Parties

I've been to lots of parties in my lifetime and I am sure that you have as well. I mean we all have those photos in our baby books or parents' photo albums (I was born before the scrap booking revolution) of us at our first birthday party with our cake in front of us and being given permission to destroy our lovely cake with our hands and smear it all over our face and everything else while others smiled and giggled with delight. Wonder what would happen if I tried that on my 49th birthday??

Parties are something we all have experienced over the years. Whether it be birthday parties for little ones, or birthday parties for older ones, or that infamous 4oth birthday bash where everything turns black, or the 5oth where everything turns blacker and everyone is laughing a little too hard at your "gag gifts." We've all been to the party with the black T-shirt with neon lettering that reads "OLDER THAN DIRT." My mama and daddy had that one for some reason and it is now hanging in my closet for future use.

Speaking of parties who hasn't been to the occasional retirement party or going away party(we've hosted two of those in our home in the last couple of years and I must say I am not a fan of those) I mean who wants to party when their friends are leaving and taking their kids with them. "You all know who you are." :)

Last night, Friday, Bobby and I went out to eat with his sister and mother and we had a great time.
Later that evening I kind of had my own party. You know the kind I am talking about. The kind of party where there is only one guest invited, one invitation sent, one person present and that person is you. There are no colorful and creative decorations. There are no yummy snacks. There are no people mingling around amongst one another. There are no games being played and no loud laughter.

I could never write mystery. I am sure you have figured it out by now.

This is A PITY PARTY. Yes, if you are old enough to read this I am sure you have been to at least one or two in your lifetime.

This is not the kind of party that you look forward to and buy a new outfit for.

This is not one of those parties where the guests leave soon after arriving before the party has a chance to really get going. This is the kind of party that has the potential to be an all nighter.

This journey that we are on is one that you don't wake up from. It is there when you go to bed and it is there when you wake up. MOST of the time I fix my eyes on Jesus and see the big picture and focus on God and see the positive and take negative thoughts captive and rein in the negative, but then there was Friday night.

Thank God my PITY PARTY was not an all nighter, but it lasted long enough that I sure know I don't want another invitation anytime soon.

After being a really bad guest at my own party all alone in my back room for a short while, I invited Someone else to the party. I invited God. I began to kind of whine to Him about all the stuff about this journey that I just did not like. I began to be honest with Him and just tell Him how I felt.
Thankfully, thoughts began to come in my mind about Jesus and how when He was on planet earth He went through lots.
All through this journey that has been one of things that has come to my mind most often. It is the suffering Servant, the Jesus who came here, went through life here, went through pain here, people talking about Him, often right to His face. If not to His face, then behind His back.

Jesus went through. He went through. Yes, Jesus went through. NOT AROUND.

What a comfort.

It looks like right now that Bobby and I are going to have to go through, not around. I am thankful that I have a God that is with me, that is with us. His Spirit comforts me, comforts us. He understands me, He understands us.

Next time I get an invitation to a PITY PARTY, I pray my RSVP says, "NOT AVAILABLE."