I found another gray hair this morning!!! I am sure it had appeared this week. After funeral arrangements and a week with my mother, we found ourselves at urgent care with my youngest having pneumonia and me with a ripping sinus infection. This is the thanks I get, an infection, a sick kid and a crown of wisdom...nice.
This Friday morning has been a much slower day. TGIF. The past week is finally done. My grandmothers funeral arrangements were made. My mother took the train home. We are all on antibiotics, and the headache is finally easing off. AHHH!!!
I soaked in the tub this Friday morning and thought of all that had transpired this week. Despite the extra gray hair, I have many reasons to be thankful. So many miracles. I witnessed the hand of God on us and the favor of God that was shown to us through the kindness of others.
We saw it at the funeral home. My grandmother had purchased part of a burial plan but it wasn't enough. They reimbursed us the plan and we were able to take the funds and pay for her cremation. This is rarely done. They even helped us find a less expensive cremation plan through another company.
We finished with all the paperwork and were shown such favor in the lengthiness of it. When Joe and I finished signing it all we thought it would be nice to take my mom to Pikes and just walk the day off. It was sunny and even slightly warm. As we found FREE parking my mom and I walked ahead of Joe. He had ran back to the car because he always has to have a dollar for the homeless people that sell the newspapers. Yes he is an incredible guy.
I turned to witness a beautiful seen. As he was buying a paper from a homeless elderly woman, he then went to help another elderly women get in her car. With people everywhere walking fast and getting to their destination, I am privileged to see this painted before me. Little pieces of life, love and Gods brush strokes are everywhere. The favor, the finances, the sunny day, the kind acts, the peace in the midst of life's storms.
As I soaked in the tub I put some jasmine bubble bath in the hot running water. It smelled amazing. I read the label and it said the Jasmine flower is picked in the dark of night when it is at its most fragrant. This little information went right along with the praise song and psalm I have had been singing in my heart
"Weeping may be for a night but rejoicing come in the morning." Psalm 30:5
There is no other song than the song that comes after the night. It's at the most fragrant and powerful level. There may be pain in the night but Joy, His unspeakable Joy, comes in the morning. His love never fails!!!
I wanted to set my mind on the things above and not on all the commotion that has transpired this past week. Two mission teams came home this week, one from Mexico and one from Thailand. Even in the midst of the all the weeks confusion, God would bring my friends to my mind and heart and I would fiercely pray for them. I thought of how easily it would have been to be distracted, but I had purposed in my heart to pray from them and God held me fast to my commitment. As I wept in the night and prayed in the darkness, God would bring to my mind friends, family and situations that needed prayer. He used my weeping of the night and made it useful and prayerful. "Warful" if that's a word. And now as the week comes to an end and I am one gray hair wiser, I see how important our night prayers are. How fragrant they can be. They usher peace to our sleep and we get to experience how beautiful a morning song is and His mercy's that are new with every sunrise. Our nights may add a little silver to our crown but that's the beauty of silver, its has such a nice contrast with a black drop.
