As I write this it is the first Saturday in June. One daughter is off to get her hair done for the wedding of her best friend from high school. Another daughter is finally home after an unexpected trip to northern Ohio to be with a friend whose father succumbed to cancer much sooner than anyone could have expected.

A quote from the Dickens classic "A Tale of Two Cities" comes to mind, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times". And the verse from Romans 12:15 where we are instructed to "rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn" is at the forefront of my mind.

Both activities bring tears to my eyes. Yes, I'm a weepy woman, I'd love to say it's just my age, but the truth is I've teared up easily for as long as I can remember. In the past that trait embarrassed me, now I just see it as the way God wired me (yet there are still times I wish those tears didn't come quite so easily!). If you are one who has studied personality traits you'll remember it as a characteristic of a sanguine. Yup, that's me.

So today we rejoice - and oh what a great time of rejoicing it is! Lindsay and Michael, high school sweethearts with their whole lives ahead of them! In the fall both will begin the next phase of their lives as they attend dental school - together! Best wishes abound!

And in a few days we'll have the opportunity to fulfill the second part of the instructions from Romans as we open our home to the friend who has lost both father and best friend.

I'm so thankful that God has given us the great privilege of communicating with Him thru prayer. Philippians 4:6 - 7 instructs us to "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Ahh.that peace.that peace that this peace lover is so extremely fond of! That peace which the Amplified Bible explains as: that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace - will "guard [our] hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Without God's Word, without the amazing privilege of prayer, without the opportunity to thank and praise Him for everything that He has entrusted us to be a part of, I couldn't go on. But because of God's provision in our lives we can walk with confidence, and peace. Rejoicing (delighting, exalting, partying - my word, I'm pretty sure it's not found in scripture!) with those who rejoice and mourning (grieving, weeping, aching) with those who mourn.

Until next time.
Beth

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