even more grateful!

We had a great, great, GREAT day yesterday. Against my better judgment (driving so late, having fewer than 24 hours to stay, pulling B from school, skipping BSF), we all bundled into the car on Tuesday night after Rob got off work and drove to Billings. He had the opportunity to meet with some folks on Wednesday - his day off - and wanted to jump on it and wanted us to come along. So we did.

On Wednesday (yesterday), I got to spend a good chunk of easy-going time with family (Mom, Lane, Maddox, and Jetty), we all enjoyed some great Laotian food, and to cap it off, one of my closest friends and her husband had their son while we were in town. I got to meet Titus James within hours of his birth (didn't take pictures because my hands were full of BABY! the whole time I was in the hospital room), which was so special to me. I had wondered how it would work out when he was born, with Rob working so much and me aching to go to Billings to meet T and him aching to go too and unable to leave. God has said no to many of our requests lately, and I didn't even pray about this, but I joked to Molly that she was awfully kind and considerate, being over a week overdue and then progressing through labor SO quickly for me to be able to meet and hold her son before leaving town. It was a little bonus that I appreciated so much, God working out the timing perfectly.

While in the hospital room, we prayed over the family of a young man - a friend of theirs - who died recently in a car accident. The "how" and "why" of his death will likely never be known this side of heaven, but it was a privilege to lift up those who love and miss him before God. And while I have this song on CD by another artist, I hadn't watched this video (posted by Molly) until today.

A life taken, a life given, and God loves us through our joy and anger. He is not offended by our frustration at Him, and He loves us mightily with a love that is not made meaningless by Him wasting it saying "Oh, and I also love coffee. You and coffee. Man, that's gotta make you feel good."

How He Loves : A Song Story from john mark mcmillan on Vimeo.

My heart is so full.