Praise the Lord!

There is no reason that I should be so awake and so enthused at 2:30 in the morning. . .no, that is a lie. There are many reasons.

First: two very dear friends have already contacted me regarding my last post, and it was very sweet that they knew to be happy for this development. I have such good friends. Oh, I do.

Second: I am going to Missouri tomorrow to be with some of these wonderful friends! We will eat cake! And hug! Oh, I can't wait!

Third: I just finished reading my assignment in a book for Youth Ministry, and I get so fired up reading about how God has worked in and through churches. I cannot wait to return to Colorado and see how God is going to change things. I have very high hopes for this summer.

Finally: I am listening to "Love Liberty Disco," easily my favorite Newsboys album. It is the first Christian CD I got, which I received for being named "Camper of the Week" the same week that I was baptized, the summer before High School. It brings back so many good memories and feelings of hope, feelings of wonder at this new and fresh faith! Oh, to be made new! Oh, to be born again!

Hahaha! My heart is literally swelling right now, thinking of all this! What joy I feel! What a ridiculous post! I will end this now with some beautiful lyrics I just heard:

He doesn't love us 'cause of who we are!
He only loves us 'cause of who He is!

Sick sick sick.

It seems like everyone in the world is sick right now. My roommate, my coworkers, friends in my play (two girls were comparing prescriptions yesterday), and so on. It's amazing how many little words from teachers' lectures I miss from sporadic coughs from all over the room. And chapel! Our auditorium is essentially one expensive incubator right now, letting dust and germ settle on the sleep-deprived young bodies that wade through it.

But some are sicker than others.

My friend's mother might have leukemia. And Wilson's disease.

Another friend, Mary, wouldn't even tell me what her mother might be sick with, she is so frightened.

At times like this I don't know what to do. Just a couple of years ago my friend Brooke popped up on AIM telling me that her stepfather Jeff had either weeks or months to live. Those were the only options. I prayed furiously along with an unknown number of brothers and sisters in Arizona. When I saw Brooke at school, I cautiously asked how Jeff was, knowing that it had been a few weeks since we spoke. She told me in a tone that one could use for giving directions that there was no more disease in him. And she walked off. And I was stunned.

But why should I be surprised? God has done this for much longer than I've doubted his ability. He cares so much that he even chose to break protocol and heal people in person - with his very touch! God physically touched people! If he cares enough to walk on the same dust that now coats the Benson auditorium seats, surely he cares enough to heal my sisters' mothers. So I should pray, and have faith, right? Easy peasy Japanesey.

But what I hate is choosing how to react when he chooses not to heal. And continuing to pray for strength when I have been spiritually sick for as long as I've breathed.

Yes, everyone in the world is sick right now.

Where is that sun?