Celebrations of life, death, beginnings, and endings...

It has been quite a week.

The week began with the funeral of a dear friend - one whom cancer took all too quickly and too violently. I will miss Tanya greatly - most specifically her honesty, loyalty, laughter, and her love of all things organized and documented. Many of you who regularly read this blog were praying for me as I played piano for her funeral - THANK YOU. I felt it. As I tried to regroup Monday night (I was totally mentally/emotionally/physically exhausted) I spent some time thinking about the month of June and how much of it revolved around trying to daily check on Tanya and her mother Norma. I loved Tanya and I love her mother as a dear friend - I wanted them to know that in this time of crisis. The month seemed to fly by in some ways and creep in others, but after Tanya had gone to be with the Lord I thought about what I learned from this terrible situation. Let me share one scripture that came to my mind, "By this all people will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35 That's what life is really all about - being a visible and tangible vehicle to take Jesus to the hurt and brokenhearted. We spend so much time trying to be religious and arguing with other Christians about doctrine and legalistic details of how to "do" church...they can't see Jesus because our egos and mouths are in the way. It's just about love - they (the world) should be able to know we are Christians, not because of what we say, but because of how we love others. Loving and serving God, loving and serving people. Simple, but difficult. Enough of the sermon.

The week continued and the moving boxes started to mount in my house. I feel like I have been packing for weeks and nothing seems to be moving...I think our stuff is somehow multiplying while we sleep. We are making progress though and we should be in our rental house by Tuesday. I am sad to leave this house - our first house - but we are excited about the doors God has opened so clearly for us. Intimidated about building a house - yes. Frustrated about being displaced from "home" for a few months - yes. But, we are thankful that God has provided the perfect place for us to live this fall and for the unity he's given us as we've set out on this journey together.

My mom and dad came into town on Wednesday night for the last Camp War Eagle Pep Rally of the year, specifically for my Dad to have his picture taken on the field with the AU Cheerleaders and Tiger Pause for his 60th birthday. This is a milestone he wasn't too excited about acknowledging - but I am celebrating the fact that he's healthy, active, and still my hero. He's an Auburn man through and through and we were just thrilled to be able to arrange this for a special birthday treat. Of course we didn't just take pictures of him, but included Turner in a "few" also. She did meet Aubie for the first time and really seemed to like him!

And we ended the week tonight with our annual "End of Camp War Eagle Celebration" at my house. (Yes - I had a party at my house tonight - boxes and all.) Mom and I moved all day yesterday, all morning today (THANK YOU HOLLY for keeping Turner), and then prepared for a Low Country Boil and catfish cookout tonight. Things went off without a hitch, largely due to having Mom here to help me, and I am SO happy to have Mark "home again" and Camp War Eagle over for another year!

In a week's time I have celebrated death, life, nostalgic endings, and exciting beginnings. We have that choice you know? To celebrate. Simple things like good parking spaces, cold diet cokes, and low humidity. Complex things like the blessing of good health, beautiful families, and God's sovereignty. In good times and bad times - I choose to celebrate life.