Beautiful Day, Sad Day...Rejoice In It

We are having the most gorgeous weather today. It's sunny and bright after several cloudy and rainy days lately. The temperature is perfect. The kind of day where you want to go to a park, the lake, have a picnic, cookout - whatever you can think of just to be outdoors. Especially since we've been stuck inside a lot the past week or so due to a sick Big Bear. But it's just a pretty normal day around here and besides playing outside a little bit, we're not doing anything to spectacular with the gorgeous weather day since dad's at work and gets home late on Fridays - bummer.

So why am I so sad? A couple of things...

I went to elementary school with the aunt of this 13 month little girl who got sick last Friday and died on Monday. As far as I know, they still are not even sure what caused her illness. It is just devastating. This morning I saw my former classmate and her mother (the grandmother) standing near the hearse as I drove past the church with my 3 beautiful children on our way to the park. It just broke my heart to know that this family won't be going to play at the park with the little girl today or ever again...and they don't even know why.

Obituary from Dallas Morning News
KEARNEY, ABIGAIL ANN April 9, 2007 - May 12, 2008 We only had her for 13 months, but with Abby those 13 months were pure joy. Our darling girl was born April 9, 2007 to Will and Mary Kearney. She went to be with the Lord on May 12, 2008 after a very brief illness. Abby always had a smile and loved laughing with her Mommy & Daddy. She was very social and loved being around other children. Abby loved playing with her numerous toys, books, and stuffed animals, especially her piano, cell phone, toy keys, stuffed monkey, parrot and her feet. Along with her parents, Abby is survived by her maternal grandmother Sandra MacHutta, her maternal grandfather Daniel MacHutta and his wife Sheila, as well as her paternal grandparents Bill & Dorothy Kearney. She also is survived by her aunt and uncle Melissa and Scott Cliett and their children Courtney, Christopher and Caylee. Abby also is survived by her aunts Bernice Kearney, Elizabeth Kearney and her cousin Lola Kearney.

And then I got an email from a friend asking for prayers for her neighbor as she and her soon to be ex husband tell their children (4 & 6 year olds) that they are divorcing and that dad will have moved out of the house when mom and the boys get home from vacation next week. It makes me feel sick to think about.

I'm trying not to let the sad news over shadow the wonderful day that the Lord has given me. Last weekend in church, that verse in the Responsorial Psalm hit me in a way it never has before...This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Whenever I've heard it before, for some reason I have thought that it's suggesting that we should always think of each day as rosy and beautiful because it is the day the Lord has made. But that is not what it is saying. Life is not usually rosy and beautiful. I think rosy and beautiful stand out because they are not the norm. The norm is routine, same old same old...maybe even mundane. It's the dishes, the laundry, the yard. But, no matter what, each day is one the Lord has given us. We are to rejoice and be glad in it - rosy and beautiful, the norm, or a day of sadness. So, that is what I'm going to try to do with my day containing all 3 - beautiful weather, normal routine and sad news.