Joy

Mom and Ruth had a wonderful week together. It was a really good visit for both. Mom has been so happy to spend time with her visiting children.

In church on Sunday, Dave had a time for people to share their burdens with the church body. A woman who has had cancer for 14 years stood and shared her concern for her daughter and for the souls of the children in our area. A missionary stood and told about his growing difficulty obtaining visas into foreign countries. A businessman stood and asked for prayer to overcome his resentment at his latest transfer. A man stood and asked for wisdom and guidance as a husband and father. After each person shared their burden, two people prayed out loud and lifted their needs to God.

And then Mom stood. She said, in a surprisingly strong voice, that she had asked for prayer for joy. (She was referring to her prayer request in the weekly church prayer sheet.) She said God had given her joy, first in a visit from her son Loren, then in a visit from her daughter Gayle, and now in a visit from her daughter Ruth. And then she sat down.

I am so happy God has given Mom joy! I am so thankful for my siblings who came to visit. But I must admit, my already-sore heart was squeezed a little more when I realized her joy did not also spring from me or my family. Ouch.