Tears of ?

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16

I take great comfort in Psalm 139, especially verse 16. It is a comfort to me as a child of God-especially as a mother. It's the verse that sums up my emotional experience during our worship service yesterday. I don't usually get weepy during the worship service- maybe an occassional quiet tear, but not so this week. I was ugly face crying by the time the service ended. There were basically three things that brought me to tears.

First, the pastor decided to close his sermon with a video clip of the crucifixion. It showed scenes from the death of Christ, but it was basically presented from Mary's point of view. It's always emotional when I face the facts about my Savior's sacrifice. But when you factor in Mary's loss- it really affects me. I distinctly remember the first Christmas after my oldest was born and how very different the Christmas story was to me that year. It came alive in a different way after being a mom.

Secondly, I watched a family weep their way to and from the altar and it broke my heart. I have been praying for them all week. The mother and father were in a motorcycle accident last week and the mom of three has been in a medically induced coma for almost a week now because of the severity of her head trauma. She has three children ranging from 1 year to 5th grade. I saw the dad escort his 3rd and 5th grade girls to the altar as they interceded for their mother. It was such a sad and beautiful thing. They were eager to go as soon as the music began and I was overwhelmed at their situation.

Finally, before I could recover from that moment, another precious thing happened. About three weeks ago, I mentioned a friend of mine who had had a near miss with an infant adoption and I told the story of her 6th grade daughter's heartbreak. Well, God truly does make all things new and through a series of events, that baby is now in their home. She came to them last Sunday and she is theirs! I found out about their rejoicing last week as they were bringing the baby home. But what really affected me yesterday was watching that same 6th grade girl step out and carry that same precious babe in her arms to the same altar where she'd wept only three weeks before so that she could rejoice and give thanks to the God who gives and takes away.

Lord, I can only say that in all of this, I cling to the fact that all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Praise God!