Two Things At The Same Time

How can we, as humans, feel real joy and real sadness at the same time?

But we do, and often.

Right now, I have such joy: Yankee Cousin is landing on Holy Southern Land tomorrow. Her flight is in at 7:30 a.m. and she and Husband should be back from the airport in time for us to all go to church together. Mother is doing well, walking without walker or cane. A nephew is a new daddy as of yesterday, a six pound girl. 

And, I have such sadness: A dear friend of mine is in the process of saying goodbye to her daughter. She has been unwell for a long time, and is now in the last stages of life as we know it on this side. She was unresponsive as of this morning. This dear one is only in her forties. I sang at her wedding. She is their only daughter. And Dog, dear old Molly, seems to be headed for glory land, too. Oh, it may be a few more  months...but things are declining with her health, and we have loved her and she has loved us mightily for nine years. We had hoped for longer.

 I am not comparing our sorrow of the loss of a pet with the sorrow of losing a child. Lord knows, I don't even want to ever know that sorrow.

I thank my Heavenly Father that my peace is not connected to either my joy or my sadness. It is the only constant I have.

Happiness is Fleeting

I called the library this morning to see if they had a book I desperately need.

You see, I am reading (or gobbling up) Craig Johnson's books. One must read them in order, as they are about the life of a small town sheriff.

I have two books that are to be returned, one I checked out and one I have on the sly from a friend (you know who you are). She read the book in one day, so I got it from her after church Sunday and finished it yesterday. It is still getting back to the library seven days before it's due, so if there is a person in line for it, they will be thrilled and none the wiser that I got to read it.

Anyway, the girl at the library said they did indeed  have the book I wanted, if I didn't mind large print. (I didn't ask her, but why would anybody mind large print?) I told her Husband would be by this afternoon to get it.

I was  happy! I could start a new book, one that I really, really was looking forward to!

In  less than five minutes the phone rang. It was the Library Lady. She said she'd looked everywhere and could not locate the book.

I was not happy.

Somebody needs to call the Li-burry Po-leece! I  mean, really. Has someone snuck off with my book without checking it out at the desk? Don't they  have detectors at the library doors for those thieving rat finks?

Anyway, see what I mean? Happiness is fleeting.

I believe we can have that deep abiding peace and joy Christ talked about. I have it, in fact, whether I'm happy or not.

And I also think God doesn't care whether we are happy. Many times He puts me in situations that makes me pretty unhappy. Growth and discipline aren't always fun filled, you know.

But I have His peace.

I wouldn't trade that for all the happy in the world.