn't resist but ask him if I could play Battle Hymn of the Republic on his stereo - because gospel is the only real music --- he was thrilled at my suggestion - so I plugged in my cassette tape (I know...what is a cassette tape) and cranked it...and Stryper belts out their rendition.) Anyway - the day was to hold tests galore for him. He has Parkinson's and dementia and who knows how he would handle all that. All we can do is pray (more about him later).

I hang up the phone with mom...and now a little more awake, I remember it's the day for a memorial service celebrating the life of a mom of two of our middle school students. Going to a service for someone who is at a similar age and stage in life is just hard...4 kids (12, 11, 8 & 5) - the 8 & 5 year olds get to me, of course, because I have an 8 & 5 year old (remember those gems I got to play with all day...yeah). After all the fun with the kids, the tone changes as I run up to change clothes and know I'm going to try to comfort two students who have lost their mom for a while and my friends who have lost a friend. They will be reunited with her in eternity, but for today, and for who knows how many more days, they are not together. So you trust the Lord who is the God of comfort, who grants peace that surpasses all understanding, to hold up this dad and their kids, and their family and friends... Please pray for the Shepherd's. I was struck by just how serving Tammy was. The church was packed out with people she impacted. What a glorious tribute to one of God's servants - story after story of how she gave, was dedicated beyond measure and loved her family and her Lord. Oh that it may be said of me someday...

So, I come home and give my hubby a hug that lasts longer than normal and I smile and am grateful for the day I've had. Then to comfort my hubby...as he is trusting God for a new job - something completely different than what he is doing now. He's in the midst of negotiating with a new place (oh that he may be away from his current employment) but today there were just questions raised as to whether this is really where he needs to go. Last night - we were gung ho - watching Extreme Home Makeover and thinking - yep...another confirmation of the direction we're heading...only to have today be just weird for this process. So...a fairly direct email about concerns, wondering about what's in store...we'll see. Please pray...that Steve will be exactly where God wants him, job-wise that is...I know that together is exactly where we need to be and there is no better place. But he's sacrificed so much for the cause and call of the God here in Oregon --- it's been the hardest part of this move for me... I just love him so much and want him to have joy in what he does...

So...as the email is sending Steve and I are talking about how we haven't heard anything new about Uncle Al...- no news is good news right? No sooner do the words leave my lips that the phone rings. Not good news. Al did have a heart attack last night. He has 3 blocked arteries - 2 almost completely blocked - 1 heavily blocked. With his physical & mental condition - he's not a candidate for bypass and the doctors and specialists are not convinced that even a stint would help. Oh what a kick in the chest. What a day of ups and downs...

And then there were the calls, emails, messages with friends who are in the midst of big life decisions - how to decide, how to be bold, how to trust Him, how to move forward...wishing it could be black and white...and it just isn't. One of my favorite word pictures for these times is wishing I could see the billboard that says "turn this way" - "go do this" - "you'll end up here" ...while I wish it happened that way, it doesn't. So we say - it's ok, you are sooo courageous (which they all are), you have so much to offer (which they do), and...if I see your billboard I'll give ya a call. (smile) It's not that I canned this conversation or message chat - but just interesting to see multiple people having different but similar struggles...whether a life direction or a physical condition or a heartbreak... sigh...

The joys of just being together and having fun...to the depths of reality of the fraility of life...to making big life decisions...all the while trusting my life (and everyone elses) into the hands of a loving God, who is the creator of all things. Even sitting here now I'm glad our church is currently doing a series on the Names of God. I rest in His name, His character.

So, I hang up the phone. I've sent the emails. It's time to put the kids to bed. And I get to smile and giggle again. Say I love being your mom and have Noah say "I love being your son". Whew...I needed that. Hugs and kisses to get my fam to sleep - then downstairs to do some "regular" things. In a day of highs and lows I needed to land in the middle...